Some of you may not have seen this. Ellen ---------------- Begin Forwarded Message ----------------
Date: 6/28/05 4:22 PM From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (HotTips Editor) Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (HotTips Editor) Reply-to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (macHOME HotTips) To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Subscribers of macHOME HotTips) macHOME HOTTIPS (06/23/2005) [...] |::: Q&A :::| HOTTIPS answers a number of burning questions each week. Please understand that we cannot provide solutions to every question, and we cannot answer every question personally. That said, we're going to publish as many questions and answers here as we can. THE BIG PROCESSOR SWITCH Q: I'm a bit perplexed regarding the practical significance (for ordinary users like me) of Apple's change from PowerPC to Intel processors. What will be the advantages to ordinary users like me? Also, is it true that, as hardware per se, machines having the two types of chips will be incompatible? I've heard, for instance, that it will not be possible to connect the two types of machines and, for instance, to use one as a backup for the other. Is that correct? I've also heard that the new machines will not offer Classic as an optional feature. Is that correct? Some people in the Mac Users Group of which I'm a member say that one should not bother buying any new Mac computer that has a PowerPC chip, and that one should wait to buy until after machines with the Intel chips have been in production and use for at least a few months. But other people say that if one wants to be able to use Classic and pre-OS X software, one should buy now and plan on not upgrading hardware again for several years. What to make of all this? -- Phil O A: One thing I want to make clear before I answer your questions is that it may be up to a year before Intel-based Macs hit the shelves. A lot of things are still yet to be determined, and some of my answers will reflect that. So let's get started: 1) Why Change Processors? The change was precipitated by IBM's apparent inability to deliver faster PowerPC G5 processors in a reasonable time frame(Steve Jobs publicly announced that 3 GHZ Power Macs would be available over a year ago and heís still waiting to deliver them), as well as its apparent inability to deliver a low-power version of the PowerPC G5 for use in PowerBooks. The advantage of the switch, for all users, is that Apple will be able to deliver machines whose speed is on par with comparable Windows PCs. 2) Mac-to-Mac Communications You'll certainly be able to network a PowerPC Mac and Intel Mac for data transfer, and it's very likely that you'll be able to FireWire Disk Mode, too. And you'll be able to connect an external hard disk to a PowerPC Mac and then move the hard disk (and all its data) to an Intel Mac. These are functions of the operating system and not of the processor. 3) What Happens to Classic? At this point, it does not appear that the new machines will run Classic (OS 9). Classic is designed to run on the PowerPC, and getting it run on an Intel processor will be a major challenge. And, you know, it's been five years since Apple introduced OS X. That's a very long grace period for migration to the new operating system and the company may feel that it's time for everyone to move on. Of course, Apple may develop a Classic emulator for Intel-based Macs, but it's not likely to be a top priority for them. 4) When Should I Buy? Assuming you're not reliant on Classic, it doesn't really make much difference whether you buy now or later. I will likely buy a new computer in the next few months, and I have no qualms about it. Many people upgrade every 18 to 36 months, so at some point, we'll all be getting an Intel-based Mac. My gut feeling? Buy what you want within the next year, and give Apple, and the early adopters, at least six months to work the bugs out of the Intel-based Macs. [...] ----------------- End Forwarded Message ----------------- ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe send a mail message with a SUBJECT line of "unsubscribe" to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> or <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
