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Zane · Jul 13, 2005, 10:18 PM

Below is a partial email sent to me by an individual when he heard I was debating whether to buy my first Mac G5 or another PC. Any opinions?

However on a personal basis, I thought you
might want to consider a pc solution reguardless of what brand you might
choose.

That being, because at the World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) where
apple shows off they're lastest and greatest, they made the announcement
they are switching the processors over to the Intel platform. Which was
good news to some, and bad to other. Good being they will in the have
better gaming, support as well as superior performance. The bad being that
they will have to port all existing applications to the new processor
arcitecture, as well as drop support for existing products soon.

To make it clear, I used to hate macs however I have developed a keen
liking to them recently and went to buy an iBook a few weeks ago. However,
the people working there told me I should wait until late '06 to get one
since all the current apps and hardware will be obsolete and not work with
new stuff due to the hardware change. In addition, it is inferior by leaps
to what will be coming out in the coming years they told me.That is where
I told myself I would wait for a year or two and get one then.

Now you are a friend of Sean's, and a friend of Sean's is a friend of
mine,and I would advise as a friend that you either wait until the new
product line comes rolling out late next year to purchase an Apple, or get
a PC.

OogaBooga · Jul 13, 2005, 10:57 PM

He is going off of what the guy at the Apple Store told him. And the guy at the Apple Store was simply speaking out of his tail end.

If you've ever opened up XCode 2.1 and seen how easy it is to compile for both platforms (literally a simple checkbox), then I can't see why companies won't keep making PPC applications for at least 3-4 more years. The cost to develop for PPC is very small, and they'll get to keep a huge user base. When you realize that PowerMacs, the machines designed to have the most power, will be the last to switch to Intel, companies won't really have a choice but to support PPC over the next few years.

As for the iBook, I'd wait until the next refresh, and then pounce on one. The update is long overdue, and chances are Apple made a radical change to the iBook, and are just waiting to update the PowerBooks along with the iBooks.

My guess for the iBook is:

-13" widescreen addition to the line
-possible exterior design change
-better quality screens
-SuperDrive available in all models
-167(333 DDR) FSB
-5400 RPM drives starting at 60gb
-Geforce FX5200Go, or at least something that fully supports all of CI's features

Apple will sort of "test the water" with the new iBook design, so when they release the Intel version, all the bugs will be worked out. Seems like a logical approach to me.

discotronic · Jul 14, 2005, 07:27 AM

Right now is IMO the best time to buy a Mac. It will take some time for Intel processor only apps to come about. The existing apps will be updated for the PPC for some time after the transition.

As far as the guy at the Apple Store knowing anything......I am willing to bet my PowerMac that some people on these forums know a hell of a lot more.

Maflynn · Jul 15, 2005, 07:15 AM

I think ibooks and PBs are going to be the first Mactels introduced in 06, additionally those two lines are the oldest and gone the longest w/o a refresh so I don't think its a wise decision to plunk down a lot of money for one of those babies.

As I said in a prior thread I think buying G5 PM now makes the most sense. As you stated its going to be a while before we see any software compiled to the intel chipset, the new PMs could be the last to be converted so a high end G5 has the best ability of riding out the time between the models. Besides its just cool looking

Mike

I WAS the One · Jul 15, 2005, 08:26 AM

I am a Freelance Graphic Artist and also a Morning Show DJ and Producer for a radio station here in Florida, and I most say, I use Macs since the beginning, and I love Macs the way I love a nice racing expensive car, I mean I never saw a PC user with a intel inside sticker in a bumper but I do see Mac users wearing an Apple sticker with pride. The Point is that it is a different kind of culture and most of it comes from the OS, not too many people knows how the heck a computer works inside, but all the Mac users knows what Mac OS means. I am one of them, I love the Mac OS, the old and the Newer, I still have OS9 on some Macs and Tiger on my primary one. I don't care if my Mac is using an Intel processor or not, I do care about the OS, and now the most important thing for Apple will be the OS, it will have to be polished, enhanced, and improving everyday, because it is the only thing that remain Apple oriented right now. I just hope that Mac OS will never boot on a PC ever! and that will be the truly soul of a great computer. saying that I now must recomend you to buy an Apple no matter what! with intel or PowerPC, it will always be better than PC. Syke!

olePigeon · Jul 15, 2005, 12:17 PM

Because the entire shift to Intel was because of Games.

Intel or not, you have the problem of DirectX and DirectPlay. Gaming will still be stagnant on the Mac until Microsoft opens up DirectX and DirectPlay. You also have to get past the pig-headed CEOs like those at Valve.

If your main concern is video games, yes, go get a PC.

goMac · Jul 15, 2005, 12:24 PM

The guy at the Apple Store was wrong. They actually have no more idea what the new hardware is going to be like than you do. If you were a professional power user, I'd say wait. But for normal use, it won't be a problem. Just be aware you may want to upgrade in like... 3 years.

Out of curiosity, what Apple Store was it?

G5man · Jul 15, 2005, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by discotronic

Right now is IMO the best time to buy a Mac. It will take some time for Intel processor only apps to come about. The existing apps will be updated for the PPC for some time after the transition.

As far as the guy at the Apple Store knowing anything......I am willing to bet my PowerMac that some people on these forums know a hell of a lot more.

I know they are making universal binaries and will support PPC for a little more then all software will be for intel but does that mean you can do proccessor upgrades to and intel mac?

hypnognosis · Jul 15, 2005, 02:17 PM

What is your upgrade cycle? I buy a new PB every two years and will probably buy one post WWDC. If you buy a PB or G5 now, and plan to upgrade within two to three years you should be fine. Hardware and Software support for the PowerPC lines should extend at least two years past the introduction of the first x86 based macs. The real question though is software support and if your applications exist for the macintosh platform right now.

G5man · Jul 15, 2005, 05:37 PM

Steve was saying that software will be supported for a time and then it would all be on intel macs

mitchell_pgh · Jul 15, 2005, 06:03 PM

If you are considering a Mac, NOW is the PERFECT time to buy.

Why?

Because in 3-4 years, when you want to upgrade... all the cool Mac/Intel stuff will be out. You don't want to buy the ver. 1 of the Intel Macs, so you would want to hold off.

If you play the waiting game, you will never end up buying a Mac.

Al G · Jul 15, 2005, 06:33 PM

He didn't say it was an Apple store.

And based on the response my guess is it was in fact not an Apple store.

Ok, once again... No Intel-based Macs will be released in the near future. Only Apple knows the schedule (and even they probably don't know the exact schedule). They have vaguely said the transition will begin in 2006 and continue through 2007. It's expected that the mini, iBook and iMac, and probably also Powerbook and eMac will be first. The Powermac will probably be mid-2007 and perhaps the Xserve late 2007. None of this is set in stone.

You can't buy an Intel-based Mac now. You won't be able to buy an Intel-based Mac for probably almost a year. And it's likely that you won't be able to buy an Intel-based Powermac for two years. Two years is a long time in computer time.

Anyway the above is a digression. The point is a Mac you buy today will not cease to function, nor will the software cease to be updated the very moment an Intel-based Mac appears. In order to develop software for an Intel-based Mac, you must use Xcode. And using Xcode, it's just as easy to make a Universal binary (both PowerPC and x86) as it is x86 only. So PowerPC software development will not cease for years. Of course a Mac you buy now will be obsolete in 2009--not because there is no software for it, but because it will be a four-year-old machine!

Superchicken · Jul 17, 2005, 09:45 PM

If you are looking for a PowerMac you would have to wait over two years or so for an Intel based PM. And honestly, I wouldn't want a first generation one... too many potential bugs. I know I will be getting a Dual 2Ghz PM, and 20 inch Display, and I am not an uninformed consumer.

Link · Jul 17, 2005, 09:54 PM

Don't worry about it, besides what would you rather do, buy a mac now and have all the great mac stuff, or buy a PC now, and have to buy a mac later?

goMac · Jul 17, 2005, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by Al G

You can't buy an Intel-based Mac now. You won't be able to buy an Intel-based Mac for probably almost a year. And it's likely that you won't be able to buy an Intel-based Powermac for two years. Two years is a long time in computer time.

I'd probably say 6 months until first Intel Macs. MWSF would be the place to release them.

Maflynn · Jul 18, 2005, 06:00 AM

Originally Posted by goMac

I'd probably say 6 months until first Intel Macs. MWSF would be the place to release them.

I agree,
I cannot see Apple sitting on this too long. They made the announcement so now its time to deliver the goods, I'm hoping to see somthing in early 06.

Mike