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Um, we have a Dual 500 and I ran OSX on it, and I loved it. I love macs, I don't plan on ever getting a PC. I was just saying yes, there are Dual Pentium systems, they are graphics workstations not consumer models, and not only do they beat out macs in many areas (even the much slower clocked macs best them as well in some areas of course :D ) but they are also much more expensive. It seems Apple's pricing scheme is more based on pro workstations, where it is now suprisingly often the least expensive machine but still competitive.

What I said about OSX's SMP is true. There is nothing magical about Unix that can just automatically divide up calculations in a program. The reason you see activity in both bars is because the tasks are threaded. Quartz and Quicktime I assume are threaded. Even if they aren't you'll notice that draggin g a window creates a huge spike in the CPU usage in CPU Monitor. If you are running another application, as I understand it all the UI graphics are being handled by Quartz. UI, file system and application tasks are automatically distributed among the CPUs, creating a huge boost in performance (I would not want to use OSX on a single CPU system).

But again as I understand it, for a rendering to be divided between the two processors for instance, the designers would have to implement something in the application code that could allow that task to be split up between the CPUs. It doesn't just send each individual calculation to alternating processors, all it can do is divide it into segments to have each CPU in, and this comes with overhead. Unix is just much more efficient than OS9 ever was.

Also, keep in mind that even when 'nothing else is running' there ARE other things going on in the system. Open up the process viewer and look at all the background processes. File sharing and networking, if enabled, will always be running in the background (you know even in OS9 when you'd try forcequitting something but you have file sharing enabled and you have to quit File Sharing Extension before closing your app?).

Anyway, Quartz I assume is threaded. And that was a particular feature of Giants: Citizen Kubato is that it took full advantage of MP, otherwise each 'process' in the Process Manager can only be distributed as a whole
 
And mymemory, its pretty obvious that in pro digital sound engineering you're going to be using offboard hardware to do the processing and mixing. But don't try to tell me you can effectively mix multiple wet channels in real time in software effectively right now. You still have to wait for simple DSP effects to render in software.

And if you are any kind of professional graphic artist it should be pretty damn obvious that every quarter second you have to wait for the computer to update is nothing but a hindrance to your workflow.

The only point at which I would agree is if you said other hardware components need upgrading first, such as memory speed and throughput, but I felt a big 'hardware is good enough for now' which is suprising coming from such an accomplished 'pro.' I don't know about you, but I still find myself waiting around on my computer for photoshop.

And whats with the comment on 3d on (in?) the Mac? Are you saying you don't think its a viable platform for 3d? Even if that were the case (seems Lightwave and Alias|Wavefront have some differences) that would only be an arguement that faster machines are even more necessary...?
 
Originally posted by mymemory


For what kind of aplication do you need more than 1Ghz today???

Photoshop??? for gue about it, with Photoshop you need ram and a bit above of 450Mgz.

After Effects??? yes, but I'm sure you do not work in video production.

Protools, it has its own hardware.

Maya??? If you are going to develop 3D in a Mac you know very little about the business.

So, for what do you need G5 processors now when the dual 1G just came out?

I'm 26 years old, I'm a graduated in audio engineer with a master in multi media 4 years ago. I have used every single video and audio system in the market (Protools, video toaster, quantel edit box, avid, soft image, alias power animator, bryce, director, flash, premiere, gamegem, silicon graphics O2, indigo 4, intergraph, etc, name one). Is the first time in history that hardware is above software requirements, I'm very experience in what works for what, that is my job. So, do not complain about the lack of speed whem I'm sure you are not getting even 50% of what you got know.

If you work in video production, that is something else. But if you want higer speed and performance go and get a PC if that is what you want, period! Mac give a lot more than just speed.

You are a bunch of unexperienced consumers and "I wanna be" semi pro.

as opposed to you being a 'pro'? are we supposed to be impressed by somebody that has a masters in web design?

hmm.... ever thought that people do anything other than 'multimedia' (isnt that a tad passé?) with a mac? anything maybe academic? uhh...signal processing? genetic sequencing? numerical simulations?

jeez, I hate it when some smart alec no nothing has to justify his post with "look at me! I kNo what Im T4lk1ng about as Im a L33t Web desiGn3r!! Go sUx as I knOw you are OnLy Us1Ng 31.256% of YOUR Pr0cessor!! " go on, say " AnD I NO L1nux!" just to finish it off.....


excuse me, I've had a bad day in the lab.
 
Define 'Pro' user

As an architect in a small firm, I have to plan my time very carefully. Before a presentation I have to make sure there will be enough time to generate the series of particle/raytrace renderings or walk-throughs our clients expect to see. As it can take A COUPLE OF DAYS OR MORE to render these things I, for one, am looking forward to the G5 to see if this bit of hardware can make my life any easier. The longer I have to work on a design before sending it to render is dear to me.

Our margins are VERY TIGHT. We cannot afford to buy specialist rendering equipment beyond the 'pro' equipment generally available, and which most of us here seem to use. Does the fact that I use these machines every day and depend upon them to make a living qualify me as a pro? Is anyone else insulted by the suggestion that the currently available hardware is better than we know how to make use of?
 
-OSeXy

What are you using that takes so much time to render? Chief Architect?!? Ick! Try ArchiCad 7.0, good stuff. Just don't try it outside of Classic/OS9 yet. It generates the 3d model and the FP at the same time. The model can be easily set to photo-render a 5000 SF residence with light, transparencies, and textures as a QTVR model, rendering in less than 2 Hrs.
 
Of course not...

...if a DP 3GHz came out now we'd be ecstatic. By the time it actually comes out we will have been expecting it for six months and be mad that it's not more. You can write a program to take advantage of just about any amount of processor power. I would imagine that when OSX is too simple for the G6 or whatever they'll introduce one with 3d lighting so that the shadows are accurate and you can change the lighting direction. As for applications, the reason we don't need more power is because all the apps are written to use the power we have now. New programs will need more power.
 
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