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Upgrading old Mac Pro to 8800 GT graphics?

Guess what? I've been booted and banned from Apple Discussions. When I went there this morning and tried to login, it invites me to "create a new user account." But it won't let me create an account. I assume that means that all my postings have been deleted, including those regarding the GeForce 8800 GT incompatibility and the link to online petition asking Apple to make it compatible.

After reading the user agreement, seems that online petition link posts are forbidden. Ooops.

I've always been constructive and polite. It's my first petition posting. I hope I haven't been banned for life. Isn't there probation for first offense?
 
NATO said:
Well I've just had a call from Apple UK regarding my order for the 8800GT card, basically the same as other people have been having, stating that orders for the 8800GT have been blocked while they confirm with customers if their Mac Pro is compatible (ie, 'Old' Mac Pro = incompatible).

If Apple is going to the trouble of actually calling people then this card must be the official line regarding compatibility.

I really am disgusted with Apple, once again they put an arbitrary block on upgrades in order to ensure people who want this card have to buy a whole new Mac Pro. I will be writing to Apple's customer services to complain about this, I think it's an absolutely shameful practice.
Click to expand...

So... Apple is going to the trouble of ensuring that your purchase will work. But you think there is an "arbitrary block on upgrades" to ensure people buy a whole new Mac Pro? That isn't even reasonable.

Apple may have screwed up. Schitt happens. Some people are saying, "You've lost a loyal customer, I'll never buy Apple again" blah blah blah. Are you REALLY going to switch to WinBlow$ because a graphics card option for a new machine won't work with your old machine?

I'm sympathetic to the cause - I have a Mac Pro from that era too and would like to upgrade. But, stop getting your panties in a bunch before we know what is going on. There will be a solution. Just be patient.
 
MacRumorUser said:
Actually if everyone orders their graphics card upgrade and then returns it once it has arrived, although its a little hassle for us individually, for Apple if everyone is doing it, it will be a pain in the posterior... it may just give them a little kick where needed to make them address the situation.

Do they have to refund shipping fees if the card does not work ? :confused::eek::)
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I plan on doing. Nobody cancel orders- make them make it work, or cost them money.
 
Barefeats is banned of apple forums!

At least some of your posts are still there but.... this situation is inconceivable..
Still can buy an 8800 thinking that will be work because there isnt any advice

I think (lucubration)that may be that... they think that soon will be sending the card kit containing a version that is compatible... may be... but then why are they as complicated as dont publish the information that show that is compatible...

Mistery and anxiety until the last minute... why???

BAREFEAT'S ROB_ART Says in Barefeats.com:

January 14th, 2008 -- BareFeats Banned from Apple Discussions. Guess what? I've been booted off of and banned from Apple Discussions. When I went there this morning and tried to login, it invites me to "create a new user account." But it won't let me create an account. I assume that means that all my postings have been deleted, including those regarding the GeForce 8800 GT incompatibility and the link to online petition asking Apple to make it compatible.

After reading the user agreement, seems that online petition link posts are forbidden. Ooops.

I've always been constructive and polite. It's my first petition posting. I hope I haven't been banned for life. Isn't there probation for first offense?
 
Wow, not so smart, Apple.

Barefeats is a WELL known apple enthusiast and benchmarking site. For apple to ban them because of a reasonable complaint expressed in the forums is NOT smart business.

Apple keeps looking worse and worse here.
 
An Apple employee interceded on my behalf. They restored my login for Apple Discussions but all my postings are gone and I can't post anything new. When I try to post I get:
"500 Unable to insert message into the database"

Hopefully it's temporary and I can post in the future.

I hope Apple will announce a fix for or legacy version of the GeForce 8800 GT at the keynote tomorrow. It would go a long way toward healing hurts and send up quite a cheer from the audience.
 
pprior said:
Barefeats is a WELL known apple enthusiast and benchmarking site. For apple to ban them because of a reasonable complaint expressed in the forums is NOT smart business.

Apple keeps looking worse and worse here.
Click to expand...

I don't see the fuss. He clearly broke the forum rules. Everyone is treated equally in that sense.

Or at least should be.
 
Another sad part of this is that the X1900 XT is selling at the same old price. If we cannot update to the current card at least drop the old stuff to a reasonable Apple price (ten dollars off) or something.

That card should cost no more than $199.00 at this point.
 
barefeats said:
I hope Apple will announce a fix for or legacy version of the GeForce 8800 GT at the keynote tomorrow. It would go a long way toward healing hurts and send up quite a cheer from the audience.
Click to expand...

I'm not holding my breath, though I hope they do something. I'm one of those disgruntled Mac users that turned to Strangedogs (now The Mac Elite) because the GPU situation on the Mac was dire. With the EFI cards it seems that flashing is fairly straightforward again, so if I was a Mac Pro owner I'd go that route.

Still, the ultimate hope is that Apple someday gets its butt in gear and really does something to address the perennial video card woes (high price, infrequent updates, poor availability).
 
Is a time of Crysis

Sorry But I must admit that I am sometimes a sybarite with games...
Not always but sometimes and I love the screenshots of Crysis and I would like to play that game :)

I am not a professional but I am computer technical and love computer world now I am unemployment but I cant standing windows problems for more time then I switch to mac in march of 2005 with macmini and after that in August 2006 with the Macpro... I still with the 7300GT and waiting for some card better than the louder 1900

I prefer buy a card for only bootcamp than a noisy 1900 without the fantastic graphics of the current generation.

I hope that tomorrow we will have better news :D
 
HTML: 
http://digg.com/apple/Apple_s_older_Mac_Pro_s_can_t_use_the_new_Nvidia_8800xt

This discussion should graduate from these specialty boards into a more visible forum. Please go to Digg and digg this up.
 
An hour after I posted this, my login for Apple Discussions no longer worked and I could not create a new one. So for now, I'm guess I'm still banished. Nice to know I'm still welcome here.
 
barefeats said:
An hour after I posted this, my login for Apple Discussions no longer worked and I could not create a new one. So for now, I'm guess I'm still banished. Nice to know I'm still welcome here.
Click to expand...

Maybe somebody remembered you from when you were barred from Apple Stores? If I were Apple I'd welcome people who benchmarked my machines...but I'm not Steve.
 
Dont worry be happy

At least if the problem is solved you know that you do one's bit (a lot) and the community give to you thanks for being there and we keep in mind your work now and every day in your important web cult with benchmarks, comparatives...

Thanks! good work! :)

barefeats said:
An hour after I posted this, my login for Apple Discussions no longer worked and I could not create a new one. So for now, I'm guess I'm still banished. Nice to know I'm still welcome here.
Click to expand...
 
shongohan said:
At least if the problem is solved you know that you do one's bit (a lot) and the community give to you thanks for being there and we keep in mind your work now and every day in your important web cult with benchmarks, comparatives...

Thanks! good work! :)
Click to expand...

I had to read that sentence 5 times before I even remotely understood it.
 
Blogger said:
You have absolutely no idea what Apple's intent was. This is pure speculation presented as fact.
Click to expand...

Yes, I can only speculate as to the real intentions. However, it remains a fact the Mac market has fewer upgrade options than ever before. As far as speculation, Apple has demonstrated this behavior in the past, limiting Mac users upgrade options. Do not forget the G3/G4/G5 era, Apple did all it could to prevent anyone from upgrading to faster after market processors.

There was a time we could feel good about being Mac users, personally I stop feeling that way when Apple (aka Steve Jobs) started stifling the Mac after-market.

We are talking about the Nvidia 8800 GT video card only available to the latest Mac Pro, while on the PC side there are dozens of video cards to chose from, including many flavors of the 8800. The PC market enjoys video cards with many options, including HDMI and other by now entrenched technologies. The Mac market is a desert in comparison. This trend, sadly, goes well beyond the video card market.

I may not have hard evidence on this issue, but there is sufficient past and present empirical evidence to the fact Apple will do its best to limit what its customers can and can not do unless it stands to make a buck in the process. It is up to us, the Mac core, to keep Apple honest by being critical of its actions, particularly actions that limit us in taking full advantage of our work and investments.
 
Locked All Topics In Apple Store Forums About 8800 Gt Upgrade On Old Macpros

No... only some topics :) but... :(
Topic : New graphics card for previous Mac Pro?
Topic Locked This topic is locked - replies are not allowed.:eek:
 
As of 1:45PM Pacific Time, BareFeats has been let back into to Apple Discussions. I guess I've been forgiven for my posting of the petition link. I can now login and all my postings have been restored.
 
barefeats said:
As of 1:45PM Pacific Time, BareFeats has been let back into to Apple Discussions. I guess I've been forgiven for my posting of the petition link. I can now login and all my postings have been restored.
Click to expand...
Cooler heads have apparently prevailed.

I suspect this episode is indicative if some disarray at Apple Inc., leading me to suspect that this 8800 compatibility issue caught them by surprise rather than it being some kind of nefarious plot to disenfranchise otherwise loyal Mac users.
 
I'd give real money....

I would love to see someone from the audience at MacWorld stand up, interrupt Steve's keynote, and personally call him out on this 8800GT debacle. I would LOVE to see that.

I guarantee you this was not some unfortunate oversight that caused this. Look at Apple's history. It's their M.O. They had no intention of allowing any previous Mac Pro owners the ability to upgrade to the 8800GT. They'd rather have you buy a brand new Mac Pro than, heaven forbid, get some milege out of your current investment. When does the greed machine stop? They already have $14 billion in "spare" cash. Is that not enough?

This PowerPC mentality at Apple has got to STOP. Not only does the Mac Pro suffer from update-itis (as in, doesn't get updated for over a year at a time), when it does get updated, previous owners be damned. If I was a previous gen Mac Pro owner I'd be STEAMED.

So why am I all in a huff??? Because I know that in 512 days (or whenever my soon-to-be Mac Pro gets updated) I'll be in the same spot. :mad:
 
Hmac said:
Cooler heads have apparently prevailed.

I suspect this episode is indicative if some disarray at Apple Inc., leading me to suspect that this 8800 compatibility issue caught them by surprise rather than it being some kind of nefarious plot to disenfranchise otherwise loyal Mac users.
Click to expand...

I really doubt this is all intentional as well. Just a big oversight on Apple's part to not make sure it was compatible before release.
 
Wild-Bill said:
I would love to see someone from the audience at MacWorld stand up, interrupt Steve's keynote, and personally call him out on this 8800GT debacle. I would LOVE to see that.
Click to expand...

I agree that it would be nice if this issue got more publicity; maybe we'd see a speedier fix then.

But I don't think it was deliberate; I just think they don;t pay attention to GPUs too much at Apple.

And lets face it, we just aren't going to have GPU parity with the PC world for the foreseeable future. The reason is simple business logic. Mac-compatible cards are basically PC cards plus dual-platform firmware. In the business world that means the Apple GPUs will have lower profit margins than a PC card, or are seen as requiring more R&D than a PC card, or are more "upmarket", or whatever you want to call it.

Either way the result is that they will always come after the PC version, will cost more, have a lower-rate production and be less available. Add to that the fact that Apple forbids third-party retail sale of Apple parts (the GPU is seen as a part, not an accessory or add-on), and you have the situation we are in and will be in for the forseeable future.

This will change only if

1. A video card manufacturer like eVGA, XFX or BFG step up and offer a series of dual-platform cards with Apple/ATI/NVIDIA's blessing. Pretty unlikely.

2. Apple decides to halve the update cycle of its GPUs, increase driver development and offer at least 3 video cards retail (low end, midrange and high end) at prices at least roughly competitive with the PC world. Pretty unlikely.
 
Wild-Bill said:
I would love to see someone from the audience at MacWorld stand up, interrupt Steve's keynote, and personally call him out on this 8800GT debacle. I would LOVE to see that.
:
Click to expand...

I will personally paypal someone $25 if they do so. Get a hundred people to agree and we've got some motivation..... :)
 
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