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I don't get the problem. Apple GIVES you software. This FREE software may or may not work with your third party peripherals.

If you really want a backup that works with your third party CD-RW pay $80 for Retrospect Express.

If you need to burn to DVD+R[W] then spend $90 on Toast.

Apple is GIVING you FREE software. It's up to them to decide what hardware they will support. And what features of that hardware they will support.
 
That's a good point.

They should let you do more, but it is free (well, built in to the cost of the computer). How good is M$' backup? Even their built in CD burner sucks. That's why most retail drives come with burner software, and why most people buy third party utilities. Buy Toast if you don't like it.

Apple could support DVD+, and better implementation of RW, and they might. But why waste the resources. Choice? They picked a format, they seem to be going with it. Again, if you want something else, no one is stopping you. This is NOTHING like Palladium.

Besides, the issue is moot until we actually se what Apple does with Pather.

We may all be pleasantly surprised...

edit: it'd be cool if Apple went with the Sony drives. Faster CD-Burning. But according to the specs, it does look like it's a Pioneer A06. With the ones that come with Sony, do they somehow make it run slower? 16x vs. 24x? That would suck. Doesn't make sense.

Do the iMacs with the Sony drives have 24x cd-r?
 
Originally posted by solvs
With the ones that come with Sony, do they somehow make it run slower? 16x vs. 24x? That would suck. Doesn't make sense.

Do the iMacs with the Sony drives have 24x cd-r?
Yes, I think they do. There was some discussion about this on Macintouch back when people first noticed that (1 GHz) iMacs were coming with Sony drives, and I think it was determined that they were burning at full speed.

WM
 
Originally posted by bikertwin
Palladium is all about "security" and that sounds good. It locks down your machine.

Microsoft and security don't go together. Look at how many security patches they have released. Think about that.
 
JBracy & solvs,

Your posts suggest that I haven't made myself clear.

1. Toast isn't the answer because Apple physically disables DVD+R/RW in the drive's ROM. You will never be able to use that functionality with any software, whether it's Apple's or a third party's. Even though the manufacturer of the DVD drive designed, built, and tested both DVD-R and DVD+R, Apple is physically disabling your ability to use +R/RW.

2. Neither iDVD ($49) nor Backup ($99/yr for .Mac) is free.

The question is how far will Apple take this control? Will iTunes be next? How about OS X itself? If OS X only recognized Apple-installed drives, no software on earth would let you read them.

Alarmist? Perhaps. But then the question is: Well, why is Apple doing this to Backup and the SuperDrive? Where are they going with it? What if no one complains? What's their next step?
 
106 drives are DVD+R compatible with Toast, and A06 drives are not in any Macs that are shipping. If they went out of their way to disable this somehow, it seems kind-of pointless. But it would be disappointing. I haven't heard of this, though. I think this is a software issue more than a hardware one. Not going out of their way to support something they don't support.

iDVD is not meant to work with external drives. I wish it did, but it doesn't. You can always buy DVD StudioPro. Or use other third party software. More expensive yes, but it works fine with externals. And iDVD is free to new computer buyers. Backup has it's alternatives as well. Who ever said Apple HAD to support unsupported drives?

Other drives work fine with Apple software, especially internal. Even if they did stop letting you use other drives, which would be asine BTW (internal or external), especially when all new Apples have only 1 cd drive (G4 Tower notwithstanding), go to XLR8YourMac and apply a hack. If you want external drive support, you may have to use other software.

It's not like Apple sells drives, or that they expect you to buy a new computer every time you want a faster drive.

I'm hoping they fix the Backup issue, as many have complained. If this IS being done for some other nefarious purpose, then we can complain. And we will. If you don't like the options Apple is giving you, you can buy other software and/or hardware. Vote with your dollars. If Apple wants you to pay for things you don't like or want, don't buy it.

Believe me, if things go too far, WE WILL COMPLAIN.

Maybe they just have issues with some external drives.
 
106 drives are DVD+R compatible with Toast, and A06 drives are not in any Macs that are shipping. If they went out of their way to disable this somehow, it seems kind-of pointless. But it would be disappointing. I haven't heard of this, though.

Did it ever occur to you that this is in fact what I'm trying to say?

iDVD is not meant to work with external drives. I wish it did, but it doesn't. You can always buy DVD StudioPro. Or use other third party software

Hmmm. Re-read point #1 from my previously reply. It's not a software issue, it's a hardware issue.

Do you read or do you just reply?

Believe me, if things go too far, WE WILL COMPLAIN.

Maybe it would help more if we complained at the beginning, rather than when it's too late. Sorta like the frog in the pot of hot water that doesn't realize it's too hot until it's too late...
 
I read what you said, and I don't completely disagree.

IF the G5 ships with A06 drives and Toast cannot burn DVD+Rs, then you are right. If they refuse to listen to the complaints NOW that Backup cannot do EXTERNAL drives, a lot of people will not be renewing their .Mac subscriptions. But it is still not the end of the world, just stupid for them to do. They never have supported it. Since you can use other software, this is not about hardware.

You do know that the latest upgrade to iDVD lets you run it without a DVD burner, right? It still won't burn to external drives, but it'll still work, with other internal drives too. As can Backup. If this was a mistake, and they "fix" it, you will also have a lot of angry people, WHO WILL COMPLAIN!

Most of this does seem to be software, not hardware. And it's not that bad yet. Apple is moving away from proprietary, remember. It's more like being a frog complaining about... you know, I'm not going to even finish that. We have to wait and see, otherwise you are being reactionary. Apple's not going to disable support for other drives, they just still won't officially support it.

You're upset about something that hasn't happened yet, that might not even happen. Your basing your entire assumption on a vague statement. Before you tell me to read your posts, you might want to reread your first post. If this is the basis of your arguement, we don't have anything to worry about. This is a software issue, not hardware. Sucks that you have to buy something else if Apple's software doesn't work for you, but you can. So what's the problem?

Since when do all these drive manufacturers support Macs anyway (maybe a few)?

Read XLR8YourMac. It's got some good info.
 
You're upset about something that hasn't happened yet

So, do you wait for the train to hit you, and only then get upset?

Or should you get upset when you see it coming at you, and warn others to step out of harm's way?

All I can say is that I see Apple's actions with regard to Backup, iDVD, and non-Apple drives, and I get scared. They own the hardware, the software, and the OS (which we all know), so they can do anything they want. They haven't seemed to have abused that power in the past (we don't need Apple-installed video cards or hard drives, for example), so I'm just curious as to why they do it with optical drives. That's all.

It's like a benevolent dictatorship gone bad.
 
I understand, and you're not wrong. I would agree... if it went that far.

The problem is, we're standing next to the tracks looking all directions. We know there could be a train, there might be a train. But there hasn't been a train in a really long time (if ever). And you're wanting us all to run. I'm not going to lay down on them and take a nap, but I'll walk over them if I have to (looking both ways of course).

If you turn out to be right, believe me, I'll be right there complaining with you. Very loudly. I like my 52x Lite-On. ;) And choice is always good, even if I have to use other software (or hacks).

I just wouldn't worry about it, especially since Apple seems to be trying really hard to adhere to standards lately.

http://www.apple.com/macosx/upgrade/storage.html
 
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