Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Short-lived Mac Experience

slooksterPSV

slooksterPSV

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Apr 17, 2004
3,546
309
Nowheresville
Hey, just wanted to give a shout-out to everyone and say thanks for all the help and that you gave me when I started on the Forums. My first brand new Mac was an iBook G4, last generation, that my dad bought for me for college. It's still up and working with Tiger on it, but it's retired for the most part. 40GB doesn't go a long way.

Anyways, with Apple's new Schemes and Tricks and Lock-downs for developers and their other hardware products, I've finally said goodbye to the Mac world. Apple is really showing how much of an anti-trust they can fall into - Microsoft was in one I know, but still never thought I would see Apple stoop to these kinds of lows.

Lately, they removed a popular game off of the App Store - Gnu Go (a chess game) because the FSF stepped in and said hey, these terms violate the GPLv2 Licensing agreement.

Another few items, when they went with Intel, I was hoping their prices would drop - they haven't, some have went higher, granted I could save up 2 checks and buy a Mac Mini, I don't even want to bother.

Does anyone else miss the old G3/G4/G5 days? Does anyone miss when Apple was a "better" company? Maybe it's just me, I'll still check out the forums, but for now, I feel that Apple is the newest monopoly player. I'm a PC, I used to be a Mac, but I feel betrayed by Apple with their newest lock-downs.

Good luck all!
 
Apple is a company which aim is to make money, nothing more.

The app was removed so Apple won't get sued as that would cause them money.

Intel is the dominator of CPU market and the only other choice is AMD which mobile CPUs suck.

I hate several things about Apple but the things that make me buy it are greater
 
There are things about Apple's MO I don't like, but removing an app which violates the terms of the GPL sounds like a good thing to me.
 
That's quite amazing how that iBook is still running OK. I wonder if my 2009 MacBook will last that long...
 
slooksterPSV said:
Hey, just wanted to give a shout-out to everyone and say thanks for all the help and that you gave me when I started on the Forums. My first brand new Mac was an iBook G4, last generation, that my dad bought for me for college. It's still up and working with Tiger on it, but it's retired for the most part. 40GB doesn't go a long way.
Click to expand...

How many PCs are there from that era that aren't in landfills?

Anyways, with Apple's new Schemes and Tricks and Lock-downs for developers and their other hardware products, I've finally said goodbye to the Mac world. Apple is really showing how much of an anti-trust they can fall into - Microsoft was in one I know, but still never thought I would see Apple stoop to these kinds of lows.
Click to expand...

The only locked down platform is the iPhone OS platform. You are welcome to not buy it.

Lately, they removed a popular game off of the App Store - Gnu Go (a chess game) because the FSF stepped in and said hey, these terms violate the GPLv2 Licensing agreement.
Click to expand...

So they violated the GPL licensing agreement and Apple is supposed to let them stay in the App Store? You would rather the App Store be filled with Apps that are violating the agreement from which they took much of their work? And this means they everything Apple is "locked down?" I know that the iPhone platform isn't open for any app to be sold, but this is a poor example.

Another few items, when they went with Intel, I was hoping their prices would drop - they haven't, some have went higher, granted I could save up 2 checks and buy a Mac Mini, I don't even want to bother.
Click to expand...

Last 15" Powerbook G4 starting price: $1999
Today's 15" Macbook Pro starting price: $1799

Last 14" iBook G4 starting price: $1299
Today's 13" Macbook Pro starting price: $1199

Last PowerMac G5 (Quad) starting price: $3299
Today's Mac Pro (Quad) starting price: $2499

Last PPC iMac (20") starting price: $1699
Today's iMac (21.5") starting price: $1199

Last PPC Mac Mini starting price (with superdrive): $699
Today's Intel Mac Mini starting price: $599

Source: http://www.everymac.com



Does anyone else miss the old G3/G4/G5 days? Does anyone miss when Apple was a "better" company? Maybe it's just me, I'll still check out the forums, but for now, I feel that Apple is the newest monopoly player. I'm a PC, I used to be a Mac, but I feel betrayed by Apple with their newest lock-downs.

Good luck all!
Click to expand...

I still think Apple is a good a company as they were then. Good to know you just switch between "monopoly players." Why not be daring and go all open-source?
 
1. You're right, a lot of PCs do fill up landfills, and that sucks, but they have started recycling centers and that. - I'll give you that one.

2. Ok so it starts with the iPhone being closed source (which includes the iPad), but what if it goes to the main platform? I mean the mobile platform is just as important as the main platform. With these tactics of closing down the toolkits that can be used, it's just horrible. Adobe is one program I'd rather use on a Mac than a PC, but they're being locked out of a multi-million dollar mobile market cause they can't use other toolkits to develop the software they want to develop.

3. Lock-down right there, they removed Software that was made under the GPLv2, so will any GPLv2 software be available on the App Store? It turns me away from wanting to write free software for the iPhone/iPad. I wrote ADM and MDM, which are free.

4. I can buy a PC more powerful than those computers for cheaper; buy them from HP, Acer, Dell, Gateway, etc. I want an OS X Laptop that is $500, heck it could have a single-core celeron and I would be happy. But no, its so expensive that I'd rather buy a PC throw a distro of Linux on it or use Windows that comes with it. My iBook G4, last gen. it was $999 + Apple Care, so we spent $1300 on it all together. Now for the cheapest laptop, it's still $999, costs are still high. Way too high, and the Mac-Mini's went up, they were $499 for the last generation, I know cause I almost bought one, then I heard Intel was coming out and though, oh, cheaper prices, nope. - I still have the receipt by the way for my iBook G4 last gen 1.33GHz 12.1" screen.

5. I do use OpenSource - I use Ubuntu. Everything I run is FREE. Even on Windows, I don't pay for my games, my office software, etc. I use OpenSource Software - eg. OpenOffice.org, eM mail client (Outlook/Entourage like), etc.

--By the way, I love how they recommend using two antivirus programs on your mac and not just one. Sorry, I like my Ubuntu so I don't get viruses and Windows, I've secured it down.

Ok I think the main reason I'm venting is cause I want a Mac, but can't afford one haha, overall I just get frustrated when developers are locked out of giving users the applications they want cause they're locked out of using their own toolkits, that's what started this whole post. I'll be a mac user again when they furnish a laptop for less than $700. See back to the developer thing again
 
calderone said:
Last 15" Powerbook G4 starting price: $1999
Today's 15" Macbook Pro starting price: $1799

Last 14" iBook G4 starting price: $1299
Today's 13" Macbook Pro starting price: $1199

Last PowerMac G5 (Quad) starting price: $3299
Today's Mac Pro (Quad) starting price: $2499

Last PPC iMac (20") starting price: $1699
Today's iMac (21.5") starting price: $1199

Last PPC Mac Mini starting price (with superdrive): $699
Today's Intel Mac Mini starting price: $599

Source: http://www.everymac.com
Click to expand...
It only took 3-4 years depending on the model. Apple is glacial when it comes to computer hardware updates otherwise.
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fox_and_the_Grapes
One hot summer's day a Fox was strolling through an orchard till he came to a bunch of Grapes just ripening on a vine which had been trained over a lofty branch. "Just the thing to quench my thirst," quoth he. Drawing back a few paces, he took a run and a jump, and just missed the bunch. Turning round again with a One, Two, Three, he jumped up, but with no greater success. Again and again he tried after the tempting morsel, but at last had to give it up, and walked away with his nose in the air, saying: "I am sure they are sour."
It is easy to despise what you cannot get.
Click to expand...
 
slooksterPSV said:
3. Lock-down right there, they removed Software that was made under the GPLv2, so will any GPLv2 software be available on the App Store? It turns me away from wanting to write free software for the iPhone/iPad. I wrote ADM and MDM, which are free.
Click to expand...
Who says that you have to use GPL? That has nothing to do with Apple at all.

By the way, I love how they recommend using two antivirus programs on your mac and not just one. Sorry, I like my Ubuntu so I don't get viruses and Windows, I've secured it down.
Click to expand...
Note that the article is a depreciated one and no longer applies.


2. Ok so it starts with the iPhone being closed source (which includes the iPad), but what if it goes to the main platform?
Click to expand...
But who says that it will? Steve has already said that is not the case You are making a false argument based on no factual evidence - you are just hypothesizing with only one data point. You cannot use one data-point regarding one platform and extend it to another like that. You assume that Apple can suddenly make such a drastic change to their OS like that - there is no reason to suggest that they even could do that and be successful.

Oh and by the way, monopolies are not illegal in of themselves.
 
Consider getting a used machine if funds are limited.

I got a beautiful 17" macbook pro on ebay for $650. Runs snow leopard very snappily. Runs circles around the old G4...
 
slooksterPSV said:
Does anyone else miss the old G3/G4/G5 days?
Click to expand...
Not me. I've owned Macs since 1991 and several top-of-the-line machines since the early G4 era, as well as maintaining about 20 Macs at work for the past 15 years, and I've seen a substantial decrease in prices, an increase in built-in features, and no significant change in build quality over that time period.

My 1st gen Intel 17" MBP was cheaper than my 1st gen G5 tower, faster, and at least as well built, better if I take into account that it's a portable. Both are still running fine, but the MBP runs better. There were FAR more problems with first and second generation G5 iMacs than with first and second generation Intel iMacs, and the prices were substantially higher. The newer ones are cheaper and better.

The i7 iMac is the first all-in-one computer good enough to convince me to buy it over a dedicated pro tower. In particular, Apple's switch to IPS screens in everything but its laptops (unless you count the now-depreciated iPhone 3GS) shows a continued dedication to quality, even if it increases the price substantially and, frankly, is NOT that much of a marketing bullet point to the average consumer (who frankly has no idea what IPS means, or why it's good, and may not even notice the difference).

I'd also make a strong argument that the iPhone 4 and iPad are the best-designed and built products Apple has ever made; the only competition is the cheese grater towers.

Not saying you aren't justified in making your decision, but blanket statements about build quality or price maintenance aren't necessarily accurate, or universal.

I also completely fail to see why people tar the Mac with the same brush as the iOS and App store. One is not the other. You're allowed to say "I dislike Apple's business practices in area A enough to make me take my business in area B elsewhere." -- That's how I feel about MS's browser war performance and Office/Windows business practices, and why I will never buy an XBox, even were it an appealing game console.

But saying "Apple is too restrictive." as a reason not to use a Mac when, thus far, there has been no actual evidence to support that is just odd. Yes, it's POSSIBLE that this will change some day, with 10.7 or 10.8 (personally I doubt it), but it's also entirely possible that it won't, and until that day there's no particular reason to dislike the MacOS because of the App Store. If MacOS 10.8 requires signed apps that can only be bought through Apple, then you can legitimately say "too closed, I'm switching to Ubuntu." or whatever, but doing so preemptively if there isn't some other good reason for it mystifies me.


Anyway, I honestly do hope that you find your new choice of platform more enjoyable and functional to you than the MacOS and Apple's hardware. I'd be interested, in fact, in hearing your experiences once you've used it for a year or two.
 
THX1139 said:
That was a lot of nothing in an attempt to prove a point.
Click to expand...

How do you guys not understand this? I actually liked this story and think its completely relevant to what this threadstarter said. Basically, he can't afford a mac, so it's easy for him to criticize it because he can't have it.

but on topic, I do find it a little annoying that you need a mac to be an iPhone dev but I don't think its a huge deal. If you want to develop mobile applications try android, they've got a great community, the eclipse sdk plugin runs on everything, and it may eventually have a similar market share to apple's offerings.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back