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jettyboy · Jan 16, 2005, 10:22 PM

Aloha, I apologize if this has been answered before, I searched but couldn't find it on these forms so here's my inquiry. I'd like to know exactly what kind of set-up Steve Jobs uses for his presentations at MW. His seem much faster than any G5's I've used. Does he use an "off the shelf" machine, or one that is juiced up for him? If anyone knows the specs that would be great. Mahalo in advance for any shared info... JB

nbnz · Jan 16, 2005, 10:27 PM

I would guess, with no basis whatsoever, that it's just a Dual 2.5 but pumped up with 8GB of RAM. And the fasted internet connection money can buy for his iChat video and iTMS demos.

bradoesch · Jan 16, 2005, 11:53 PM

More wild guessing. Steve's people could wildly overclock a good machine and he'd always have something faster than what's available. He could even be using a 3 GHz+ CPU for all we know. And then overclocked. Just because they can't produce something in quantity doesn't mean Steve doesn't have access to one of them.

ManOfSteal · Jan 16, 2005, 11:56 PM

Indeed, it's VERY fast:

Link · Jan 17, 2005, 12:11 AM

lol, no, it's probably a sample machine

After all, just because 3ghz chips don't yield well, doesn't mean he can't have one.

Millennium · Jan 17, 2005, 12:13 AM

It's probably the fastest Mac they offer -if not a prototype of the next revision- upgraded as far as it will go. Sort of a shame; executives of computer makers really should be made to work on the lowest-end model currently in production.

That said, the other thing to realize is that many demos at trade shows and such are faked; they're set up to do exactly what's going to be shown in the demo and not much else. The end result is that it naturally performs faster than "the real thing"; that's what it's supposed to do. If you've ever wondered why you're only rarely allowed to actually touch the demo machines, this is (not always, but often) why.

juanvaldes · Jan 17, 2005, 12:44 AM

It only makes sense to use the fasters system around, dont' want to look bad waiting for stuff to happen. having said that I would not risk the minor speed gains using prototype systems.

Of course they run though everything before, pre-launch apps, keep different demo's on different boxes etc.

MilkmanDan · Jan 17, 2005, 01:11 AM

I'm guessing 8 GIGs of RAM. Obviously.

nbnz · Jan 17, 2005, 01:15 AM

Originally posted by Millennium:
That said, the other thing to realize is that many demos at trade shows and such are faked; they're set up to do exactly what's going to be shown in the demo and not much else. The end result is that it naturally performs faster than "the real thing"; that's what it's supposed to do. If you've ever wondered why you're only rarely allowed to actually touch the demo machines, this is (not always, but often) why.

Except the Spotlight image viewer crash

demograph68 · Jan 17, 2005, 01:27 AM

Originally posted by nbnz:
Except the Spotlight image viewer crash

**** happens.

nbnz · Jan 17, 2005, 01:54 AM

Originally posted by demograph68:
**** happens.

exactly, "that's why we have backup systems"

MilkmanDan · Jan 17, 2005, 02:15 AM

It beats Gate's f-ing up on the late show. That was class.

mishap · Jan 17, 2005, 08:52 AM

well when he was in the hospital this fall i remember him saying he /was/ using the 17-inch powerbook.

Superchicken · Jan 17, 2005, 08:59 AM

My guess, Dual 2.5, tricked out RAM, and the best graphics card money can buy

. Oh wait... I heard Steve uses an x86 laptop with NeXTSTEP on it

Seriously though, I'm surprised Steve doesn't run Dual monitors... I would.

moonmonkey · Jan 17, 2005, 09:02 AM

Originally posted by juanvaldes:
Of course they run though everything before, pre-launch apps, keep different demo's on different boxes etc.

They should have launched apps via documents before the Keynote, It took Steve by surprise when the "do you want to launch ?? with ??" dialog came up.

Goldfinger · Jan 17, 2005, 09:34 AM

Originally posted by moonmonkey:
They should have launched apps via documents before the Keynote, It took Steve by surprise when the "do you want to launch ?? with ??" dialog came up.

Yeah it looked for a second that he didn't knew what that was.

mitchell_pgh · Jan 17, 2005, 10:10 AM

Also, I wonder if they alter the OS in any way. I would go on to say that they buy the much faster HD.

The reason Jobs doesn't use dual monitors is the same reason he doesn't use a 30" screen. He wants to appear as though the setup he is using is "the average Mac."

hyperb0le · Jan 17, 2005, 11:56 AM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
The reason Jobs doesn't use dual monitors is the same reason he doesn't use a 30" screen. He wants to appear as though the setup he is using is "the average Mac."

Plus, it would be worthless to have dual monitors for the keynote presentation demos. The screen projection would either have to be shrunk down to accommodate both screens, or the projection would have to alternate which screen is being shown. When you are only demoing one or two apps at a time, dual monitors would be a waste. That said, I'm sure he's running a quad-display setup in his actual office

cenutrio · Jan 17, 2005, 01:57 PM

However, he seem to use an iMac G5 last week

Peter · Jan 17, 2005, 02:05 PM

Just a high spec G5. I doubt its any super dooper prototype.

Sarc · Jan 17, 2005, 02:12 PM

I owuld say that it's some sort of Demo Optimized version of OS X, on a stock, fully upgraded, G5.

Remember the OS X 10.0 Keynote ? Steve rezised windows faster on his-at the time- high end Dual 500 MHz G4, than on any other Mac I have ever seen.

Aiglos · Jan 17, 2005, 02:42 PM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
Also, I wonder if they alter the OS in any way.

LOL, the tweak comes in the form of 10.4.

Seriously, I think It's a 2.5 G5 with a clean install of the OS, maybe more ram and a better video card. Nothing fancy.

Thorin · Jan 17, 2005, 02:49 PM

Originally posted by moonmonkey:
They should have launched apps via documents before the Keynote, It took Steve by surprise when the "do you want to launch ?? with ??" dialog came up.

Wasn't that after he'd switched to the backup? Perhaps someone got careless and didn't setup the backup quite like the primary?

rtamesis · Jan 19, 2005, 12:16 AM

Steve was running the latest version of OS X Tiger, so it wasn't surprising when he encountered that bug when demonstrating Spotlight.

PurpleGiant · Jan 19, 2005, 01:08 AM

Originally posted by Thorin:
Wasn't that after he'd switched to the backup? Perhaps someone got careless and didn't setup the backup quite like the primary?

Yes. From memory he accidentally clicked a wrong button in Spotlight, which caused the machine to crash. He quickly switched to the (identical looking) backup system and carried on. But since that point, a few things didn't work 'quite right', as it seemed that this backup system hadn't been run through as much as the original one.

Xeo · Jan 19, 2005, 03:28 AM

Yeah obviously the demo mac was not run through and everything was going for the first time.

I wouldn't be surprised if he has an average G5 under his desk and a power book for travel. He doesn't strike me as kind of guy who would have the fastest just cause he can.

Thilo Ettelt · Jan 19, 2005, 06:50 AM

Originally posted by Millennium:
Sort of a shame; executives of computer makers really should be made to work on the lowest-end model currently in production.

I used to code my Internet Kiosk software on my old 300 MHz Blueberry iBook before I sold it to the other company. Speed is not equal to productivity. I miss Project Builder

- Thilo

Randman · Jan 19, 2005, 07:27 AM

I didn't email Steve directly, but I did just send an email to Apple asking for info on what he uses for the keynotes as well as daily usage. See if we get any details.

GoGoReggieXPowars · Jan 19, 2005, 08:15 PM

Originally posted by Millennium:
It's probably the fastest Mac they offer -if not a prototype of the next revision- upgraded as far as it will go. Sort of a shame; executives of computer makers really should be made to work on the lowest-end model currently in production.

Why, exactly? If I got that far up the company I'd want the best thing available.