What if there actually IS a new Mac Pro?

[Andrew Richards]

[Craig Seeman] “I think Apple’s new business model is not about limited power but limited expandability of hardware, building in planed obsolescence. “

Seems to me Moore’s Law marches on and the pace of development, of hardware and software, is what creates obsolescence.

Best,
Andy

[Craig Seeman]

Apple could keep backward compatibility but that would hinder progress. Basically there is some decision to the process. Either one offers the best technology going forward or works towards maintaining compatibility with older system.

Apple has done this for some time. I remember doing a system hack to fool Leopard into installing on a Dual 800 G4. There were those who found FCPX installing on ATI 1900 systems even though it wasn’t on the recommended list with FCPX 10.0.0. I believe some prevously compatible systems (maybe only “unofficial) dropped of the list as well.

There are certainly many of us with pre 2009 MacPros (myself including) running ATI 5770 or 5870 cards even though Apple doesn’t officially support them on any pre 2010 MacPro.

Basically some of us have been able to do system upgrades to use FCPX on “unofficial” systems in some manor and I suspect with the next MacPro (or replacement) they’re going to make that harder to execute.

Hmm, does this make me sort of a MacPro “jail breaker?”

Tangentially this is another reason why FCPX is a “Pro” app (under some definition). “Consumers” are not inclined to upgrade their computers as frequently as “Pros” who have an economic and competitive reason to do so. I suspect FCPX will push people (Pros?) into a shorter system upgrade cycle (which seems to work well for “consumers” when it comes to replacing iPhones and iPads).

Basically FCPX will have to be compelling enough to want you to make a more frequent upgrade. Whether it succeeds in that or not is another story but I do think FCPX will push technology to encourage system upgrades.

I’ll add, interestingly enough, that my early 2008 15″ MBP still meets FCPX spec but my 2008 MacPro did not without having to replace the GPU with an “unsupported” GPU. Of course the 2008 MBP is a bit of a slog for any serious FCPX and I did buy a late 2011 MBP . . . but did NOT buy a new (2010 as that’s the last “new) MacPro. Apple’s never going to allow that to happen again (IMHO) so, my guess, is that between FCPX progress and MacPro replacement, the most viable business strategy to make MacPros a bit more profitable would be to “encourage” a more expeditious upgrade.

[Craig Seeman]

[Aindreas Gallagher] “I swear, I am going to buy popcorn to watch the launch of this thing.”

You can eat popcorn whilst riding on a roller coaster?
And people though only Apple could drive people crazy.

Of course Microsoft will support Windows 7 for the next 10 years though.

[Andrew Richards]

[Craig Seeman] “Of course Microsoft will support Windows 7 for the next 10 years though.”

Yeah, but will they still sell it?

Best,
Andy

[Herb Sevush]

[Craig Seeman] “What will change (I think) is the internal expandability pushing one into something closer to a 2 year upgrade cycle.”

If the new Mac Pro pushes GPU and PCIe connectivity off the main system, the main host computer becomes easier to upgrade. It’s essentially like upgrading the CPU and Ram every few years. Not such a bad deal.

The idea that X is going to drive those sales, on the other hand, is too funny for words. That it might benefit from such a system is plausible, that it will drive it is not.

Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions
—————————
nothin’ attached to nothin’
“Deciding the spine is the process of editing” F. Bieberkopf

[Craig Seeman]

[Andrew Richards] “Yeah, but will they still sell it?”

The Windows 7 downgrade option when you buy a Windows 8 computer maybe.

[Andrew Richards]

[Craig Seeman] “Apple has done this for some time. I remember doing a system hack to fool Leopard into installing on a Dual 800 G4. There were those who found FCPX installing on ATI 1900 systems even though it wasn’t on the recommended list with FCPX 10.0.0. I believe some prevously compatible systems (maybe only “unofficial) dropped of the list as well.”

So that’s nothing new, like you said. I don’t think Apple needs to have people throw out their Macs every two years to be successful, and they don’t drop support for three year old Macs on any given rev to OS X. Lion dropped support for 2006-vintage Macs in 2011, a 5 year backfill. Mountain Lion might be a little more aggressive than that, but the supported list hasn’t been finalized to say for sure.

FCPX is an outlier, since it relies so heavily on many new aspects of OS X, but most apps don’t, even Apple’s own. In most other cases, any given Mac will have broad software support for 4-5 years. That’s a good long life for a computer.

Best,
Andy

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Andrew Richards] ” In most other cases, any given Mac will have broad software support for 4-5 years. That’s a good long life for a computer.”

Do we know the length in dog years? The shop dog needs to know.

[Michael Gissing]

[Walter Soyka] “Will you buy one?”

Not likely. At this stage I am looking at the balance of likely software and the best fit for hardware. Everywhere I see NVIDIA looming as the most useful graphics cards to suit da Vinci and Adobe. So even if there were a new MacPro, the cost and lack of up to date support for NVIDIA graphics cards on Mac hardware would tip me towards an HP workstation with WIN. The sheer flexibility of cross platform software is furthering my push away from Apple in many areas, not just NLEs.

For me the software determines the hardware and unless FCPX becomes relevant for my business, there is no reason for me to upgrade from my late 2009 MacPro which I will try to squeeze at least another year out of as I switch. After that it becomes my wife iTunes box.

[Craig Seeman]

But when it came to FCPX which as of its June 2011 release didn’t officially support any MacPro pre 2009 without having to do an “unsupported” upgrade to the GPU.

Certainly Macs in general can remain compatible, regarding OS and various apps going back several years. When it came to FCPX it was under 3 years. To put it another way, will the new MacPro replacement you buy in 2012 be able to run FCPX in 2015. My guess (obviously just a guess) is no and it there many be no simple “unsupported” swap of the GPU (again my guess).

See this article on OWC/MacSales on iMac2011 HD upgrade difficulties.
Apple Further Restricts Upgrade Options on New iMacs
https://blog.macsales.com/10146-apple-further-restricts-upgrade-options-on-new-imacs

I think it’s possible that while you might be able to add a 2nd GPU on the new MacPro, something people have really wanted, the “in built” one may not easy to replace.

Of course I’d like to keep a system going that can run current software even as it ages past its “lead” machine life but I can’t help but think if Apple is going to make the MacPro (or replacement) profitable it’ll be a machine you may have to replace more frequently courtesy of design changes makes in the hardware.

Of course just as one can have the battery replaced in a MBP that doesn’t have a user replaceable battery or companies like OWC finding ways to replace the iMac system drive, there may be a way to replace the GPU (or whatever “locks” the MacPro replacement) they will make it harder than a user simply swapping out a GPU to make an “unsupported” upgrade.

Of course as a user I hope this doesn’t happen but I do see this as part of Apple’s “awesome” beast they are about to release if there’s a new case design that goes with it.