PPC to Intel software question.

[allan_zip]

I havn't got this straight in my head yet... i'm thinking of getting a new powerbook and i was wondering if my software, that i currently run on a G3 ibook under Panther, will work on the new intel powerbook or not?
It's not a question of specs, rather, do the new intel macs need rewritten apps? I don't want to switch and have to go out and buy a whole new raft of software that might not even (or ever!?) be available yet.
What's the score?

 

[caveman_uk]

Software that runs on a G3 ibook will run under emulation on an Intel Mac. Stuff that REQUIRES a G4 (ie will not run on a G3) will not run under emulation and a universal binary will be necessary.

Here I refer to normal apps - drivers, kernel extensions are a different matter.

 

[solaris]

There are no Intel PowerBooks!

But as caveman already stated, most applications compiled for PowerPC will run on an Intel Mac. But in emulation mode through Rosetta.
You're better downloading a fresh Intel or universal binary build of your applications (if available)

 

[bugfaceuk]

Software that runs on a G3 ibook will run under emulation on an Intel Mac. Stuff that REQUIRES a G4 (ie will not run on a G3) will not run under emulation and a universal binary will be necessary.

Here I refer to normal apps - drivers, kernel extensions are a different matter.

So given that you only have a G3, you shouldn't need to worry that you have software that requires a G4, and Rosetta will do the work for you. Also, given you have a G3, you should find the perfomance even under rosetta (get a decent amount of memory) very nice.

I think there is a guide in the guide section that list incompatible apps (i.e. those that don't run under rosetta), but I'm certain that's not complete yet.

My guess would be you probably have more to worry about in the context of "have all of my applications been updated to work with Tiger" rather than worry about the Intel thing.

 

[allan_zip]

Right, I wasn't aware of 'rosetta', or binaries so that clears up some stuff i was wondering about.

 

[Bern]

This poses a further question into the future regarding Intel Macs. I'm going to wait it out until at least a Rev C MacBook Pro, but by then of course companies will have ported their apps over to Intel (and may not even have ppc versions perhaps). The apps I speak of are Adobe CS2, Macromedia (which will probably just be another Adobe CS version) and Corel Painter. So I guess when I buy the new Mac I will have to buy all new software suites as well rather than just upgrades.

This is going to be an extremely expensive exercise and one I don't really look forward to. The MacBook Pro is not cheap by any means and the suites certainly are not.

 

[VanNess]

Stuff that REQUIRES a G4 (ie will not run on a G3) will not run under emulation and a universal binary will be necessary.

Here I refer to normal apps - drivers, kernel extensions are a different matter.

My understanding is that the latest incarnation of Rosetta that is included on the intel-based computers will run G4 (and altivec) in emulation. Apps that ordinarily stress a native G4 system (recent games, media processing, video-oriented stuff and so on) shouldn't be expected to perform as well under Rosetta on intel-based systems.

 

[mrichmon]

The apps I speak of are Adobe CS2, Macromedia (which will probably just be another Adobe CS version) and Corel Painter. So I guess when I buy the new Mac I will have to buy all new software suites as well rather than just upgrades.

Generally software companies are treating the move to intel as a normal upgrade path.

Some companies are in the middle of their release cycle and have announced that they will ship universal binaries relatively soon. In most cases these will be for around $50.

Other companies who have a new release on the near horizon are just waiting until the new release. In all cases that I know of this is being treated as a "normal" upgrade. That is, if the company has special upgrade pricing then that pricing is available for the universal binary versions of the software.

 

[juble]

PPC to Intel FCP

Would there be any reason a PPC Final Cut Pro project file couldn't be used on an Intel Mac and vice versa?

 

[mrichmon]

Would there be any reason a PPC Final Cut Pro project file couldn't be used on an Intel Mac and vice versa?

Not if both the intel mac and ppc mac are using the same version of final cut pro. Since the intel release of final cut is not due out until March there is the possibilty that Apple with update the project file format. But I suspect a change to the file format is unlikely.

 

[juble]

Thanks for that. We are using FCP 4.5 at filmschool on PPC but I am tossing up whether to get a new macbook pro or not. I have an emac at home with FCP 4.5 and external HD.

I don't want to pay all that $$$ (here in NZ) for a powerbook when i've got something at home that is not too far off that, but then don't want the hassle of nothing working properly on a macbook...