> So, G-Group: Why are you (still) PowerPC-based Mac users? So it all comes down to this: * they are reliable (most of the times) * they are now vintage and part of Mac History * they do the job * they are cheap
But still some things aren't so pretty: * at this time only security updates for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard * Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger and previous are no longer fixed/patched * Flash and some other current internet standards don't run well * slow when compared to Intel-Macs of the recent two years (Geekbench!) (If you continue reading, please open up and don't get it wrong. I don't want to offend anyone in this group. Also I hope I'm choosing the right words for this -- as a non-native speaker:) I know for some of you the decision to go Intel was kind of like treason. Apple+Motorola/Freescale+IBM were the good guys, Microsoft+Intel were the bad guys. And all would have lived happily ever after if not Steve Jobs (once again) moved forward in a very unconventional way: he went on with one of the bad guys. Fact is though, the PowerPC platform is no longer supported nor wanted by Apple. The industry has their own view and alot of applications are still universal due to customers needs. But to be honest, most modern applications need a fast computer and most PowerPC-Macs are not performing as well as the task would require. Only one example is Adobe CS4, which will most propably be the last to run on PowerPC-based Macs. And for it to work in a responsive and productive kind of way you need at least the fastest Dual-G4 or an even faster Dual-G5. On the other side you get at least the same performance out of any Intel-based Mac -- every recent model performs better, even the cheap ones. So, what is left is using these computers for older applications. And there is nothing wrong with that if one can live with being and/or becoming "not compatible" in the common sense of it. By that I mean, if someone else gives you a file to do some work with (i.e. any kind of document file), you may be in the situation that you cannot even open it. And of course the other way around is also true. (Who can still open and work with, say: WordPerfect files nowerdays? And the other way -- can you open an XML-style .docx text document with AppleWorks?). Thus, while I love the design of the Power Macs (I don't have any other kind of PowerPC-Mac) and the way they "work", it is an abondoned technology in terms of standard software, internet, upcoming applications and so on. Just imagine that Skype wasn't invented yet. Say it was invented in two years from now when Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard is the previous version of the Apple OS. Can you see it? Just imagine -- the Skype software would properbly be Intel-only and thus support the two actively supported Apple operating systems (that always seemed to be common pollicy). With all those customers allready using Intel-Macs the Skype-company wouldn't loose so many customers at all and it would be unlikely that they ever made an universal version of Skype. I'm using Skype. I would want to live without it. Off course, if I had never used it I wouldn't know what I'm missing. As I see it -- using Power Macs I will most likely be forced to get any other kind of recent system -- running either Windows or Mac OS -- to use for every day tasks with standard applications, because of the growing difficulty to get these applications for the Power Macs. That is, within the coming years... (2 yrs? 5 yrs? 10 yrs?) This is also true for Linux on PowerPC, because Flash doesn't work on it either. At least Java 1.6 does due to IBM's pSeries. Surfing the internet and not being able to reserve cinema tickets because this d*mn homepage doesn't work without Java 1.6 or Flash -- while my wife using Windows Vista can do all that easily -- would make me overthink my Power Mac usage... So my decision is that I will continue using my PowerMacs as primary systems until I cannot work with it anymore. This will hopefully be some more years. And what that happens, I will know it right away (hopefully). Ha! Some more years of freedom from every x86-binary malwere and from the majority of x86 systems worldwide. And some years of being part of a small group that runs a desktop Linux on PowerPC computers. I just love it! These were just my thought of the PowerPC-Macs, since I've recently discovered them and found them to be an abondoned architecture. I should have made the step towards them earlier, but then they were too expensive for me at that time. PCs have always been cheaper (in every way). Now I'm using Power Macs as they are becoming the trailing edge of technology... So's life. To all who answered to my initial question (see top): T H A N K Y O U ! You helped me by deciding and finding what to do with my Macs and how to plan future computer spending... (The forbidden word: H*ck*nt*sh- and Linux compatible...) Thank you and "live long and prosper!" Andreas. -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
