Power Mac G5 Developer Note

[Rico]

Scary

Am I the only one who feels the code name is just a tad ominous? Omega usually signifies 'the end' or 'death'.

End of what? Death of what? The tower format? Ives last design for Apple? The end of the x86 wars? The PPC? Is a move to Opteron in the works, after all?

With the G5 code name of Neo ('The One'; 'The Messiah'; etc.), Omega seems at odds with that spirit.

Then again, I probably just read too many spy mysteries and role play far too much.

 

[Docrjm]

Keyboard etc

I just came off the telephone. Speaking to a guy in the Apple store(online). I asked if the G5 would be shipping with anew Keyboard and Mouse. He said it most likely would, but couldn't comment as it was aproduct that wasn't yet shipping.

 

[Wonder Boy]

Originally posted by allpar
Does this imply that a single processor machine can be upgraded to a dual?

If it does, I hope the price stays reasonably similar...

 

[beatle888]

have a good independence day everyone. just reading through....dont know much about the topic but cant wait to work with the new G5.

 

[leicaman]

Originally posted by Frobozz On the above link they mention "imminent" release, and that it WILL work in any AGP equipped mac including the G5. [/B]

It obviously works with the G5, mine is coming with the 9800 Pro.

 

[Plastic Chicken]

The Mac PowerBook 190 also had the name "Omega".

 

[fpnc]

Originally posted by allpar
Does this imply that a single processor machine can be upgraded to a dual?

... and...

Originally posted by Wonder Boy
If it does, I hope the price stays reasonably similar...

I suspect that the low-end, 1.6GHz single-processor machines can't be upgraded to dual processors. Based upon the diagrams and specs for the low-end machine it supports only 4GB SDRAM and it physically has only has four banks of SDRAM (the 1.8GHz and 2.0GHz machines have eight banks of SDRAM). It looks like the low-end machine uses a significantly different motherboard, thus dual-processor upgrades on that system seem unlikely. I wonder whether the low-end system might be a design that will eventually serve as the basis for a G5-based iMac.

 

[Phil Of Mac]

Wireless keyboards are kind of useless, I think. Wireless mice are useless unless they are easily rechargable, perhaps in a dock on the keyboard?

I don't like the codename Omega because my mom once owned an Oldsmobile Omega, and it was the worst car ever

 

[Flynnstone]

Originally posted by bosskxx1
One thing I noticed is that the DDR RAM has to be installed in pairs in the G5. It usually won't cost you a lot more to get double of half the memory you wanted. (Ex. If you want 512 you have to get 2x 256) But it takes up two of your spots.

It was kind of unusual to see on Apple Website why they offered 2x 256mb instead of 1 512. At first I thought it was to save money.

I believe its dual channel DDR-SDRAM. So you can get upto (theoretically) double the transfer rate. Good move.

 

[awulf]

The "Apple Keyboard" Is the worst thing I've seen. It is ugly and corners have been cut everywhere to make this keyboard cheap.

If I were to get a computer with that keyboard I would immediately replace it.

I like the current "Apple Pro Keyboard"

 

[Windowlicker]

Re: Scary

Originally posted by Rico
Am I the only one who feels the code name is just a tad ominous? Omega usually signifies 'the end' or 'death'.

End of what? Death of what? The tower format? Ives last design for Apple? The end of the x86 wars? The PPC? Is a move to Opteron in the works, after all?

huh?! there are Omega watches and they've been there for years (I don't even know how long)! for most people (like me) omega is just a cool sounding word, nothing else.

 

[backspinner]

Originally posted by Phil Of Mac
Wireless keyboards are kind of useless, I think. Wireless mice are useless...

I would die to have a complete wireless desktop keyboard and mouse for my PowerBook setup at home...
...plugging in the double USB at the back behind the cover and the screen each time isn't fun and quite nagging.

I have already Airport and BlueTooth, so it would work very clean.


Oh, and Omega sounds very nice to me!

 

[thies]

and now we wait for someone to write a virus which takes out the fan control in the OS and fries your box. Or OSX to crash in a horrible way sending the CPUs into a deadlock while the fan control stalls which then bakes your G5s.

 

[fraggle]

If Apple's engineers are any good the fan control will not allow the OS to shut it down, if the CPUs get too hot it should ignore any request for "full speed" from OS X (or a virus) and let the system cool down.

Just because the OS controls the fans doesn't mean that there is no other entity that watches over the sanity of what the OS does.

 

[pbrennen]

Re: Scary

Originally posted by Rico
Am I the only one who feels the code name is just a tad ominous? Omega usually signifies 'the end' or 'death'.

End of what? Death of what? The tower format? Ives last design for Apple? The end of the x86 wars? The PPC? Is a move to Opteron in the works, after all?

With the G5 code name of Neo ('The One'; 'The Messiah'; etc.), Omega seems at odds with that spirit.

Then again, I probably just read too many spy mysteries and role play far too much.

Don't forget that Jesus Christ was also supposedly both the alpha and the omega, that is, the beginning and the end.

(NOT RELIGIOUS)

 

[gothamac]

Powermac G7? 9 Ghz

http://www.macbidouille.com/

- Even further in the future of IBM - Lionel - 16:49:27
Here not confirmed infos future of the PPC 9xx

IBM is working on the engraving of processors in 65nm with East Fishkill. The production with this smoothness of engraving will start in 2005. They will take lead on INTEL which wastes time with its engraving in oil immersion, although the problems of birefringence were solved. IBM gave up this technology, because there are problems with bules of air in the fluid.
Roadmap envisages PPC 980 with 90nm during in the third quarter of the next year. The maximum frequency that these chips will reach is not fixed yet with certainty, but they count on 4,5 GHz at the beginning of 2005, when the engraved successor with 65nm takes the changing.
At the end of 2005- beginning 2006, the PPC 990 engraved in 65nm will arrive. It should begin its career with 4,5 GHz and finish it to 9 It will be derived from Power6.

Veiled what to take again confidence out of APPLE for years.

 

[soggywulf]

Originally posted by thies
and now we wait for someone to write a virus which takes out the fan control in the OS and fries your box. Or OSX to crash in a horrible way sending the CPUs into a deadlock while the fan control stalls which then bakes your G5s.

Yeah, good point. I'm not too thrilled about this software control stuff. I'm sure this could have been done in pure hardware. As in, non-infectable analog hardware.

 

[MacBandit]

Re: Re: Scary

Originally posted by Windowlicker
huh?! there are Omega watches and they've been there for years (I don't even know how long)! for most people (like me) omega is just a cool sounding word, nothing else.

Omega has a double meaning. Yes, it can mean the end or the finish but it can also mean the best or perfect. If something is at it's best it is the finish. Can you see the similarity. It all has to do with context the word is used in. Old languages often have numerous meanings for the same word when used in different context.

 

[MacBandit]

Originally posted by thies
and now we wait for someone to write a virus which takes out the fan control in the OS and fries your box. Or OSX to crash in a horrible way sending the CPUs into a deadlock while the fan control stalls which then bakes your G5s.

You must be a PC person worrying about viruses and all? Last I heard the only virus on OSX was a text file that is sent by email that says, "Please delete all your important files and send this on. This is a voluntary virus that can only continue with your help.".

 

[soggywulf]

Originally posted by MacBandit
Last I heard the only virus on OSX was a text file that is sent by email that says, "Please delete all your important files and send this on. This is a voluntary virus that can only continue with your help.".

We are not immune. Having no viruses ATM is no reason to expose yourself. Especially exposing yourself to possible physical damage.

 

[Phinius]

Apple should be using 666 MHz memory within a year

Apple has stated that the G5 will go to 3 GHz within a year. That means a bus that runs at 1.5 GHz, which translates into requiring dual channel 666 MHz DDR-II memory running at 1.33 GHz to keep pace with a 2-1 ratio of cpu to bus speed.

Looking at what I have seen for Intel's roadmap, I'd expect the Pentium processors to be using 533 MHz memory when Apple releases a 3 GHz G5 with 666 MHz memory.

 

[Frohickey]

Re: Oops.. someting is burning..

Originally posted by Slaytanic
Well.. this means that if i use a version of Linux for PPC not having the "Thermal Control" implemented, i'm gonna smell burnt CPU ?

Sounds awful to me..

You could always get one of those box fans and put it in front of the G5, blowing air through.

 

[Frohickey]

Originally posted by allpar
Does this imply that a single processor machine can be upgraded to a dual?

No.

 

[Frohickey]

Re: dual bank memory requirements

Originally posted by DharvaBinky
The DIMMS, now Paired DIMMS? <grin> I can't wait to see what's next...

128-bit QIMMS? that'll be interesting because I've heard QIMM used in a gross naughty joke kinda context before...

Maybe, but the industry will really need to bite the bullet in order to cram 128bits of data to a board. If you notice, they have not really shrunk the pins of the DIMMs much. At least, not more than necessary. They would rather grow the memory sticks themselves.

As it is, DDR2 doesn't have 128bits wide of data. So it would have to be some other animal. Hopefully, the JDEC folks have been thought about this already.

 

[Frohickey]

Originally posted by OSeXy!
Of course, against my own argument, perhaps this is why they are including a usb 1 port on the back... Plug your keyboard into it and you get an open usb 1 port close to hand (once you have plugged your usb mouse into the other one on the keyboard), as well as the usb 2 port on the front of the G5...

I guess I just want to believe that there will be a new pro keyboard/mouse. [/B]

Better would be to plug in a Apple flat panel to the back, on the AGP card, and plug the keyboard and mouse to that. Then, you have all of your 3 ports; 2 rear and 1 front available for USB 2.