On a daytime that Apple spent face frontward to the future , I thought it might be illustrative to wait back at the recent past tense . Specifically , as Steve Jobs was outline what to expect from the next version of OS X in this class ’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote , I thought back to last year ’s edition . Maybe you vaguely remember it — it was an uneventful manner of speaking emphasize by a minor little announcement at the end about switching from PowerPC processors to Intel chips .
Yeah . Thatlittle thing .
Anyhow , I thought it might be demonstrative to look back on the quick reaction to last year ’s announcement , which I consider you could fair discover as “ mixed . ” For every comment in the Macworld.com forums that was happy or at least sanguine about the proclaimed Intel transition , you could find an equal number of commenters that were in spades less enthused about developments . Some of the option examples let in :
That sound you ’re hear justly now is the sound of Apple ’s information processing system hardware sales dry up for the next year . Stupid move , Apple . Maybe Jobs ’ time there has run its course of study … Does the Intel news make anyone else sick to their stomachs ?
plainly , there was a fair amount of knee - jerk negativity go on , which any amateur psychiatrist can tell you is typical whenever people are faced with modification . And I think at the root of that ambivalence toward the Intel transition was a exclusive underlying concern : Just how does this move benefit me ?
A little more than a year later , Apple provided the authoritative result to that question with the unveiling of the Mac Pro , the desktop that make out the company ’s migration to Intel processors .
The processing specs of the Mac Pro are impressive enough — two dual - core Xeon processors that run at clock speeds range from 2GHz to 3GHz for reported performance gain of anywhere from 1.4 to 1.8 times that of a PowerPC G5 , depending on what app you ’re talk about . But the interesting matter about the Mac Pro and the Xeon chip that power it is the performance - per - James Watt — Apple ’s rationale behind the switch to Intel chips — and what that means for the machine ’s design .
Because the Mac Pro runs on chips throwing off less heat , Apple did n’t need to find space for as many chill system that appear in the Power Mac G5 . That render the company room to add other feature article — four arduous drive bay , two optical drive true laurel , more interface on the front of the machine , and threefold - broad graphic slots on the bum . A lot of that does n’t happen if Apple sticks with the processor it was using a year ago .
And it ’s not just the high - oddment desktops that are reaping this benefit . The updated Xserves announced by Apple Monday will run on two dual - core Xeon potato chip from Intel ; the PowerPC - based server they replace featured just single - core chips , again because of heat payoff . Besides the carrying out boost gained by let two two-fold - core chipping , the updated Xserve also runs cool , leave more room to add features such as tautological power supplying . Presumably , the next round of Mac laptops to run on Intel chips will see similar onward motion , especially as they move to the newly available Core 2 distich microprocessor chip .
Which is why the big achiever from Apple ’s presentation to developer Monday was … Apple . Whatever precariousness was have by the society ’s shift to Intel chips has now been overshadow by touchable benefit to its product communication channel . That ’s sound news show for Apple — and even better news for the people who use its computer hardware .
Other keynote winners and failure from Monday include …
Winner : LeopardAs far as first impressions go , OS X 10.5 made a strong one . The 10 feature Apple take to preview look like solid additions or sweetening — no head - scratcher among this particular caboodle . I ’m hop Apple follows up with even more details on the next major version of OS X before its scheduled natural spring 2007 launch , as this initial looking at go forth me wanting more profoundness , not only on the features Apple preview but the one it ’s keeping under wrap for now . At least that ’s the desired reaction you want coming out of these things — it certainly beats the alternative .
Loser : Third - party developersA duet month back , I saw a demonstration of an instant electronic messaging public utility company from Script Software calledChatFX ; it adds a act of optic effect to iChat , including but not limited to bluescreen , xray , sepia , and sundry distortions . It ’s really a canny diligence that ’s drive its portion of confirming reviews .
And it ’s potential to become irrelevant once Leopard ships , since the next version of iChat will apparently add a mint of the same capabilities . ( In fact , the OS X 10.5 version of iChat will be pick up a circle of feature presently detect in third - party coating , such as the ability to add slideshows and motion picture to picture schmooze . My colleague , Mac Gems guru Dan Frakes , counted three or four third - party apps that are about to have iChat muscle in on their territorial dominion .
For its part , Script Software seems secure by this turn of issue , post on itsblog :
Besides , the very nature of being a third - party developer need the risk that one day , someone will decide the niche you ’ve carved out for yourself would be much well served if it were build directly into the operating system . It ’s unfortunate , but it ’s life . rightfully creative software manufacturer usually find a new area that requires their talents , and Script Software , which boasts a wide array ofuseful productswould seem to have little trouble surveil suit .
That say , it will be interesting to get wind from makers of backup software about what they think of Apple tot backup capacity into OS cristal 10.5 via the new Time Machine characteristic , do n’t you think ?
Winner : Bertrand SerletApple ’s senior vice chairman of software package engine room stole the show with a hilarious segment on the eerie law of similarity between OS X 10.4 and Microsoft ’s perpetually delayed Vista . hearken back to the “ Redmond , Start Your Photocopiers ” banners that adorn the 2004 WWDC that saw Tiger ’s launching , Serlet gag , “ It was a caper , but [ Microsoft ] admit it earnestly . ” It ’s deserving watchingthe QuickTime video of Monday ’s keynotejust to see Serlet ’s segment .
failure : MicrosoftBetween Serlet ’s jabs and the chess opening of the tonic boast a motion picture of John “ I ’m a PC ” Hodgman begging Mac developer to take a year off and help wind up Windows Vista ( “ We could use the service . ” ) , it was not precisely a morning devoted to building up the package giant ’s self - regard .
achiever : Stealth OS X overhaulsQuick — name all the major versions of OS X. Cheetah , Puma , Jaguar , Panther , and Tiger , right ?
haywire , says Steve Jobs . You ’re forgetting about thesixthmajor OS X release , the one that allowed the operating system to run on Intel - based Macs . you’re able to see his period , since that need Apple to pluck 86 million lines of origin codification . “ [ Apple ’s software team ] made it look really well-off , and it works seamlessly , ” Jobs said .
Loser : Stealth monitor price cutsYou would conceive a $ 500 price cut to Apple ’s 30 - inch Cinema HD Display , a $ 300 cutting to the monetary value of the 23 - inch modeling , and a $ 100 drop in the price of the 20 - inch Cinema Display might have merited some sort of editorial input from Steve Jobs during the tonic . Instead , news of the rock-bottom Cinema Display prices was relegated to PressRelease - Land .
achiever : MeWeeks ago , I petulantly dismissed the rumour that a movie letting military service would be unveiled at WWDC , and it turn out , my abstract thought was sound . If you ’ll excuse me for a moment , I have to guide tauntingly in the direction of my colleague , Jim Dalrymple , who questioned my air - sozzled logical system .
There . That felt good .
If that form of public display strike you as unseemly , consider that I so rarely get the chance to enjoy in being proper . After all …
Loser : Me againFor get nearly every other prediction awry except for the spectacularly obvious ones .
