On the topic in general, I'm not sure Apple needs more models. I do wish the consumer models had some method of expansion; my StarMax 3000 stayed in use as I went through three iMacs and my Celeron powered WinPC has lasted me years thanks to easy hardware upgradability -- and an OS that's happy to do it.
Still, Apple is a hardware company, and getting Mac users to upgrade relatively quickly is a smart business move as long as they'll do it and not be too upset. If you need upgradability, you have to shell out for a Powermac. If you don't like the prices, well, it seems *I*, at least, keep buying Apple anyhow. If they shot for the middle by giving a PCI slot or two to the iMac they'd be in danger of producing a Mac that doesn't become obsolete! Remember how quickly the unsupported Mezzanine slot disappeared from the original iMac... On 7/3/05 3:31 PM, "Vintage Macs" <[email protected]> wrote: > In the pics released of the x86 Mac development > systems, there are only two PCI slots. Video looks > like it's in an AGP slot. For PC boxen, that's the > kind of junk found at WalMart and $350 Hewlett > Packard Pavilion boxes. Don't confuse developer boxen for end user products. I can't imagine an Apple line without the same high-quality stuff we've come to expect on the current G5 line. These x86 OS X boards are being made as inexpensively as possible, I'd imagine, to let developers willing to rent the machines for a grand the comfort of knowing how easily their existing Cocoa code will recompile or how mangled their Carbon codebase is going to be. Swapping posts: > I chose the board in my current PC because it did NOT > have onboard sound, network and other things. It has > the serial and parallel ports, four USB 1.1, floppy, > dual channel ATA66 and an integrated dual channel > ATA100 RAID controller that only supports hard drives. I'm not familiar with your motherboard, but there doesn't seem to be much wrong with the integrated components in today's x86 board offerings. The only place they seem to fall a little flat is the integrated video if you're gaming, which most business users aren't. I'd be interested in hearing what you're doing that needs specialized/dedicated sound cards, etc. It's nice to have the extra slots, but I'd rather get a new machine up for less and keep the old ones around (without cannibalizing parts) in my line of work. Fwiw, I used MSI's Socket 939 board built on Ati's chipset with integrated video for my latest. In this one, gigabit ethernet is lacking, but my hub doesn't support it and I've got the slots to add later, if I'd like. > Another cheap PC marketing tactic I hope Apple doesn't > fall into with the new generation is a low priced > model with a hot CPU that's woefully inadequate in > one or two critical areas. Ha, you mean like the paltry RAM in today's Mac offerings? Seriously, for the "BMW of computers", they ain't putting much under the hood. Apple's already fallen for that one, I'm afraid. Swapping again: > Umm. People who can plod along with a 9600 over a dual G5 simply because > they need more PCI slots are most definitely NOT "power users". There are > such things as PCI expansion boxes, you know. For those who truly need them. Well said, though the point stands to some degree. There was (is?) a niche that needs a higher number of cards. Apple once provided a machine catering directly to the niche. No longer; the expansion box is your only route. Does this mean Apple needs more models? No, not necessarily, though this now-undersupported niche might want them. Ruffin Bailey -- Vintage Macs is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Enter To Win A | -- Canon PowerShot Digital Cameras start at $299 | Free iBook! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> Vintage Macs list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/vintagemacs.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[email protected]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/vintage.macs%40mail.maclaunch.com/> iPod Accessories for Less at 1-800-iPOD.COM Fast Delivery, Low Price, Good Deal www.1800ipod.com
