Mac to use Intel Chips!
- Thread starter ecnanez
- Start date
Viro
Registered
So basically, what are they gonna focus on now? Porting everything over to 64 bit? Optimizing for G5? Optimizing for x86? What?
And they had just completed migrating to OS X when Tiger was released. We've finally got a version of OS X with a stable set of APIs and they do this (??). We'll see where this leads in a few years time.
And they had just completed migrating to OS X when Tiger was released. We've finally got a version of OS X with a stable set of APIs and they do this (??). We'll see where this leads in a few years time.
um... I use Macs because of the operating system and the quality and design of the hardware... both of which will continue to be better than anything made by any other manufacturer and OSX will continue to be better than Windows... there will be almost no effect on the user's end other than a faster processor, and maybe a little waiting for apps to get moved over, but that will happen much quicker than it took to move apss from OS9 to OSX. Everyone needs to calm down. You guys are reacting as if Microsoft is designing the next version of OSX. Intel is by no means evil compared to Microsoft. Plus, no PC user will ever be able to say that certain programs don't work on OSX anymore... One of the main apps I was waiting to see come to OSX is AutoCAD (not that its that great, but its pretty much a standard). I bet you'll see it within a year. This move can do nothing but make the experience better for us. Calm down...jaymagic said:i think all this ia crazy there is no was am i ever going to buy another mac if they change to intel! i hate anu-thing to do with windows! and most of my mates feel the same so i think mac will loose alot of money if they make this change!
WeeZer51402
Registered
Its not really a matter of if, rather when and that is by 2007.jaymagic said:i think all this ia crazy there is no was am i ever going to buy another mac if they change to intel! i hate anu-thing to do with windows! and most of my mates feel the same so i think mac will loose alot of money if they make this change!
I was weeping over this (figuratively).... but I've seen some upbeat articles that say that this move is actually a GOOD one now - take out M$ and bring 'our stuff' over to 'their platform' while Leghorn still languishes in the background.....
I'm starting to think this is the smartest thing that Jobs has done in ages.... this might be '1988' all over again (back when Win 3.1 came out and gradually started eating up market share)..... only thing, this time instead of not licensing... we're on the cusp of the wave....
I'm starting to think this is the smartest thing that Jobs has done in ages.... this might be '1988' all over again (back when Win 3.1 came out and gradually started eating up market share)..... only thing, this time instead of not licensing... we're on the cusp of the wave....
ElDiabloConCaca
U.S.D.A. Prime
How is anyone's hardware outdated now? Just because Apple will use Intel processors in the future does not make anyone's PPC-based machine obsolete. Software companies will continue to develop "FAT" binaries which will run on PPC and Intel hardware alike.
Intel has nothing to do with Windows. Just because Apple will be using Intel chips doesn't have anything to do with Microsoft or Windows.
I think we need to nip some concerns in the bud, right here, right now:
1) Apple will be using Intel chips in the future. This means absolutely nothing to consumers -- only developers.
2) Your PPC-based software will run just fine on any future Intel-based Mac OS X hardware under a very fast emulation layer, much like Classic or older 68xxx emulation did in the past.
3) The change will be seamless to consumers -- you'll still sit down at an Apple-branded machine and run the same damn software under the same damn OS X.
4) Windows applications will not run on an Intel-based Mac OS X system. Can you run x86 Linux applications on Windows or vice-versa? Same for Mac. You don't program for the processor so much as you program for the operating system. Windows binaries still have Windows-specific API calls.
5) You will not be able to install the Intel-based version of Mac OS X on anything other than an Apple-branded Intel-based computer. You will not be able to build a cheap-o Intel box and expect to be able to install Mac OS X on it. Mac OS X will only install on Apple-branded computers, period, whether they're Intel- or PPC-based.
6) As far as the consumer is concerned, this shift means nothing. Apple isn't going to suddenly start selling $500 computers. The same engineering and R&D will go into Intel-based Macintosh computers as went into PPC-based Macintosh computers.
7) Porting current Mac OS X PPC applications to Mac OS X Intel applications will not be as much of a headache as people are making it out to be. Unless your program has low-level PPC-specific code in it, it'll be a simple matter of a few changes and a recompile (really!). The APIs will be the same, the code will be the same, and it will not take much time. Estimates range from 2 days to 2 weeks to fully port an application -- a drop in the hat for any software developer worth a damn.
People are acting like it's the end of the Macintosh as we know it -- it's not. They're changing processors, just like they did going from the G2 to the G3 to the G4 to the G5. Now, our processors will be CISC-based and not RISC-based -- big friggin' deal! The end-user won't notice a difference at all. Let the software developers work out the (small) kinks.
Just think -- we as end users get faster machines. What other drawbacks are there? Is it impossible to sit in front of a Mac without thinking about the processor that's running the machine, or is it just gonna drive y'all nuts knowing that there's an "Intel inside?"
Intel has nothing to do with Windows. Just because Apple will be using Intel chips doesn't have anything to do with Microsoft or Windows.
I think we need to nip some concerns in the bud, right here, right now:
1) Apple will be using Intel chips in the future. This means absolutely nothing to consumers -- only developers.
2) Your PPC-based software will run just fine on any future Intel-based Mac OS X hardware under a very fast emulation layer, much like Classic or older 68xxx emulation did in the past.
3) The change will be seamless to consumers -- you'll still sit down at an Apple-branded machine and run the same damn software under the same damn OS X.
4) Windows applications will not run on an Intel-based Mac OS X system. Can you run x86 Linux applications on Windows or vice-versa? Same for Mac. You don't program for the processor so much as you program for the operating system. Windows binaries still have Windows-specific API calls.
5) You will not be able to install the Intel-based version of Mac OS X on anything other than an Apple-branded Intel-based computer. You will not be able to build a cheap-o Intel box and expect to be able to install Mac OS X on it. Mac OS X will only install on Apple-branded computers, period, whether they're Intel- or PPC-based.
6) As far as the consumer is concerned, this shift means nothing. Apple isn't going to suddenly start selling $500 computers. The same engineering and R&D will go into Intel-based Macintosh computers as went into PPC-based Macintosh computers.
7) Porting current Mac OS X PPC applications to Mac OS X Intel applications will not be as much of a headache as people are making it out to be. Unless your program has low-level PPC-specific code in it, it'll be a simple matter of a few changes and a recompile (really!). The APIs will be the same, the code will be the same, and it will not take much time. Estimates range from 2 days to 2 weeks to fully port an application -- a drop in the hat for any software developer worth a damn.
People are acting like it's the end of the Macintosh as we know it -- it's not. They're changing processors, just like they did going from the G2 to the G3 to the G4 to the G5. Now, our processors will be CISC-based and not RISC-based -- big friggin' deal! The end-user won't notice a difference at all. Let the software developers work out the (small) kinks.
Just think -- we as end users get faster machines. What other drawbacks are there? Is it impossible to sit in front of a Mac without thinking about the processor that's running the machine, or is it just gonna drive y'all nuts knowing that there's an "Intel inside?"
jeb1138
Carioca
But making an emulation program (e.g. VirtualPC) is MUCH easier and will be MUCH faster. Apple could bundle one for free with the operating system and you could potentially slap your copy of Windows onto it and be running Windows apps faster, easier and more integrated than VirtualPC ever hoped to be.ElDiabloConCaca said:
WeeZer51402
Registered
Well first off if apple is smart they'll try to integrate wine for some basic compatibility with winbloze stuff and second apple does have a $500 computer, its called the mac miniElDiabloConCaca said:
ElDiabloConCaca
U.S.D.A. Prime
WeeZer51402 said:
Yes, I know about the Mac mini. My point was that Apple's prices for their machines will most likely not drop just because they're using a different processor -- it has not been proven that Intel processors are cheaper than IBM processors, and even if they are, I'm just putting to rest the idea that people will now be able to run Mac OS X on bargain-basement Intel-based computers.
Licensing is a huge issue when it comes to Windows compatibility. You can't just build in Windows compatibility to your product and not expect to hear from Microsoft's lawyers. Remember "Lindows?" The major reason that product was put to rest is because they tried to build in Windows compatibility without having Microsoft's approval and licensing -- and eventually they just "Linuxed" their product, scrapping the Windows compatibility.
WeeZer51402
Registered
Well altivec is a vector unit, the FPU on the G5 is exceptional. The ALU(the int unit) on pentium processors is far better but their vector unit(SSE2) sucks big time. so yes a P4 w/ altivec would certainly be nice.wiz said:
To respond to the licensing thing wine is still around and I'm pretty sure its completely legit but of course M$ would challenge it but would they win? If I were in charge of apple I'd try to build in some emulation layer based off wine for basic windows support so my new customers wouldn't need to throw away all their existing apps, it would help ease the transition for switchers.
AdmiralAK
Simply Daemonic
Apple could attempt to use the WINE libraries....of course they kind of suck
VPC and VMware talk directly to the hardware, the intel-mac VPC version can do the same. Not to mention that apple can make some soft of "emulation" software to tae advantage of other x86 OSes and software, not M$ specific.
Apple could license windows libraries (fat chance), they could license DirectX so that games can be ported more easily, etc.
VPC and VMware talk directly to the hardware, the intel-mac VPC version can do the same. Not to mention that apple can make some soft of "emulation" software to tae advantage of other x86 OSes and software, not M$ specific.
Apple could license windows libraries (fat chance), they could license DirectX so that games can be ported more easily, etc.
JetwingX
iWork for Apple <3
Now that i have cooled down a bit after reading this thread, my concern is: What will _I_ do when devs stop checking the PPC box when they compile?
It will be like having 10.1 and being forced to upgrade to 10.3 or 10.4 because you can't get any new apps. and this time, instead of being a $75 or $125 dollar upgrade, it will be a $2000+ upgrade.
I wouldn't be so angry if it were confirmed that this wouldn't happen or if the check box said "PPC or PPC/Intel" but it didn't. these is that option and i am sore about it because i bought my iMac G5 9 months ago and i fear it won't last me 5 years like my iMac DV+ did.
It will be like having 10.1 and being forced to upgrade to 10.3 or 10.4 because you can't get any new apps. and this time, instead of being a $75 or $125 dollar upgrade, it will be a $2000+ upgrade.
I wouldn't be so angry if it were confirmed that this wouldn't happen or if the check box said "PPC or PPC/Intel" but it didn't. these is that option and i am sore about it because i bought my iMac G5 9 months ago and i fear it won't last me 5 years like my iMac DV+ did.
Oscar Castillo
Registered
I don't mind so much the switch to Intel, but it seems as if there's so much going on with the PPC right now, that it seems that although progress is slow, I have the feeling it's been abandoned long before the Gx series has reached its full potential.
I'm certain the main reason for the switch has more to do with not having a notebook processor to complement the desktop. I'm hoping that these new x86 Macs will not just use generic Intel chipsets with a hardware dongle for OS X and Apple designs some added features that make it stand out.
I'm certain the main reason for the switch has more to do with not having a notebook processor to complement the desktop. I'm hoping that these new x86 Macs will not just use generic Intel chipsets with a hardware dongle for OS X and Apple designs some added features that make it stand out.
HateEternal
Mac Metal Head
I don't like this one bit. I feel like Apple lied to us and played some sick game while we bought their expensive hardware.
Does this mean my G5 just lost a lot of value? I originally bought it knowing that Macs keep their value for a long time.
Does this mean my G5 just lost a lot of value? I originally bought it knowing that Macs keep their value for a long time.
RGrphc2
...InSaNe...
Oscar Castillo said:
Your right, but keep in mind what steve said that both the Intel and PPC will be supported for years, i'm pretty sure even older (G3) will be supported till at least 2010 or 2015. But i want to know one thing, will it be a dumb mistake to buy a Mac next year? With the Switch coming in 2007? Or should i wait to get an iMac with an Intel?
The Best bet is we will learn more during the MacWorld Boston Next Month, and the next MacWorld during September.
Hopefully this Partnership means Apple in more Stores not just Apple Retails, but in Best Buy's, Circuit City's, PCWorld's etc etc.
Heck, we might even get Half-Life and HL2 for the Mac!!!