Posted on 07/05/2005 2:06:15 PM PDT by Panerai
One reason that Dell didn’t make my short list of companies with vision is its lousy business decision to remain the lone first-tier player not to add AMD’s processors to its server lineup. Hewlett-Packard, IBM, and Sun Microsystems, among others, like Dell’s decision fine. They know Dell’s missing out on AMD’s secret sauce. AMD’s CPU line is so very manufacturer-friendly — meaning that it’s also profit-friendly, as system vendors evolve from model to model and reach into new markets, especially the higher-density value server market that AMD is certain to own.
Dell wants no part of this, choosing instead to cleave only unto Intel, and by gum, to stick to the idea even though competitors and their customers have proved the folly of it. Standing out like a Southern belle in a biker bar must make Dell a little squirmy. Even I must empathize with the pain of sharing a fishbowl with a bad decision. I suppose I should be glad that Dell has found a friend in Apple.
Dell has welcomed Apple into its exclusive club by cracking a joke about adding OS X to its list of preinstalled software options. Cold day in hell, says Apple — but Apple has certainly taught us never to say never. Dell, the butt of Steve Jobs’ jokes and scathing “2GHz G5 kicks 3GHz Xeon’s ass” demo at the Power Mac G5 launch, Dell, the epitome of the good Intel soldier, now has a seat next to Apple’s at Intel’s quarterly issuance of marching orders.
Hence the title of this column. Hence my loss of appetite for the lunch on my desk.
(Excerpt) Read more at macworld.com ...
Dothan at 3.2? Don't have to go quite that high, nor do I think anyone's pulled it off, but have a look here. Pretty impressive considering that it is, for the moment, bottlenecked by a 533 MHz FSB.
They overclocked the FSB to 533 MHz, I should say....
I was saying that my FX runs at 3.2, and I've seen Super-pi times that beat me with an overclocked Dothan. Great post up there btw.
Ah, that makes more sense :)
You're not using a Mac?
Thanks for the input. I'm going to hold off just a bit longer until I understand the heat problem and whether Apple has really fixed it. There's quite a few posts at macintouch.com on the problem
^^^^^^^^^^^Voice operation?^^^^^^^^^^
You got me here. There's nothing like this AFAIK.(put this on at the top for a reason)
^^^^^^^^^^Spotlight?^^^^^^^^^^
Yep, months before. *nix project Beagle. Now, apple announced the desktop search project first AFAIK, but working software is a different story. Suse 9.3 had it integrated a few weeks before 10.4 release and it could've been installed for anybody at any time as a separate package.
^^^^^^^^^Core Image?^^^^^^^^^^
Core image is used for graphics that are mainly(but not limited to) for in-OS graphics, application graphics and the such.(non game, that's OpenGL) Project Looking Glass comes to mind. Metisse might also apply.
Here's a sample of what neither a mac or win could do, AFAIK.
(warning, this is a huge png graphics file, might take time to download)
http://www.jondesign.net/linux/captures/Capture-bureau3d2-2.png
That was done in Metisse.
^^^^^^^^^^Core Video?^^^^^^^^^^^^
That's a hard one to draw a relationship to, due to (coreV's) linkage with quicktime. I'll concede this one.
http://arstechnica.com/reviews/os/macosx-10.4.ars/16
^^^^^^^^^^^System-wide PDF?^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I'm not sure what you mean about this feature.(couldn't find anything on google either) Perhaps you could point out the project's name? Don't see anything on apple's new features of 10.4 page either. http://www.apple.com/macosx/newfeatures/
^^^^^^^^^^^Quartz Composer?^^^^^^^^^^^
http://arstechnica.com/reviews/os/macosx-10.4.ars/13
Updated API's aren't really a "new feature", but rather an updated one. Quartz already existed, and there are many api's for displaying on screen info in linux. Avalon vs direct X comes to mind and is exactly that.... An updated feature, not a new one.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^Advanced font management?^^^^^^^^^^^^
Font management is nothing new.(maybe for OS10.4 it is)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^System-wide dictionary and spell-check?^^^^^^^^^^
http://www.apple.com/macosx/newfeatures/
That must be a part of apples "200 other features" I'll concede this one too.
How about other "new" features? RSS? Had that for a long time now. Dashboard? Having another desktop is YEARS years old. ichat AV, I know there's software around but forget the name. And Mail? That's new?
Don't get me wrong, Apple does have good software. But they're in catchup mode with 10.4.
ROFLMAO
Should I introduce you to posts 19 and 20 from a user who's mac never double posts?
*chuckles*
It's obvious this is user error on both his and my side.
Interesting. I just read about the heat issue. Thankfully, I haven't experienced that. I do have the Rev. B, tho. It is very quiet and a joy to work on...
My brother has the Rev. A - I'll ask him if he's had problems.
Thanks.
bump for later
Beagle is not mature enough to be considered a Spotlight challenger. This is the free/proprietary nature: Free software comes out early, but almost non-functional, while with proprietary software you get the end version, missing the early, less functional builds (Windows excepted, of course, which is often pretty crappy upon a first release).
Project Looking Glass comes to mind. Metisse might also apply.
You're talking about eye candy. I'm talking about GPU-rendered UI (to the point that the CPU does very little work), and applications being able to use the GPU to apply filters to image and video in real-time on a regular video card. Tying in to the Quartz mention later, if you were to enable the latest Core* and Quartz 2D Extreme features in OS X, you can think of your whole UI as essentially one big OpenGL scene. The CPU just sends rendering commands and bitmaps (which get cached). This is far more advanced than anything out there.
This latest Quartz bit may be just updated, but it is a major architectural change under the hood.
I'm not sure what you mean about this feature.(couldn't find anything on google either) Perhaps you could point out the project's name? Don't see anything on apple's new features of 10.4 page either.
PDF has been integral to OS X since it was released, which is why you don't see it as a new feature. 2D data is handled internally as PDF, copy/paste operations result in PDF data, and all programs can save as PDF.
Font management is nothing new.(maybe for OS10.4 it is)
Advanced font management integral to the OS is new. I used to pay a lot of money for such packages. But, yes, the concept is not new.
How about other "new" features? RSS? Had that for a long time now. Dashboard? Having another desktop is YEARS years old. ichat AV, I know there's software around but forget the name. And Mail? That's new?
I notice that you think of things available on OS X as having to come from Apple to apply, yet you count third-party projects with Linux. Many Linux applications that provide features (like RSS and mail) have also been available for the Mac. And I haven't seen chat software that's the equivalent of iChat AV.
Don't get me wrong, Apple does have good software. But they're in catchup mode with 10.4.
I'm still of the feeling that everyone else is in catchup mode to OS X. About the only important thing OS X got with this release that others had was finer-grained locking in the kernel, and they finally locked down their APIs.
Since my response was tongue in cheek (very firmly) I thought about double posting my response... someone beat me to it.
Nice to see that the alleged journalists devoted to Mac coverage have finally begun to see the light about Steve Jobs. :')
Oh, there are plenty of reasons to buy a Mac. I'll start with how solid and price competative their laptop hardware is. Yeah, I actually can get about 5 hours of batter life on my iBook and feel confident enough in the strength of it's case that I've carried it on to airplanes in an unpadded canvas bag.
If you're a technology buff, Linux is the most advanced around.(big 3) Every feature that OS 10.4 crowed about was already available. Some months earlier, some YEARS earlier.
Can Linux run Microsoft Office native? How about dozens of other important commercial desktop applications not available for Linux? No, OpenOffice will not be as good as Microsoft Office for me until it can do real time spelling and grammar checking. And, no The Gimp (yeah, let's name Linux's primary Photoshop replacement after a homosexual rape and bondage scene in Pulp Fiction -- that's sure family friendly) is not a perfect replacement for Photoshop, Canvas, etc.
If you're looking for something different, anything but MS's 94% marketshare will do.
Why not pick the alternative that's actually simple, secure, has a polished and easy to use desktop interface, and has plenty of commercial software available for it? Oh, and if you really want a Unix interface or Open Source software for Linux, you can get that, too. With the Mac, I get just about everything that either Linux or Windows has to offer. It's the best of all worlds.
If you're looking for ease of use, that really isn't an argument, at least with the big 3.
Yeah, sure it is. As someone who uses all three, the Mac is still the easiest to maintain and use.
Unless you need that one app that apple only makes for it's own machines, or you're going after(apple's marketing is it's #1 department) "coolness" factor, apple is irrelevant.
Show me another Unix machine that can run Microsoft Office and other key commercial software and I'll consider a switch. Please bear in mind that I used Linux as my primary desktop system from 1995 to 1999 (before it was trendy) and administer Linux machines at work so I'm quite able to handle Linux, thanks. I left Linux for Macs once Apple got their act together again and get the best of all worlds that way. If Linux passes Mac OSX, I'll consider switching back. Until then, Macs are a better pick.
I'd buy a Mac from Dell as long as I can dual-boot it with Windows; otherwise, no sale.
^^^^^^^^Beagle is not mature enough to be considered a Spotlight challenger.^^^^^^
Define "mature". I've used it a few times and it works fine. Doesn't crash and is fairly speedy.
^^^^^^^^^^Windows excepted, of course, which is often pretty crappy upon a first release)^^^^^^^^^
Agreed. MS's catching up to both of us. Their constant beta state gets boring really quick. If it wasn't for two things.... cost.... and knowing a few mac users who gripe(one of them) has a G4 which won't boot OS9. Making the choice to move to a less open platform or a more open platform was rather easy.
^^^^^^^You're talking about eye candy. I'm talking about GPU-rendered UI^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Looking glass does that. What percentage, I'm not sure. But it is a GPU-rendered UI.
http://today.java.net/pub/a/today/2004/07/06/3ddesktop.html?page=last&x-order=date&x-maxdepth=0
=====quote====Video card support?
We expect this to run on 32MB VRAM video cards and above. We leverage the GPU to help push the performance down into lower layers, keeping the computational hit off the main CPU.=======end quote======
I'd assume that Metisse does also, though not having a major name behind it I'm sure it's more cpu dependant than PLJ is.(or quartz and/or core*'s)
^^^^^^^^^but it is a major architectural change under the hood.^^^^^^^^^
I'll agree to that.
^^^^^^^^^which is why you don't see it(pdf) as a new feature.^^^^^^^^
Then why did you bring it up? Most apps I can think of save to PDF as well in linux. PDF is an open standard so naturally it's friendly to all OS's. MS is the only one who seems to be straggling in this area. Apple has always been pdf friendly.(and linux ever since I switched)
^^^^^^^^^^^^Advanced font management integral to the OS is new.^^^^^^^^^^
Sorry. It's not.
^^^^^^^^^I notice that you think of things available on OS X as having to come from Apple to apply, yet you count third-party projects with Linux.^^^^^^^^
Not quite. The basis is what are on apple's website as "new features". I did link to it in the last post. That and Apple's business strategy is to be a one-stop-shop.(just as MS) It's not a secret that Jobs is a control freak. It shows glaringly in his products.
Apple is crowing as if it's new features are just that. New and unique, and they're not.
Not only that, but third party projects really are all that exist. Red hat doesn't have a red hat browser, red hat office, red hat chat agent, red hat APIs, and so on. Nearly everything about linux is third party.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^And I haven't seen chat software that's the equivalent of iChat AV.^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
What's your basis for equivalent?
^^^^^^^^^^ I'm still of the feeling that everyone else is in catchup mode to OS X^^^^^^^^^
Apparently that feeling is unfounded. I wasn't gonna mention the kernel as I wasn't sure how technically minded you were, in your own words the kernel too is playing catchup. Their kernel still needs alot of work from what I've seen.
I still say they offer a great product, unlike what 94% of the market uses, but technologically speaking the mac is a close second.(and I still say their switch to intel is partially fueled by losing the #2 OS spot to linux, mainly fueled by IBM friction)
^^^^my response was tongue in cheek^^^^^^^^^
heh heh..... so was mine. but sarcasm is very hard to convey in this rather bland white background/black text.
that's why I left the chuckle in there.
^^^^^^^^^^^I'll start with how solid and price competative their laptop hardware is.^^^^^^^^^^^
Not a bad answer I'm a big fan of the brushed metal powerbook. It'd match my Lian Li tower I have now. :-D
But for the money, I'd rather an alienware. When Apple starts implementing intel and loses alot of the price premium that answer will be alot different.
^^^^^^^^^Can Linux run Microsoft Office native?^^^^^^^^
Who needs it? I can open the files natively. I'll agree that MS Office is the best office program around......
it's better but it isn't 6 or so hundred better.
As I think of it, crossover office allows the installation of MS office natively.
^^^^^^^^^^No, OpenOffice will not be as good as Microsoft Office for me until it can do real time spelling and grammar checking.^^^^^^^^^^
OO will do spelling. But grammar I'm not sure of so I'll concede that.(like I said, MSO is better but it isn't 6 or so hundred better... unless you're a THIEF then clearly MSO is for you)
^^^^^^^^^^^^How about dozens of other important commercial desktop applications not available for Linux?^^^^^^^^^^^^^
As it sits now, most commercial desktop apps have an equivalent. MS Streets and Maps is the only one I can think of that I haven't seen an alternative for. How good they are has become the primary debate, not the absence of them.(I've seen scribus at the center of these debates lately,
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^The Gimp (yeah, let's name Linux's primary Photoshop replacement after a homosexual rape and bondage scene in Pulp Fiction -- that's sure family friendly) is not a perfect replacement for Photoshop^^^^^^^^^^^^
You ever use it? Even a recent article in macaddict(I think) puts them very close. The delta really only remains with plugins.
Besides, the name is the least of it's worries.
^^^^^^^^^^^Why not pick the alternative that's actually simple, secure, has a polished and easy to use desktop interface, and has plenty of commercial software available for it?^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I am using one that's simple, secure and has a polished and easy to use desktop interface. The commercial software, I agree, you're right on that. But not as right as you think you are.
^^^^^^^^^^As someone who uses all three, the Mac is still the easiest to maintain and use.^^^^^^^^^^
Considering you're talking to someone who also uses all three, I disagree. I personally tweak my own machine out, but for my grandparents and mom they use just fine what comes out/off of the disk(s).
Maintenance, from what I've seen they're about even.(depending on what breaks)
^^^^^^^^^^^Show me another Unix machine that can run Microsoft Office and other key commercial software and I'll consider a switch.^^^^^^^^^^^^
I hope you don't feel threatened, I'm not trying to convert you.(not specifically) Just as any mac user, conversions don't come with with brute force zealotry, but rather just getting the name out there. I've encouraged on quite a few occassions a MS-mac switch, but I'll also go linux if the user qualifies.
But like any other forum dweller, argument/debate is fun(and informative). Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don't.
^^^^^^^^Please bear in mind that I used Linux as my primary desktop system from 1995 to 1999 (before it was trendy) and administer Linux machines at work so I'm quite able to handle Linux, thanks.^^^^^^^^^^^^^
They've come a long way from 1999. And... what are you currently using at work?(name, version?)
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