What You Should Know About Apple's Transition to Intel Processors
Apple has just introduced a laptop and iMac with new Intel processors
More models will follow as Apple changes all of its computers over from the current PowerPC chips to this new technology by the end of this year. What does this profound change to the innards of Macintosh computers mean for you, the Macintosh user?
For now, you don't have to do anything.
The first thing
to understand is that Apple does not want to upset its customers, nor
the companies that write software for the Mac. Apple is taking measures
to minimize any disruptions the transition may cause: users will not have
to buy Intel-chipped Macs nor spend money on new software written for
the new computers.
The upcoming Intel-chipped Macs will be able to run your current programs (see note below about "Classic" programs), and program developers have the tools to easily write new programs that run on both PowerPC and Intel Macs.
You need a new computer: should you buy an "old" PowerPC
Mac or wait for the new Intel-chipped Macs?
As with all radically new models of ANYTHING, avoid buying it
when it's first released (read the Penguin Story).
This applies to cars, can openers, and computers. The new Intel-chipped
Macs will be a radical departure from Macs of the last decade, and no
doubt there will be rough edges the Apple engineers will have to work
out in forthcoming revisions.
If you plan on keeping your current software, then you have no reason to wait for the Intel processor Macs to appear. Buy from the current offerings of PowerPC Macs. The upcoming Intel Macs may not run your current software any faster, and in fact may run it slower. Stick with the computer you have now, or if you need to buy a new Mac go ahead and purchase from the current offering of PowerPC-chipped models.
If you have software that takes advantage of features unique to the PowerPC, most significantly the "AltiVec" feature, then you definitely want to stick with the PowerPC processors until Apple and Intel duplicate this functionality on future Intel Macs.
The speed and stability of a program on a given computer has a lot to do with how well "tuned" the software is to the hardware. An "untuned" program running on a very fast computer may be slower than a well-tuned program running on a slower computer. Software developers have had many years to tune their software to run quickly and smoothly on the old PowerPC Macs. They haven't had this opportunity with the upcoming Intel Macs.
Will your current software run on the new Intel Macs?
Almost
certainly. How fast it will run remains to be seen. "Classic"
applications--those written pre-OSX--will not run on the new Intel Macs.
Will new software released after the introduction of the new
Intel Macs run on your old PowerPC Mac?
Almost certainly. Software
developers have an interest in having their products work for as many
potential customers as possible, and for the next few years most of those
potential customers will be using the old PowerPC Macs. Apple has created
a technology for them to make software that runs on both types of Mac.
What about your really old software, written for pre-OSX ("Classic")?
You're
probably out of luck. Apple currently has no plans to continue to allow
old Classic programs to run on the new Intel Macs. To run Word 2001, PhotoShop
6, Filemaker Pro 5 or other older applications, you will have to stick
with a PowerPC Mac, or finally invest the money to purchase updated software.
Further Reading....
There are many ongoing debates about
the technical and business reasons for such a challenging and disruptive
transition. For links to these discussions, start here:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Intel_Transition
If you have any questions about this confusing transition, feel free to
email or call us.
If you are tempted to jump in line to buy the latest new whiz bang technology--a computer using a new chip, a software program with "first to market" features--pause for a moment and consider the wise penguin.
In the morning before penguins jump into the water they crowd together and inch toward the edge of the ice floe. When one falls into the frigid water the others stop pushing and watch. Only after observing that their brave volunteer hasn't become breakfast for a seal or shark do the others jump in.
New computer technologies (hardware and software) should be treated in the same way the penguins consider the inviting ocean. Troubles may lurk below for the over eager. The newer the technology, the more likely bugs and defects are present.
"Early adopters" are essential for the technology developers to identify problems that need fixing. Later revisions of the new technology usually incorporate fixes and are much more reliable. Never buy a "point-oh" version of software, e.g., Microsoft Word 6.0. Wait a few months until 6.0.1 is released. With Apple Macintosh computers, don't snatch up that sexy new design when it's first introduced. The iMac G5, for instance, had fan and power supply defects when first introduced. Within a few months Apple had released a "speed-bumped" version: it was marginally faster and had other advertised enhancements, but the real value lay in the unadvertised fixes to the engineering flaws of the original.
Linger on the ice, you'll be glad you did.
The Crew at Modern Mac Repair
Modern Mac Repair Inc.
PO Box 563
Belmont, MA 02478
(617) 484-9185
(617) 507-6644 (fax)
Email: brian@modernmacrepair.com