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Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

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Re: Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

#231

Post by therandomguy »

robomartin wrote: post #98

This illustrates the issue I highlighted in another thread: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4097141 The fact that Apple keeps hardware and, increasingly, software, so tightly controlled leads to a situation like that of this "new" Mac Pro. If the Apple hardware ecosystem were open like that of Windows you'd have major companies all over the world evolving the platform in wonderful ways. Performance would go up an…

You are forgetting the primary question here: What is in it for Apple to cater to users who couldn't give a crap about a nice and polished enclosure? They are happy to play in the premium segment.

Re: Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

#232

Post by xiaoma »

vacri wrote: post #224
xiaoma wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think they're really equivalent specs, though. Notably, the 11" Levovo X220 weighs 2.9 lbs vs 2.38 lbs for the MacBook Air. That's more than a 20% difference on the defining characteristic of the MBAir line. Edit: Is this data wrong? Is it an inappropriate comment? I've been on HN for nearly 5 years and it seems like there's more downvoting by the month.

You're probably being downmodded because half a pound of weight is not a major feature, but you're trying to shoehorn it into a trump card. For me, the trackpoint mouse is a major feature which leaves the Air dead in the water, but it's really a minor feature between the two. Same as all the extras that the X220 has over the Air, like card slots, swappable batteries, and a perimeter that doesn't cut into your hand. A…

It may sound odd, but last year I had a 13" MBP (4.5 lbs), and its weight really bothered me. I actually swapped it for a mac mini that I carried to and from work each day, hooking it up to a monitor, keyboard and mouse at each place just because it was a bit lighter.

The only I'd want an air over a pro is the weight. As far as the X220 is concerned, weight would be my number #2 complaint after the OS. The lack of an Apple-level quality trackpad might be #3. The hundred bucks does matter, but honestly when you consider how many hours you, or at least I, spend on a computer, the price is almost negligible compared to improvements in user-experience or efficiency.

Re: Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

#233

Post by miahi »

mitchty wrote: post #218
gurkendoktor wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those were really early decisions. What about Mini DisplayPort/Thunderbolt? I still rather had DVI on my Mac Mini. What about Ethernet? Anyone who needs it in a wired company is likely stuck with it. And one more ugly piece of plastic that many people ruin their Macs with - USB 3G sticks, because no Mac series can hold a SIM card, even though Apple has successfully pushed for a more compact standard.

So 3g radios magically work through sim cards now? I actually think not including CDMA/GSM protocol of the year antennaes is a better future proofing move.

Future proofing a box with a non-user replaceable battery? They don't want future proof, they just have other gadgets to sell to the people that want mobile connectivity.

Re: Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

#234

Post by cheatercheater »

petercooper wrote: post #74
nirvana wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I read recently that the Mac Pro accounts for less than %2 of Apple's Mac sales. Since thunderbolt basically is a PCI express cable, there's nothing to stop people from building external cases that can hold PCI express cards, like the Mac Pro can. Since thunderbolt is becoming prevalent across the line, I can't really see a need for the Mac Pro so much anymore. True it is nice in some situations to put all your hard…

there's nothing to stop people from building external cases that can hold PCI express cards, like the Mac Pro can. Such a thing has been announced: http://www.magma.com/thunderbolt.asp then the answer Apple's intending people to take may be a high end iMac. Maybe, but the 3.4GHz i7 - currently the highest CPU in the iMac range - still comes in at 2-3x slower than the highest end current Mac Pro CPU.. and there are E5…

Oh Goad, magma is so SHIT. We've had one of their offerings in the 2000's and it smoked a high-end piece of hardware when it died. Cause? Very shitty chinese psu that went up in flames on its own. It was just after warranty, so they didn't take it back. In retrospect reminds me of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZDh8z9UDTo

Please, please don't use magma. It's for your own good.

Re: Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

#236

Post by drawkbox »

It would be a huge mistake for Apple not to keep the Mac Pro and the core of content creators/developers happy. We want/need a big machine to run OSX and Windows via Parallels, we need 16-32MB+ RAM minimum, We need many cores and lots of memory to do that with minimal problems. We want to run OSX. Where else can you run OSX on powerful hardware that isn't a Mac Pro? Apple better keep this in focus and see it as an investment.

I love my Mac Pro. It is the best desktop I've ever had and what actually got me into Apple products. I can also develop all my Mac/iOS, Android and Windows apps on it, without it I'd need a windows machine again.

The Mac Pro is still key to getting Windows people to switch so they can run it in parallels.

Re: Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

#237

Post by cheatercheater »

cageface wrote: post #141
cbsmith wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I really doubt you can get the same performance out of a MacBook Pro. Professional media software (audio or video) takes a -lot- of power. Trying to run through a big multi-track synth setup would probably bring a MBP to it's knees. With audio, it is seriously child's play. Compression is about as CPU intensive as you can get with audio outside of voice recognition, and it just isn't there. Video is mostly offloade…

With audio, it is seriously child's play. Compression is about as CPU intensive as you can get with audio outside of voice recognition, and it just isn't there. Not true. Try running a really complicated Logic set with a lot of virtual instruments on a low-end machine and watch it grind to a halt. In the last year we've seen new virtual instruments that bring analog emulation to a new level but they can eat as much a…

> Try running a really complicated Logic set with a lot of virtual instruments on a low-end machine and watch it grind to a halt.

Barking up the wrong tree, mate. Obviously he won't try it, because he doesn't know what the hell he's talking about - and certainly never heard of Logic.

Re: Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

#238

Post by alaskamiller »

robomartin wrote: post #168
alaskamiller wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The irony of this post is so hilarious to me, this is Apple coming full circle from its clone wars days. Man, those were some shitty experiences. Apple is an hardware company. They make money off the nuts and bolts pieced together with premium markup, software is but icing on top. They practically give away the results of their development costs on OSX. You're encountering the cognitive dissonance as experienced in t…

The problem with the early attempt Apple made at inviting the clone market is that they didn't give it time to evolve. The first wave or two of IBM clones were a mess. A disaster. Compatibility problems galore. People who buy crap don't continue to buy it and they sure as hell don't recommend it. The crap PC clones died a quick death. It didn't take long for the market to evolve and "grow up". Companies like Compaq s…

You're not remembering silicon history well.

The 90's Apple clones didn't collapse itself because they were bad, Steve Jobs tried negotiating software licensing with manufacturers and Apple opted not to renew.

You're also rehashing some old point about Apple missing the boat on low end devices. Why does that matter? Apple sells millions of computers every quarter year over year. They have excessive cash holdings. What would be the point of chasing after some mythical unicorn low end cheap device that has no margins?

Evolutionary forces are indeed interesting. They do silly things like insisting on floppy disks, VGA ports, CD-ROMs, and other vestigial residues that hinders progress.

Re: Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

#239

Post by cheatercheater »

AncientPC wrote: post #125
beedogs wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I say the future of desktop software is going to involve Linux, finally. Both Windows and OS X are becoming walled-garden tablet-centric shitfests.

No. There are monetary and performance gains for using Linux on servers and embedded products. As a result, OEMs have a financial incentive for making sure those products run Linux well. No such incentive exists for desktops. Apple incorporates the cost of OS X into selling hardware. Windows' licenses are effectively free for OEM manufacturers. Dell is the only major OEM I know of that offers a Linux laptop and I'd g…

I believe some countries require vendors to supply the computer with an OS installed; in this case not needing to include a half-assed version of Windows Home Underwhelm Experience can help them cut away those 10% of $300 low-end models. There's a reason many netbooks come with linux and it's not user-friendliness.

Additionally, more and more governments pass laws that require their institutions to use linux or open source, or choose bidders that do. Then you have an incentive for a company which wins such a bid to use linux on umpteens of desktops.

Those are just two incentives. There are probably more.

Re: Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

#240

Post by cheatercheater »

geuis wrote: post #129

Gonna play devil's advocate for a moment. Disclaimer: I don't work for Apple. I love their products (4 iPhones, 1 iPad, more 3 laptops in the last year, 1 Hackintosh that was an old gaming tower I built 3 years ago and never used till I put OS X on it, which I purchased). Apple's core revenue sources have changed significantly over the years. Used to be towers were a primary source of revenue. That's most likely no l…

> Gonna play devil's advocate for a moment

ITYM fan, because "devil's advocate" means arguing for the sake of something you dislike a lot, in order to bring better criticism.

You're playing bait and switch. Can it be you have learnt this from AAPL?

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