Steve Jobs Once Considered Killing Apple's Pro Products

[flat five]

It's probably easier to build a square motherboard. Besides, unless the circular motherboard is the exact size of the computer's circular footprint and not smaller, it's a wasteful shape inside a computer.

oh.. right. i agree. it's easier to build a square motherboard at this time.. and there aren't any benefits of not making them square either at this time.. but that's not to say a motherboard will always be square.. who knows, a motherboard might be a drop of liquid looking stuff in a couple more decades.

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It's missing the mark on what it supposed to be. In order to use it you have to add a truck load of other devices. So you are actually buying 1/3 of a computer.

truckload of other devices? like what?

if you're saying that on the current mac pro, you don't have to add an equal, if not more, truckload of devices to reach the same configuration.. then really, you're just flat out wrong.. i'm sorry

 

[WardC]

Not being able to use your monitor of choice is what prevents the iMac from being a true "pro" solution for a lot of people. Some need different color spaces, better consistency, different size etc. Matte vs glossy is only one issue among many.

You must consider, Apple doesn't make a 12-core iMac either...or a 6-core one at that. But yes, being a box computer with the ability to hook up a 30" Cinema Matte display is a big plus that the Mac Pro has over the iMac, with a built-in glossy display.

 

[linuxcooldude]

It's one thing for Apple to "ask the pros to walk with them." But if the pros start walking elsewhere (which many seem to be doing), how much longer will Apple keep their pro line on life support? Canceling it completely could have a ripple effect. I teach multimedia production, and if pros no longer use Apple products then I'll have little reason to teach using them. Then Apple's educational market would begin to dissolve as well. It's a slippery slope they're on.

While I'm sure there will be many pro's that walk away from it, I think in the end we will see much more walk toward it.

Typically, pro's don't like drastic changes in their workflow. While it was a drastic change in a lot of aspects, I think we will see a lot of the next generation of professionals embrace it because they have not quite established their workflows yet and don't necessarily cling to the past and are better at adjusting to the new design.

 

[Michael Scrip]

It's missing the mark on what it supposed to be. In order to use it you have to add a truck load of other devices. So you are actually buying 1/3 of a computer.

Maybe... maybe not.

There are some Mac Pro users who never add PCIe cards... or never fill up all four SATA drive bays in the old Mac Pro.

And then there are some users who require tons of external devices... things that wouldn't fit inside the old Mac Pro anyway.

You can use the new Mac Pro without adding a "truck load of other devices"

It just depends on what you need to do specifically.

 

[PrimeMatrix]

I'd say the ONLY reason to buy a Mac at all is because there is soe software that only runs on Macs, like Logic, Final Cut and so on. If they kill of that what is the point of a Mac. Just and expensive way to run a web browser. I'd buy a Google Chrome book.

Why are you even on this forum when you have such broke mentality?

 

[sseaton1971]

And this matters because…?

Exactly. It is not like Apple set out to design a Mac Pro that resembles certain trash cans. The new Mac Pro looks the way it does because of engineering needs. Who cares what it looks like. I am more interested in how it performs, if there will be other graphic card options, and if Sonnet can figure out a way to rack this sucker! lol

 

[WardC]

The only thing I am wondering...does it shred paper as well?

 

[patent10021]

Oh oh, here we go

 

[saha-med]

It still looks like a trash can or an air purifier.

Yeap definitely looks like a trash can until...

1. apple patents the design

2. Fanboys start jumping around on how apple revolutionized the professional workstation industry

3. Others start copying it

4. apple start suing others

5. apple haters start criticizing on how the patent office could allow apple to patent something as simple as this

 

[H2SO4]

Exactly. It is not like Apple set out to design a Mac Pro that resembles certain trash cans. The new Mac Pro looks the way it does because of engineering needs. Who cares what it looks like. I am more interested in how it performs, if there will be other graphic card options, and if Sonnet can figure out a way to rack this sucker! lol

No it doesn't. It looks that way because they wanted it to. They could have made the same thermal core and made it a white matt cuboid I'm sure
Also you'd be surprised how fickle people are case in point;
There are lots of professional drivers around and by conventional wisdom people should get what does the job best, that is drive something that goes from A-B with the minimum of fuss, max reliabiltiy and some versatility.
A lot of them won't buy a car that they, not necessarily their customers consider ugly.
Their livelihood is based on it yet they won't do it.

 

[saturn88]

And this matters because…?

because its ulgly. At least they should offer it in white or silver

 

[WardC]

because its ulgly. At least they should offer it in white or silver

Flower Power!!!!

That would be just as bad as a Hannah Montana model, complete with Unicorn Star trimmings!

 

[donutbagel]

Maybe... maybe not.

There are some Mac Pro users who never add PCIe cards... or never fill up all four SATA drive bays in the old Mac Pro.

It's not just about adding other PCIe cards but upgrading the computer's existing GPU. If the GPU is stuck in there, you need a new computer just for a new GPU! On my 2008 Mac Pro, I was able to bring the GPU up to 2013 standards simply by swapping the cards.

 

[H2SO4]

Segall goes on to argue that Apple is pushing 'pros' in a new direction, saying that making software powerful and easy-to-use for more customers is more important than making software that is simply powerful.

Such a shame. He has it wrong. All software has a learning curve. Making it easy gets you to the point of competence more quickly. But once you're there, you don't need 'easy' anymore. You need 'optimal.' The problem is that with FCPX et al, optimal is sacrificed at the altar of easy. So whereas in FCP7 - where the feature set is deep but not necessarily intuitive - you can eventually build up almost unlimited speed, in FCPX you are forced through a series of inconvenient GUI devices that only exist for 'easy' and will quickly bog down the better editors.

Thing is I'm not sure that this is where Apple is heading. They seem to be targeting prosumers. If you look at Xcode and APIs it's as if they're saying - 'We'll provide all the tools, all you need are the ideas".

 

[Mrblwa]

Having problem, With installing windows 7 On virtualBox on iMac!{VIDEO LINK INCLUDED}

Having problem, With installing windows 7 On virtualBox on iMac!{VIDEO LINK INCLUDED}?
ok this start to annoy me, i dont know what to do i tried youtube and i find nothing.. HERES what happen when i start the machine ,,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl0SeLH02Q8

[url=http://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image[/url]


Ken Segall, the creative director behind the Think Different campaign and author of Insanely Simple, a book about his experiences creating advertising for Apple, writes in a blog post about Apple's "evolving view of 'Pro'" that Steve Jobs once considered killing Apple's entire line of Pro products.

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Jobs eventually decided to keep the pro products around, but in recent years Apple has been shifting its pro products. For example, the company completely revamped its Final Cut video editing suite, slashing the price and making it significantly simpler to use pro features -- though a vocal group of Final Cut Pro users were unhappy with the changes.

The Mac Pro has gone three years without a significant update, though Apple will, as promised, release a completely redesigned Mac Pro later this year that is unlike any professional machine Apple has made before.

Segall goes on to argue that Apple is pushing 'pros' in a new direction, saying that making software powerful and easy-to-use for more customers is more important than making software that is simply powerful. He says that "Apple is walking to a place that's entirely new" with its new products, while "asking the pros to walk with them."

Article Link: Steve Jobs Once Considered Killing Apple's Pro Products

 

[tmroper]

It still looks like a trash can or an air purifier.

A lot of people were expecting and hoping for a pizza box server look. So I don't see why a trash can or air purifier look would be any worse in the looks department.

 

[Oracle1729]

SO happy that didnt happen!

It is happening right now.

 

[BJonson]

LOL. They did kill the mac pro. Just because this new mac is called a mac pro don't make it so.

 

[linuxcooldude]

Regarding software, I think that the "pro" lines of software are where they need to be for the largest groups of people. It's still targeted more at the prosumer than the full professional but it works even for the full pro on a normal basis.

It not just Apple targeting a certain group, but also how the professional market has changed.

I've been seeing a big trend where video editing done by large departments, often get downgraded to a single person.

I produce my own internet show and shoot the video and edit it. I cover a lot of events that broadcast tv network news covers and surprised to see they are basically doing it how I do it.

In my area I rarely see two or more person teams such as a cameraman and announcer. Its often just one person shooting video on a tripod holding the mic doing an interview.

Some even prefer to edit their own footage rather than rely on another who may not care about the quality they are looking for.

Its probably another reason why Apple has gone this route for making video editing easier with FCP X and other Pro apps and simplifying their Mac Pro machine externally rather then internally.

 

[iBug2]

Exactly, they tout this as a "Pro" machine and marvel at the trash can design....
A pro needs a lot more stuff than the "Can" provides naked, hence you end up with something that looks like the picture.

But, you can always buy longer cables and find a place to hide it

Yeah you are so right. This is how my Mac Pro looks like right now, how elegant and "naked" isn't it?

 

[WardC]

LOL. They did kill the mac pro. Just because this new mac is called a mac pro don't make it so.

It blows...it just blows...and it's full of hot air!

 

[DJCL]

We're fine with the walk; it's the fact that we're blindfolded and stepping on rakes that gets to us.

LOL! Well put.

 

[BJonson]

Yeah you are so right. This is how my Mac Pro looks like right now, how elegant and "naked" isn't it?

Image

Better get ready to put 5 more of those externals on top, oh wait, they will have to go on the floor. Awesome.

 

[flat five]

No it doesn't. It looks that way because they wanted it to. They could have made the same thermal core and made it a white matt cuboid I'm sure

your last sentence say you haven't thought it through.. but others have.

if you were considering a core approach with one fan to ventilate the system, why would you go with a cuboid? that's somewhat similar to saying we should put square exhaust pipes on cars.

the tube shape makes more sense as the supporting shape of the foundation of the computer.. the thermal core or whatever.. it should be at least somewhat obvious.

 

[iBug2]

Better get ready to put 5 more of those externals on top, oh wait, they will have to go on the floor. Awesome.

Not really. I use the internal HD's of Mac Pro only for booting and applications, which I'll continue to do so with the new one. For me any disk which has documents in it has to be external since 2007 or so anyway. So nothing changes. Although I'm thinking of buying a thunderbolt RAID enclosure with 5 HD's when I buy the new one and get rid of several cables at least.