Re: Horrible news for the troops in the field. IS the world about to change continued badly
On Nov 8, 2010, at 6:09 PM, Dan wrote: At 12:08 AM + 11/9/2010, Wallace Adrian D'Alessio wrote: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/education/apple-xserve-is-gone-is-os-x-server-next/4321 No. The world is not about to change due to this. I don't agree with that article's off-the-wall speculation that Mac OS X Server is on the chopping block. After all, aside from Apple providing dumbed-down interfaces, the real difference between the two OS releases is basically added open-source stuff. If it's just the open source parts we're talking about, you can install those yourself, either on stock Mac OS X or any other Unix system. Apple's GUI front ends are essentially an application suite, and they could be packaged as such instead of bundled as a separate operating system. As far as Apple's killing the XServe hardware, well, that's pretty much the nail in the coffin wrt to keeping Macs in many businesses. The trust is waning fast. The business model of branded product as status symbol doesn't apply to businesses. Sure, they might advertise using only Acme-certified, dolphin-safe, home-grown organic widgets if that's what they already use, but they're not going to pay extra just so they can make that claim. Likewise, a business isn't going to pride itself on using Apple-branded systems -- they tend to use the cheapest thing that works. Frankly, if you have a rack of servers, what are you doing running on each one a window server, much less a compositing window server? You can get better performance running a stripped-down OS like Linux or BSD, as well as much better value (since the hardware is cheaper and the OS is free). And if you need just one OS X server, then using a tower instead will have minimal impact, assuming you even had a rack in the first place. Apple's "recommendation" of using Mac Mini or Mac Pro are ok if you just need a one-off server for a small business and don't care about serious hardware/server features. Agreed. But for anything else, especially the enterprise? It's insulting! Replacing a 1U blade with a 6U that has NO hardware server features - no monitoring, no redundant power supply, and no hot swappable anything ???!!! That just doesn't even come close to cutting it. So, the only thing that cuts it is a blade? :-) Then use blades. Run an open-source server OS and hire some decent server admins who don't need GUI crutches. Or commission the development of some nice administration tools. I saw today that Jobs gave one his crapo terse email replies, to the effect that the XServe just wasn't selling well. That's a risk that you have to manage. If you rely on non- commoditized products, you're liable to have the rug pulled out from under you. You can't blame Apple for cutting their losses. Dude, you got a Dell! I do have a Dell, running Debian GNU/Linux. With a free OS, the logo on the box becomes unimportant. My clients are budgeted to upgrade their grids in 7 or 8 months. Since there will be no Mac hardware appropriate... we're now starting the conversion off Mac OS X to FreeBSD, so we'll be able to switch to non-Mac blades easily. Sounds like a happy ending to me. :-) Looks like Dell is working with ARM; good potential there for some multi-core Cortex based blades! The new ARM processors will reportedly do 40-bit addressing too. Or maybe we'll go POWER. I donno; haven't really started looking yet. Uncertainty is normal for the recently emancipated. ;-) Josh -- 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 g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
Re: Horrible news for the troops in the field. IS the world about to change continued badly
I don't see this as a bad thing. The Xserve never sold well compared to the PowerMac G5, Mac Pro, the Mac Mini server and servers like IBM's Blade servers.It sold to a small market because it was not a large website server but it wasn't a small file server. Apple will probably release a newer updated version (remember when Steve Jobs said he wanted all the Macs to have the name Mac in them?) On Nov 8, 7:09 pm, Dan wrote: > At 12:08 AM + 11/9/2010, Wallace Adrian D'Alessio wrote: > > http://www.zdnet.com/blog/education/apple-xserve-is-gone-is-os-x-server-next/4321 > > I don't agree with that article's off-the-wall speculation that Mac OS X > Server is on the chopping block. After all, aside from Apple providing > dumbed-down interfaces, the real difference between the two OS releases is > basically added open-source stuff. As far as Apple's killing the XServe > hardware, well, that's pretty much the nail in the coffin wrt to keeping > Macs in many businesses. The trust is waning fast. > > > > Apple's "recommendation" of using Mac Mini or Mac Pro are ok if you just need > a one-off server for a small business and don't care about serious > hardware/server features. > > > > But for anything else, especially the enterprise? It's insulting! Replacing > a 1U blade with a 6U that has NO hardware server features - no monitoring, no > redundant power supply, and no hot swappable anything ???!!! That just > doesn't even come close to cutting it. (Yes, some components in Mac Pro are > supposed to be hot swappable - but they're *not* when it's in an equipment > rack, where you have to shut it down, remove it from the rack, open it, then > play with the hardware...). > > > > I saw today that Jobs gave one his crapo terse email replies, to the effect > that the XServe just wasn't selling well. HA! Each time my clients have > wanted them over the past few years, they've had to wait more than 30 days to > get 'em! Yea, that's a great way to sell product - have none available. > That way only the customers that really really really really want 'em will > stick around. Dude, you got a Dell! > > > > My clients are budgeted to upgrade their grids in 7 or 8 months. Since there > will be no Mac hardware appropriate... we're now starting the conversion off > Mac OS X to FreeBSD, so we'll be able to switch to non-Mac blades easily. > > > > Looks like Dell is working with ARM; good potential there for some multi-core > Cortex based blades! The new ARM processors will reportedly do 40-bit > addressing too. Or maybe we'll go POWER. I donno; haven't really started > looking yet. > > > > - Dan. > > --- Psychoceramic Emeritus; South Jersey, USA, Earth. -- 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 g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
Re: Horrible news for the troops in the field. IS the world about to change continued badly
Title: Re: Horrible news for the troops in the field. IS the worl At 12:08 AM + 11/9/2010, Wallace Adrian D'Alessio wrote: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/education/apple-xserve-is-gone-is-os-x-server-next/4321 I don't agree with that article's off-the-wall speculation that Mac OS X Server is on the chopping block. After all, aside from Apple providing dumbed-down interfaces, the real difference between the two OS releases is basically added open-source stuff. As far as Apple's killing the XServe hardware, well, that's pretty much the nail in the coffin wrt to keeping Macs in many businesses. The trust is waning fast. Apple's "recommendation" of using Mac Mini or Mac Pro are ok if you just need a one-off server for a small business and don't care about serious hardware/server features. But for anything else, especially the enterprise? It's insulting! Replacing a 1U blade with a 6U that has NO hardware server features - no monitoring, no redundant power supply, and no hot swappable anything ???!!! That just doesn't even come close to cutting it. (Yes, some components in Mac Pro are supposed to be hot swappable - but they're *not* when it's in an equipment rack, where you have to shut it down, remove it from the rack, open it, then play with the hardware...). I saw today that Jobs gave one his crapo terse email replies, to the effect that the XServe just wasn't selling well. HA! Each time my clients have wanted them over the past few years, they've had to wait more than 30 days to get 'em! Yea, that's a great way to sell product - have none available. That way only the customers that really really really really want 'em will stick around. Dude, you got a Dell! My clients are budgeted to upgrade their grids in 7 or 8 months. Since there will be no Mac hardware appropriate... we're now starting the conversion off Mac OS X to FreeBSD, so we'll be able to switch to non-Mac blades easily. Looks like Dell is working with ARM; good potential there for some multi-core Cortex based blades! The new ARM processors will reportedly do 40-bit addressing too. Or maybe we'll go POWER. I donno; haven't really started looking yet. - Dan. -- - Psychoceramic Emeritus; South Jersey, USA, Earth. -- 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 g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
Horrible news for the troops in the field. IS the world about to change continued badly
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/education/apple-xserve-is-gone-is-os-x-server-next/4321?tag=nl.e550 -- 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 g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
