New Intel based MACS, should I fear the change?

[jgrif08]

I purchased a G5 last September and simply love it. I don't think I'll ever purchase another 'non-Mac' computer. Im planning on keep this one around for a while. I will, however, need to upgrade to a new Mac sometime down the road. Which brings me to my question:
I hear a lot of hype about the new macs being intel based. So as a current non-Intel based Mac owner what does that mean to me? Say I wanted to upgrade tomorrow? Im sure all of my programs will carry over right? Logic, Reason, all of my web design and office apps...
Basically Im just so happy with my current setup that I fear these new Intel based machines, most likley due to my complete naivety.
Also, Im hoping this won't mean that Macs will now become susceptable to all the annoying viruses and spyware that render most PC's virtually unuseable without the proper virus 'protection', in my experience a total joke.

Basically I would just like someone to summarize how this change will affect the average MAC user like myself, someone who is very comfortable and experienced using Macs but doesn't deal well, if at all, with technical and programming semantics...

[H-Rezz]

Originally Posted by jgrif08

I purchased a G5 last September and simply love it. I don't think I'll ever purchase another 'non-Mac' computer. Im planning on keep this one around for a while. I will, however, need to upgrade to a new Mac sometime down the road. Which brings me to my question:
I hear a lot of hype about the new macs being intel based. So as a current non-Intel based Mac owner what does that mean to me? Say I wanted to upgrade tomorrow? Im sure all of my programs will carry over right? Logic, Reason, all of my web design and office apps...
Basically Im just so happy with my current setup that I fear these new Intel based machines, most likley due to my complete naivety.
Also, Im hoping this won't mean that Macs will now become susceptable to all the annoying viruses and spyware that render most PC's virtually unuseable without the proper virus 'protection', in my experience a total joke.

Basically I would just like someone to summarize how this change will affect the average MAC user like myself, someone who is very comfortable and experienced using Macs but doesn't deal well, if at all, with technical and programming semantics...

Personally i think you should make music and not worry about every event that happens in Technology , you are happy now and that's all that matters ,things are going to remain universal binery( UB) for a while,meaning they will run on motorola bases Macs and the news intel ones ! By the time all programs/plugs are available for UB you would have produced quite a few tracks inbetween, then when you know that all is o.k. with the new intel Macs make the jump if you feel you have/want too .Hopefully you can use all the money you made with this Mac by not worry about the new intel Macs

If you have a PCIe based Mac all the cards you buy/bought for it like UA(PCIe version) or firewirecards ( Duende,Liquid etc) will work with the intel Mac , PCIe will remain the same and firewire isn't going anywhere , they will have drivers for both so you are safe from having to be cought in a rut.

Hope this helps

[jgrif08]

Yeah that helps. Clearly I intend to keep making music on my current setup. My question was more of a hypothetical one, as in I realize that my current G5, although its hard to imagine, will at some point be outdated.

In any event, its good to hear about compatibility. Im currently weighing the option of trying to find a used powerbook G4 to take out on location or to cough up the dough and buy one of the new intel based macbooks. Just wanted to make sure that if I do buy a mac book the two will play nice together...

[shagg]

Most DAWs are now available as Universal Binary versions but the thing most people forget is that pretty much all the plugins - this includes Waves & Antares - are not yet Universal.

This means you either have to go without them or run the DAW under Rosetta which is considerably slower (if indeed it will even function). From a recording point of view, if you can live without it, I'd wait for all the plugs to be released on Intel before buying an Apple notebook.

No, the Intel Macs running OS X are not vulnerable to Windows viruses/spyware because they do not run Windows code. I guess what the change means to the average mac user is that in about a couple of years time, some new software is going to be coming out that will only run on Intel macs. Give it 6 or 7 years and the PowerPC macs will be obsolete, but by then they would be so slow (relatively) that they would be obsolete anyway. So there's not really anything to worry about.. business as usual pretty much.

As a footnote though, my new MacBook 1.8gHz with 512MB ram is just as fast / sometimes faster than my G5 Dual 1.8 with 1.5GB ram. Those Intel chips are really delivering!

[splattercell]

Originally Posted by H-Rezz

If you have a PCIe based Mac all the cards you buy/bought for it like UA(PCIe version) or firewirecards ( Duende,Liquid etc) will work with the intel Mac , PCIe will remain the same and firewire isn't going anywhere , they will have drivers for both so you are safe from having to be cought in a rut.

as far as the pci-Format for the Mac desktop Intel machines goes;
it seems yet-to-be-determined
---unless you KNOW something that we don't know!---
which format will be implemented,
given that the CURRENT crop of Macs only features pci-X.

i have heard a very reliable rumor that some of the prototype Intel desktop-Macs feature *both* pci-X and pci-E slots, but no-one seems to KNOW what Apple will actually manufacture..... which makes for some confusion, right now, if one is about to purchase a high-end native audio system and Mac.

dt / spltrcl

[T_R_S]

Wait is the word of advice I have. Many software companies have limted programing resources so the switch for some companies are going to take months. Digidesign relesed Protools LE in May the first Intels came out in January.
Now many of the Plug-ins compaies are still going to take several more weeks.
Now to add another piece of puzzle. Mac OS 10.5 is due in August.
This is going to add serveral more weeks. It#s going to be 2007 until all the software companies to catch up. And we all all know what happens in January at Macworld.
... New, better, faster, cheaper computers.

[H-Rezz]

Originally Posted by splattercell

as far as the pci-Format for the Mac desktop Intel machines goes;
it seems yet-to-be-determined
---unless you KNOW something that we don't know!---
which format will be implemented,
given that the CURRENT crop of Macs only features pci-X.

i have heard a very reliable rumor that some of the prototype Intel desktop-Macs feature *both* pci-X and pci-E slots, but no-one seems to KNOW what Apple will actually manufacture..... which makes for some confusion, right now, if one is about to purchase a high-end native audio system and Mac.

dt / spltrcl

I hear you , but i cann't see Mac/Apple changing their PCIe ( yes current crop is PCIe-EXPRESS and NOT PCI-X) to something else again for the intel machines , it will drive people crazy, not to mention the manufacturers who have been caught of guard trying to get out their PCIe versions of their cards , UAD have done it , Powercore are on the way and hopefully Lynx are going in the same direction.......

We will see if they actually have a combination of PCI-X and Express but i highly doubt it ......PCIe offers more bandwidth and will be the format of the future , not only for Mac but PC's as well.....

Current crop of Macs.......

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPL...&nclm=PowerMac

[Reptil]

Originally Posted by shagg

Give it 6 or 7 years and the PowerPC macs will be obsolete, but by then they would be so slow (relatively) that they would be obsolete anyway.

In 6 years silicone chips will be obsolete.
We're at the end of the industrial cycle.
smaller is not really possible, because of crosstalk.
with some tricks (duo core, smarter chips) they'll extend the lifespan a bit more, but in general this is it.

I'm lusting for Flash Rom "harddisks". that would mean an amazing laptop.

And just maybe Apple will do a "pro" machine. Preferably in 19" but I think they'll just design something groovey that doesn't fit in my racks..

the future looks bright, we've gotta wear shades

[bigbaby987]

it reminds me of the time when we crossed over from OS9 to OSX.. it was long tedious, and a real growth process.. and even though most people miss the "snap" of 9 the wouldn't go back to it if they were paid to... no more 3rd party midi apps, core audio, and more.. it's good... and i'm sure that in the end, this migration is going to be good also... in fact, it looks like the biggest thing apple has done in a very, very long time....

[yore]

Originally Posted by T_R_S

Mac OS 10.5 is due in August.

I don't think so. They are going to preview it then but it will be early 2007 or possibly as "late" as summer 2007 before it actaully comes out.

[T_R_S]

Originally Posted by yore

I don't think so. They are going to preview it then but it will be early 2007 or possibly as "late" as summer 2007 before it actaully comes out.

I remember the Keynote now Jobs said there will be a preview of in Aug at the WWDC.
2007 Well that's some good news to many changes all at once does not help.

[splattercell]

Originally Posted by H-Rezz

I hear you , but i cann't see Mac/Apple changing their PCIe ( yes current crop is PCIe-EXPRESS and NOT PCI-X) to something else again for the intel machines , it will drive people crazy, not to mention the manufacturers who have been caught of guard trying to get out their PCIe versions of their cards , UAD have done it , Powercore are on the way and hopefully Lynx are going in the same direction.......

we'll see, eh?
since those protos that i mentioned actually exist --- and since there are all kindsa other rumors coming directly from some of apple's developer "partners" --- well:
we'll just hafta wait and see, anyways, so.....
meanwhile:
no, there is no Lynx PCIe card, no RME PCIe card, etc.
dt / spltrcl

[edham]

Originally Posted by splattercell

given that the CURRENT crop of Macs only features pci-X.
dt / spltrcl

This is incorrect. The current crop of mac towers are all PCI-e.
The changover is complete and PCI PCI-X is dead. The current and future format is E.

And I really don't understand whey Apple made this move now. There seems to be really limited improvement in PCI-E. But its game over for the early formats.

[H-Rezz]

Originally Posted by splattercell

we'll see, eh?
since those protos that i mentioned actually exist --- and since there are all kindsa other rumors coming directly from some of apple's developer "partners" --- well:
we'll just hafta wait and see, anyways, so.....
meanwhile:
no, there is no Lynx PCIe card, no RME PCIe card, etc.
dt / spltrcl

It will be PCIe , i can tell you this with 99.99999% certainty,same as are the current crop , this is the future , PCI-X has had it's day......

I know there is no Lynx card , thats what i said, or RME for that matter , thats why they have been caught of guard trying to catch up and develop PCIe versions , just like UAD have done and Apogee Symphony have done .......