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why did Quicktime make the jump from 7 to X

M

maclook

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 2, 2008
1,146
40
i understand that X is a big change from the last iteration, but that kinda ruins the whole numbered updates. every major (numbered) update should be a big change so is there a reason this one is so special

unless X doesn't mean 10 but, rather, is a variable in which case it could very well equal 8
 
To be honest I've always thought of it as bringing it more in line with the name OS X - sure, the X in OS X started out as meaning '10', but now it's become more of a brandname in itself then a version number (even moreso considering Apple uses the actual number '10' after it [Mac OS X Version 10.6]); Quicktime X for OS X, if you will.
 
Catfish_Man said:
In a certain sense it's a jump from "Quicktime 7" to "Quicktime X 1.0".
Click to expand...
I don't think so... in the About QuickTime Player box, it says "QuickTime Player Version 10.0 (51)".

It's probably just a branding thing, I guess. There's nothing technologically groundbreaking in it, certainly nothing that would warrant a jump by 3 in the top-level version number. But that's what happens when these decisions are made by marketing people instead of developers. :)
 
MikeMayer said:
I like the idea of it being a variable... that'll be my canned explanation for anyone who asks me the same thing... :)
Click to expand...

lol that's what i'm doing. either that or i'm saying the new logo is so cool it warranted a 3 number upgrade.

i dont like the idea of it being rebranded as "Quicktime X". OSX is cool because you instantly know it's apple's OS. i already associate quicktime with
Macs (i hated it when i was a windows user) and quicktime in itself is a recognizable name that doesn't need the X to distinguish it any further. i don't call my current player as "Quicktime 7" i just think of it as Quicktime
 
ata said:
I don't think so... in the About QuickTime Player box, it says "QuickTime Player Version 10.0 (51)".

It's probably just a branding thing, I guess. There's nothing technologically groundbreaking in it, certainly nothing that would warrant a jump by 3 in the top-level version number. But that's what happens when these decisions are made by marketing people instead of developers. :)
Click to expand...

Actually I'd say the 10.0 is more the marketing name. The underlying technology is in many ways not that related, and deserves a different (rather than incremented) name.
 
My guess is because Snow Leopard is Apple's first certified UniX Operating system and one of the first major re-writes is QT-X.

Mac OS X/ OS X 10.0 was Apple's first fore' into a more pure UniX environment. The X did indeed stand for version 10 but it also was a reference to UniX. The new carbon environment's utilized by the morphing of NeXtStep and the Open UniX.

Since Snow Leopard is now a real flavor of UniX I can see more of the underlying core technology like Quicktime being called "X" because it is now cocoa rather than carbon and is 64-bit. Which certified UniX is.

Plus Mac OSX 10.6 now uses base 10 numbering so why not?? :)

Just a theory of mine..

Next in line is iTunes X.
 
Unless I'm mistaken Quicktime X is exclusive to OSX. Windows still has QT 7, so maybe it's just to distinguish the platforms.
 
Peace said:
Since Snow Leopard is now a real flavor of UniX
Click to expand...
This has been true by any definition I'm aware of since Leopard.

I can see more of the underlying core technology like Quicktime being called "X" because it is now cocoa rather than carbon and is 64-bit.
Click to expand...
Actually Cocoa is built (partly) on top of QuickTime, not the other way around. QuickTime Player is a Cocoa app, but again, as far as I know it has been for a while.

I really think this is just to reflect that it's in a certain sense the start of a new lineage of quicktime code rather than building further on the old.
 
Maybe iTunes 9 will be iTunes X. As a way for apple to make iTunes on mac 64 bit cocoa and all nice for snow leopard, and retain windows/10.5 compatibility with 8.
 
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