Once Apple gets faster CPU speeds, will you be interested?

[tgpo]

Apple is about to a huge speed boost, in which current benchtests are showing that the chips are running Adobe products twice as fast as P4 3.0ghz computers. So once they move to these new chips will you look into the new computers?

I will do more than look into the new computers I will be buying one. How about you?

[tgpo]

Here is some information about the benchmarks.

http://slashdot.org/articles/03/05/05/1845244.shtml?tid=137&tid=107&tid=187

[Treebeard]

Price is more of a factor in my opinion. I dont think that the P4 or Athlon XP 3200 is worth all that dough. However If money was not an option I would pick up a top of the line MAC & PC. Best of Both worlds

[Conquest10]

macs are pretty good. what i don't like is the price. if they were cheaper then there would be no problem.

[WeedVender]

once the price goes down i will get one..

[Will Hay]

I know nothing of Mac's so, from a niave point of view
...
Negative's:
1) I'd have to upgrade my entire (homebuilt) machine to use one, and I can't afford to do that.
2) I can't imagine I'd be able to do half the things I do now, I get the impression the Mac platform is always the last to have the latest software.
3) I get the impression, again I know nothing about them, that they're either difficult to or not possibel to upgrade the computer.
4) I don't fancy losing the ten years experience I've gained in using both video, general consumer and office based software knowledge.
Positive's:
I really like to remove the MS smear from my household, but I don't feel I have a viable choice.
That should give you a balanced opinion from a lifelong PC user
Will

[The village idiot]

If the hardware selection was a little better, then yes.

If I could buy the parts I wanted, and assemble the computer the way I want it, then yes.

Now that they have switched to a more common flavor of *nix, the lack of software problem will slowly go away.

[tgpo]

i agree. The *nix move was a very smart one. It has allowed for many great programs to be written and ported to the Mac.

[Craig Tucker]

Sorry, bit like Silky I am stuck in my ways. I know no-one who uses a mac either for business or personal use so I will be sticking with building my own PC's. I can see that there do seem to be some advantages of using a mac, but these come nowhere near to outweighing the advantages of using a PC.

[tgpo]

nowhere near to outweighing the advantages of using a PC.

[EddyH]

I will move to apple when:

The thing is affordable.
It's not so much of a sealed box, self upgradable.. seeing as apple pretty much invented home upgrading and all*.
In fact til they license producing rights so if you want to, a new apple can be built from parts*.
The styling (of factory-built ones) drops lower than #3 on the features list.
I can play all my old games on it.
I can run, at least, close analogues to all the programs I use now without losing any functionality, quality or compatibility.
Programs can be properly maximised and easily closed. Having to shut stuff twice is a total PitA.
That quicktime rubbish is well and truly nuked.
A two button mouse is included AS STANDARD.

... kay?

and there's probably a couple things i forgot...

So for now it looks like PCs are the way to go.


Reasons to buy a mac:

Raw speed at media applications (they've had that upper hand for ages).
Posing power.
Toaster-like simplicity. Allegedly.
Freedom from microsoft. Sort of. Until you load Office.
* and a fair guarantee that there wont be many driver/etc incompatibilities or system resource underrun (esp on games, hungry media apps) as each one is built to a set recipe... that being an actual advantage of the sealed box method.

[zzyzzx]

[Will Hay]

nowhere near to outweighing the advantages of using a PC.

you really didn't read my post, did you tgpo?
typical ******* mac-user response.
the point myself and I believe Craig is trying to make is that the crossover is too difficult to when trying to balance the benefits of buying a mac, when you consider how long we've been using a pc and how much of input professionally the pc has.
any mac user detects the slightest fuckin slur and off they go.
I can almost here you now tgpo, "he's a pc user, doesn't know what he's talking about"
Sometimes, it suits us to use a PC, 50 billion billion billion vs two mac users can't be wrong.

[Will Hay]

nowhere near to outweighing the advantages of using a PC.

you really didn't read my post, did you tgpo?
typical ******* mac-user response.
the point myself and I believe Craig is trying to make is that the crossover is too difficult to when trying to balance the benefits of buying a mac, when you consider how long we've been using a pc and how much of input professionally the pc has.
any mac user detects the slightest fuckin slur and off they go.
I can almost here you now tgpo, "he's a pc user, doesn't know what he's talking about"
Sometimes, it suits us to use a PC, 50 billion billion billion vs two mac users can't be wrong.

funeral earlier today, sorry.
these things don't seem as important this evening.

[tgpo]

Hey man I grew up a PC user. But again I don't want this to turn into a Mac/PC debate. Those never get anywhere, someone gets there feelings hurt, and the topic ends up getting closed. I do like hearing other's view points and will enjoy laughing at them in the comforts of my home. :P

[creamygoodness]

I have a friend who has just made the change from PC to Mac. He`s basically bought one from Ebay which is a few years old, A Powermac G4 400 MHz I think. I went to see him the other weekend and his 2.53Ghz P4 is sitting unused in the corner gathering dust.... he has since become Mac addicted and he just said, "sit down and have a play, see what you think", now, I`ve had a PC for years and absolutely hate the idea of Microsoft's domination in the computer market, tried Linux, didn`t like it as i couldn`t get my modem to work, but being in the UK, where you rarely see a Mac.. I gave it half an hour of playing about and came to a major conclusion. OS X appears to be much much more user friendly than XP. Everything makes sense, plus the display looks rather cool. I Like the way when you close a program, it appears to fold itself up and vanish. Or even uninstalling a program.. just drag it to trash.. it makes sense! And as for iTunes.. nice idea Apple... buying Universal Records and selling online downloads at a REASONABLE price, using a high quality format (AAC isn`t it? All the subscription download firms use WMA... Yuck!), is such a good idea, I`m sure they will win over illegal downloads this way.

Unfortunately, I don`t earn enough money to warrant buying a Mac, but if they were able to do a price drop I would definitely consider one.

By the way, the only thing we`ve not worked out. And I`m sorry to ask this on an encoding forum, but, On his PC and mine, via broadband, we used to do voice chat as it saves our poor fingers. Messenger on the Mac doesn`t seem to support this, it`s really the only thing we cannot find that do on a Mac that we can with a PC. Have tried Netfone which was the closest, worked for us once, but nothing since. Please help.. would be grateful on that one!

[tgpo]

I heard that Roger Wilco allows users to Voice Chat. Get it at http://rogerwilco.gamespy.com/

[creamygoodness]

Roger Wilco?? Not heard of that one.. will give it a try and let you know how we get on.

[tgpo]

It is made for Gaming Chat, but can be used for whatever you want.

[creamygoodness]

Thanks for that one.. will check it out.

[subclubkid]

CPU speed is one of the last things to keep me from Mac.

I care more about what the computer can do, not how fast it can do it. And I also care about how much I pay for it. Right now the price of a Mac is just stupid. Plain and simple, its just stupid.

I dont have a real problem with Macs. I would actually like to get one, but I dont see the point right now. I dont see myself gaining anything off of switching, other than getting away from Microsoft, and I'll just be switching from one controlled Pc market to another. Microsoft controlls most Pcs and Mac controls,.. well they control Macs.

I also dont like how Mac advertises basic computer needs. Like when they tryed to temp the Pc market by mentioning that Mac's can now use AIM. Well hot damn, I can now IM someone from a Mac, let me just drop $1000 for a 700Mhz computer so I can use AIM.

Granted I know Macs have alot of great features, and I know they look cool. But I just dont see myself switching to a Mac until it offers something more appealing than a cool case.

[vitualis]

The thing keeping me away from Macs have all been stated really:

(1) Program choice. Sure, no one likes Microsoft all that much but WinXP is a reasonable OS. It is relatively easy to use, and the included apps are again, reasonably good. If you don't want to use the Microsoft apps., there is plenty of choice.

(2) The proprietary-ness of Apple. I can keep my old PCs relevant by doing easy, simple and cheap upgrades. With Macs, it is less easy, not as simple and definitely not as cheap.

(3) Aesthetics. Sorry, but I don't like how Macs look...

Could it change in the future? Perhaps. However, as I don't really agree with much of the Apple philosophy, I doubt it. If there were an OS as good as Windows for general home use on a PC, I would use it. At present, Microsoft still has a lot going for it.

Regards.

[ChrisX]

Apple is about to a huge speed boost, in which current benchtests are showing that the chips are running Adobe products twice as fast as P4 3.0ghz computers. So once they move to these new chips will you look into the new computers?

I will do more than look into the new computers I will be buying one. How about you?

I got enough computers here, four is the limit. NO, thanks. I don't know the macs and the closest is QuickTime for viewing the trailers.

Another thing, I remember seeing the Apple at the big apple. Not the fruit to eat, not Apple records for the Beatles, not New York City on a visit. YES in NYC, an Apple Computer Store selling the Macs. No, not the McDonalds, it's the Macintosh.

[Faustus]

Well here is a POV from someone who uses both. I used to own an imac but sold it when I needed some cash. But I've also been a PC user for years. I loved my iMac and if not for needing money I wouldn't have gotten rid of it. Professionaly I do tech support on Macs and have a imac G3 SE 500 right next to me right now.

Mac is a great platform that is often over insulted for no reason, its why alot of mac users are so defensive. Its only flaws are not Apples fault its the 3rd party developers that would often rather develop something later for mac then develop in tandem.

Yes macs dont' get many games, which is sad really. What they do get other then an oddity now and then (Blizzard games for one) is usually quite old by the time its realeased. Its not the platforms fault however, in fact apple has made great strides trying to make Game developing easier on Companys.

Over the years I've found a software product that can replace almost any app I use on the PC with 2 exceptions. ACDSee for the PC, there is a mac version but the things I love about the PC version are missing, AND Forte Agent, which is IMHO the best usenet reader anywhere... and EVER.

I was just drooling over the new 1.42s earlier tonight, and price is a HUGE reason why I will nothave one, they are VERY expensive. Its a side effect of using a hardware platform different from every other manufactuer. Also Apple makes alot of their cash from people ... how to say this... in the upper end of the Cash in Hand spectrum. It doens't make them a bad company, heck they make good money that way, BUT its leaves out the guys who really make a platform take off. The little developers who put tons of time into little apps that make the sun rise and fall.

But like I stated Apple has created a great platform, and OSX pretty much is the best OS I've ever seen, I guess I could rephrase the question to reflect my perfect nirvanna.


IF Apple decided to drop being a mainly hardware focused company and stuck to what they do best, aka software. Then developed for the PC plat form, would you use it?

I can't imagne how sweet OS 10.2 would run on my XP 2200.... so good...

[SLK001]

No... why prolong their pain? It's time to unplug this anemic company from its life support and let nature take its course. It's the only humane thing to do.

[pacmania_2001]

IF Apple decided to drop being a mainly hardware focused company and stuck to what they do best, aka software. Then developed for the PC plat form, would you use it?

I remember reading an article along those lines. The writer was saying that Apple and AMD should combine to topple the Intel / Microsoft dominance.

If they did that, I would definitely drop my MS OS for OSX on an AMD (phew, lots of abbreviations hehe).

[freak_in_cage_10k]

tgpo- what made you "join the dark side" and change to mac?

from the little i know about Macs: (i may be out of date)

they are less compatable than PCs (mainly due to OS?) with common programs and games.

lack of upgradability (although the need to upgrade would be reduced if they were faster initially)

i guess for serious video camera work they are considered better, and if some real rich guy who wants a nice looking pc for the kids to work on buys them also.

however, if macs are so good at linking with external dvices (such as video cameras etc) then maybe there will be a need for them in the future, stylish and also easy to wire up. 1 day all kitchen appliences, and pretty much all electrical equipment to a computer (which isn;t THAT far away) will be linked together

[tgpo]

tgpo- what made you "join the dark side" and change to mac?

I had never used one before I got mine. I played around with one at Circuit City and wanted it. So that night I found it in my room as my high school graduation present.

they are less compatable than PCs (mainly due to OS?) with common programs and games.

I have never looked for a program that I couldn't find to to a certain task. As for games I have Alice, Warcraft 3, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Soldier of Fortune...etc.

lack of upgradability (although the need to upgrade would be reduced if they were faster initially)

Actually there are tons of upgrade options. I have a 450mhz Cube, and I have the option to upgrade it to 800mhz, 1ghz, Dual 800mhz, Dual 1ghz, Dual 1.25Ghz, Dual 1.42ghz. But I like my cube the way it is. In fact its value has actually gone up since I got it.

i guess for serious video camera work they are considered better, and if some real rich guy who wants a nice looking pc for the kids to work on buys them also.

I'm not rich!! I wish I was though

I just like my computer. I was a PC user for 12 years, and I'll never go back.

[freak_in_cage_10k]

tgpo/finch (have been on the pic topic also!)- fair enough man, that was just the impression i got, antoher point i forgot to mention was that i have herd apple pcs are more efficient of their resources- this is because the OS is designed specifically for the hardware setup, windows has 2 b programmed to accept all hardware, making it less efficient.

You ran Return To Castle Wolfenstein on a 450??? Wot graphics card u got m8? also, wot an amazing game, although Medal of Honour beats it, Half Life is a classic and Doom 3 looks amazing! SOF 2: Double Helix is good but v hard!

With regards 2 being rich, i am a fellow student, at Uni In UK so i know wot its like to have 2 watch the £ carefully so i can blow it on a Sat nite! hehe, what else are student loans for?!!?!?!

The first PC i ever had was a 386,then P2 233, after upgrading to a P3 600 i made the step of converting to AMD and havn't looked back since. Do u encode on your 450 Mhz machine man!? i have herd that the mac OS is more user friendly and more fun to tweak around with.

[tgpo]

Return to Castle Wolfenstein runs perfectly on my 450mhz computer. My graphics card is an ATI 128 Rage Pro. Not exactly the top of the barrel, but it gets the job done. ANd of cource I encode on this computer. As of lately I've been running DVD2OneX and getting about the same times as everyone else.

Our first computer that I can remember was an old Tandy, but I guess our first "real" computer was an old 8088. I'm telling you, that math co-processor made the thing fly!