-
What if there actually IS a new Mac Pro?
-
[Tim Wilson] “will you buy a Mac without a roadmap?”
As I’ve already answered earlier, yes. Holding my nose, but yes.
The roadmap question was what would it take to make me trust Apple again. I don’t have to trust their long range plans to buy a short range solution. My next computer might be a Mac, as I transition away from Apple software. The computer after that will most definitely NOT be a Mac, unless I’m given reason to change my mind.
[Tim Wilson] “Or, is a weak-enough Mac Pro release (new processor, Thunderbolt, not much else) enough to give someone permission to do what they WANT to do anyway”
If Apple can’t give me a workstation that takes full advantage of both PPro and Avid, then I’m off to WinTel land. As always, software drives the hardware decisions.
Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions
—————————
nothin’ attached to nothin’
“Deciding the spine is the process of editing” F. Bieberkopf -
[Craig Seeman] “It’s basically Apple, not just the technical limitation, that is the drawer of the line. While certainly they’re considering user experience, it’s one thing to not have something on the “supported” list and another to try to put a hard lock on the door as they did in the above cases and some might question where that line was drawn given the systems that did and did not work.”
In the case of FCPX, it isn’t arbitrary. Apple built FPCX around OpenCL, so it needs an OpenCL-capable GPU to function. Look at Lion. It isn’t unqualified to run on 32 bit Intel CPUs because Apple Marketing figured they could sell more Macs that way, it is unqualified because it no longer contains the code to run on such hardware. That is an engineering decision, not a marketing one. Same goes for FCPX requiring a GPU that supports OpenCL.
True, Apple did decide to compile Lion for 64-bit and build FCPX around OpenCL, and driving the sale of newer Macs is always the motivation for any software Apple produces, but I don’t see a larger Apple trend in FCPX not supporting three year old Macs, I see a trend in OS X dropping support for Macs that are generally about 5 years old. Lion insists on a 64-bit CPU, Snow Leopard insisted on Intel CPUs, Leopard dropped the G3 and slower G4s. Each of these cutoffs were for Macs that were roughly 5 years old (though entry-level Macs had shorter tails due to their typically B-list internals).
If FCPX is Apple’s platform stretcher, then you may be right that it will always need very recent hardware to run at all. We won’t know for a while. But that would be a new tactic for Apple, as their MO has been to carry software support for hardware that is five years old for any given release.
Best,
Andy -
[Chris Harlan] “Add to all of this, the new rumors of the demise of the Macbook Pros:”
The MacBook Air’s are truly awesome, not for CPU power, but form factor. All the benefits of an iPad but with a real honest to goodness OS and input devices.
I can deal without an internal optical drive, my current MBP does not have one now, I ripped it out.
When you open up a MBP, have you seen how much of the computer is NOT the motherboard? It’s mostly battery and optical drive.
This rumor also says the 17″ MBP would remain. That’s perfect.
Also, Thunderbolt on laptops is certainly a step forward in performance, where the same argument cannot be made for desktops.
That rumor says Kepler isn’t working out in the low to mid range laptops. Genius. Nvidia doesn’t work well on OSX? What a shocker.
There’s a lot going on in that rumor from an “accessory maker”, but I’m not worried. Apple still sells portables at a good clip.
By the way, the MacBook Air is good enough for Avid.
Jeremy
-
[Tim Wilson] “So Chris’s excellent point becomes the new question: will you buy a Mac without a roadmap?”
I ask because I don’t know, do other major computer/NLE/Plugin/hardware manufacturers provide roadmaps?
-
[Jeremy Garchow] “That rumor says Kepler isn’t working out in the low to mid range laptops. Genius. Nvidia doesn’t work well on OSX? What a shocker.”
I have certainly thrown heaps of criticism at Apple and NVIDIA for the sorry state of GPU support and driver quality, but this article [link] says that NVIDIA is simply unable to manufacture enough Kepler GPUs.
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
[Walter Soyka] “I have certainly thrown heaps of criticism at Apple and NVIDIA for the sorry state of GPU support and driver quality, but this article [link] says that NVIDIA is simply unable to manufacture enough Kepler GPUs.”
This is too much.
I am rumored to be speculated out.
-
[Jeremy Garchow] “This is too much. I am rumored to be speculated out.”
Yeah — I read an anonymous tip from an iPhone case designer over at TopSecretAppleSpeculativeRumors.com that said there was an 90% chance you’d say that.
Gotta say, though, I expected it on a Tuesday.
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
[Jeremy Garchow] “By the way, the MacBook Air is good enough for Avid.”
That’s an uncharacteristically silly thing for you to say. Yes, the 13″ Air is approved for use, but it is hardly good enough for the full range of Avid usage.
-
[Walter Soyka] “Yeah — I read an anonymous tip from an iPhone case designer over at TopSecretAppleSpeculativeRumors.com that said there was an 90% chance you’d say that.
“And the rumor was right, wasn’t it?
-
[Chris Harlan] “That’s an uncharacteristically silly thing for you to say. Yes, the 13″ Air is approved for use, but it is hardly good enough for the full range of Avid usage.”
Just reading what is says on the papers.
Someone must think it’s worth it at Avid to put it through the certification process.
Jeremy
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up