Don't buy first PPC's
Emmanuel P Parasirakis
My advice to everyone is not to buy the fist PPC computers that come out.
WHY? Do you ask:
Well, as one of the original mac users and supporters, and computer science student, the first of any computer always has bugs(hardware bugs). Yes they do.
Also, the next PPC chip will be out soon, and much faster than the 601. And lastly apple will screw everyone when the reduce their prices. I would say wait until at least the end of August.
Jim Matthews
Parasirakis) wrote:
> Well, as one of the original mac users and supporters, and computer science student, the first of any computer always has bugs(hardware bugs). Yes they do.
> Also, the next PPC chip will be out soon, and much faster than the 601. And lastly apple will screw everyone when the reduce their prices. I would say wait until at least the end of August.
Obviously it would be a better idea to buy a 68K Mac, which has bugs, will
be obsolete even sooner, and will have even steeper price cuts; and for all
that you get a machine with a 1/2 or 1/3 the performance of an
comparably-priced PPC Mac.
All computers have bugs, will be improved upon, and will have their prices
cut. If the first PPC Macs are too buggy to use then don't buy one; but
otherwise they will be better investments (sic) than anything else on the
market.
Jim Matthews
Dartmouth Software Development
Andy Carol
I think that you should wait even longer. 'Cause after 603 comes out
there will be the 604 just 6 months later. And even then the 620 is
only 6 months after that. And then 6 months later IBM is coming out
with the 615 and 6 months after that...
Then Apple will SCREW everybody by lowering their prices. How can
they get away with just lowering their prices?
If we had that attidude we would NEVER buy a new computer. Because
every 6-12 months there will ALWAYS be a newer, faster, cheaper CPU.
At some point you have to say, "What is out there is what I need.",
otherwise you wait forever.
----- Andrew
Renzo_F...@cbe.carletonbe.ottawa.on.ca
upgrade, but lately, we've been quite concerned with all of the points that
you raised. I would suspect that the best time to purchase the LogicBoard
upgrade from Apple, would be just before they discontinue, and prices are cut
to 50% of original. I'm hoping that one of two things happens: 1) my vi(my
friend's vx) is upgradable to the second generation of PPC(ie: the 150MHz TNT
machine) OR * 2) the first generation of PPC has an upgrade to the subsequent
generations, so that I can wait a bit, save on the first upgrade, then wait
again for the 604 and upgrade just as that price gets lowered.
Any thoughts on the matter?
I heard from a friend that upgrades to the midline PPC-601 will be around $1200 Can*is this accurate? Will AV be via a DAV card(that I can buy
later) or would I have to buy a specifically AV motherboard?
Ren
Jerry Williamson
If everyone follows your advice then how will the bugs be uncovered?
Unless they do an industry first and "beta-test" the hardware,
which may not be a bad idea....
BTW, I am following this advice for Windows NT for a slightly
different reason--- I am waiting for enough time to pass to
give developers the chance to write applications specifially for NT.
My $0.01447,
--
************************************************************************
* Jerry Williamson @ Delphi "It is logical. The needs *
* JER...@delphi.com | of the many outweigh *
* | the needs of the few -- *
* | or the one." Spock *
************************************************************************
Mark J Nimmer
>My $0.01447,
Radical Dude!
>
>--
>************************************************************************
>* Jerry Williamson @ Delphi "It is logical. The needs *
>* JER...@delphi.com | of the many outweigh *
>* | the needs of the few -- *
>* | or the one." Spock *
>************************************************************************
Just my $0.02781 cents worth.
Mark
--
Mark J Nimmer
n0...@iastate.edu
Marshall Craig
With Apple's history, I tend to agree, but what are the chances a
Centris/Quadra machine will be upgradeable to the 2nd generation PPC?
Mark Koesel
Wait a minute? If no one buys them then apple may not be around to make the
next generation of powermacs. Bugs Schmugs. I want power!
.
.
Kevin Hoogheem
Ha yeah right if no one buys i hardly think they will go out of the
powermac production. And yes I do believe in the first poster that
Apple has a long history of "fucking up" sorry for the lang.
but anyone that knows apple or has a mac knows this to be true
I would if you want power go with the AV lines or a good
Quadra they can use the Softwindows now anyway. My sad mac story:
I buy a LC when they come out after waiting a month for it to come
they come out with the LCII they woulndt refund or trade even while
the new one was cheaper. So like the other mac owners i put more
and more money into my Mac to bring it up to par.
Kevin Hoogheem
--
=====================================================================
Kevin A. Hoogheem
kaho...@rex.mnsmc.edu khoo...@marys.mnsmc.edu [NeXT Mail]
=====================================================================
Jess M Holle
are absolutely correct. Welcome to today's computer world.
Take a look at the industry predictions for the next 2 years. Take a look
at the last 2 years. Draw a mental plot. It is easy to surmise that
performance is approximately doubling each year while staying at the same
price (I wish cars did that :-). With the current exponential price/
performance improvements, there is no way anyone, Apple, Dell, IBM, Compaq,
SGI, whoever will keep prices on a given system anywhere _near_ the same
point as that at product introduction for more than a few scant months.
This is not Apple's intent to screw anyone over, just the current market
value depreciation for computers.
This brings up a point that I believe will be increasingly important in
the next few years of personal computing- hardware must be upgradeable.
No one really has this licked. On the Mac, you buy a PowerPC board, a
better video card, a bigger cache, etc, but eventually bottlenecks show
and you get a new system. On the PC, the same situation _really_ exists.
What is really needed is a system capable of multiprocessing in such a
way that any chip from a given chip family can be installed in a _bank_
of processor slots, a detachable external bus system, the ability for
software to map certain processors to graphics, I/O, or other task areas,
etc, etc. A _fully_ modularized sysem. Kind of like a PC? Not really,
for such a system really demands idiotproof extensibility, such that no
DIP switches must be set, no software setting flipped, just fully auto-
configuring "LEGO" piece components. New CPU's will be made available at
"upgrade" prices to current owners, etc. Steps like these will become
necessary to make computers an investment again. I'm no processor genius,
but this is the direction, IMHO.
Jess Holle
Mark Rogowsky
making all your stuff obsolete immediately.
Computers are a big scam to take all our money. Apple is the worst scammer
with all their models. The upgrades are a ripoff, the new machines are
overpriced and buggy.
Don't buy.
Ever.
Mark Rogowsky
ro...@forsythe.stanford.edu
Note: The above is idiotic. Buy when you need it. Don't buy when you don't.
Leave us alone with this tired agony.
Tim Weaver
>Note: The above is idiotic. Buy when you need it. Don't buy when you don't.
>Leave us alone with this tired agony.
>
much, but one should beware of leading edge technology. It is always
over priced, to pay for the research and compensate for the small
market, and it's frequently buggy (especially with computers). And
all too often the stolution to the bugs is to buy the next step up.
That's where you get screwed. I'm going to go listen to my 8-track
tapes and watch a movie on my video disk cartridge now.
--
| Timothy E. Weaver | Kalamazoo College | (616) 337-7239 |
| Microcomputer Coordinator | 1200 Academy | These are MY opinions! |
| email: twe...@kzoo.edu | Kalamazoo MI 49006 | Mine!! Mine!! Mine!! |
Nicholas Strauss
twe...@hobbes.kzoo.edu (Tim Weaver) writes:
|>...I'm going to go listen to my 8-track
|> tapes and watch a movie on my video disk cartridge now.
|> --
|>
|> | Timothy E. Weaver
Don't forget to record somthing on your Beta VCR.
--Nick
--
Nicholas Strauss
Igor Livshits
para...@bcuxs2.bc.edu writes:
>Well, as one of the original mac users and supporters, and computer science
>student, the first of any computer always has bugs(hardware bugs). Yes they
do.
>Also, the next PPC chip will be out soon, and much faster than the 601. And
>lastly apple will screw everyone when the reduce their prices. I would say
>wait until at least the end of August.
No, really, don't buy any PPCs -- I am shorting Apple and Motorola stock and
would like to make some money with your help :)
Cheers, Igor
_____
NCSA-UIUC, e:ig...@uiuc.edu, p:(217) 244-0424
Frank Flonnoy
had a backplane that everything plugged into it .....
Maybe someone should wake up and see if this is something that can be done!
>This brings up a point that I believe will be increasingly important in
>the next few years of personal computing- hardware must be upgradeable.
>No one really has this licked. On the Mac, you buy a PowerPC board, a
>better video card, a bigger cache, etc, but eventually bottlenecks show
>and you get a new system. On the PC, the same situation _really_ exists.
>What is really needed is a system capable of multiprocessing in such a
>way that any chip from a given chip family can be installed in a _bank_
>of processor slots, a detachable external bus system, the ability for
>software to map certain processors to graphics, I/O, or other task areas,
>etc, etc. A _fully_ modularized sysem. Kind of like a PC? Not really,
>for such a system really demands idiotproof extensibility, such that no
>DIP switches must be set, no software setting flipped, just fully auto-
>configuring "LEGO" piece components. New CPU's will be made available at
>"upgrade" prices to current owners, etc. Steps like these will become
>necessary to make computers an investment again. I'm no processor genius,
>but this is the direction, IMHO.
Frank Flonnoy - email:flo...@twg.com | "The man who rows the boat generally
Senior Product Support Engineer | does not have time to
The Wollongong Group, Palo Alto CA | rock it."
Andrew Carol
para...@bcuxs2.bc.edu writes:
>Well, as one of the original mac users and supporters, and computer science
>student, the first of any computer always has bugs(hardware bugs). Yes they
do.
>Also, the next PPC chip will be out soon, and much faster than the 601. And
>lastly apple will screw everyone when the reduce their prices. I would say
>wait until at least the end of August.
>
This is the correct strategy. Wait because the "newer" CPU is just
around the corner and you want there to be time to fix all the bugs.
You also want there to be time for the price to drop.
I will be picking up my new Apple IIe tomorrow! The bugs have been
worked out and the price is right!
I hope to own a PowerPC601 around the turn of the century!
--
*****************************************************************
Andrew Carol
ca...@edfua0.ctis.af.mil
71350...@compuserve.com
*****************************************************************
Matt Kennel
: I agree!!! Kinda' reminds me of how DEC VAX systems were built for awhile. You
: had a backplane that everything plugged into it .....
And look where the VAX is now. Anybody have a spare RK05 they're putting
in their PowerMac?
: Maybe someone should wake up and see if this is something that can be done!
They did. Answer: no.
: >This brings up a point that I believe will be increasingly important in
: >the next few years of personal computing- hardware must be upgradeable.
: >No one really has this licked. On the Mac, you buy a PowerPC board, a
: >better video card, a bigger cache, etc, but eventually bottlenecks show
: >and you get a new system. On the PC, the same situation _really_ exists.
: >What is really needed is a system capable of multiprocessing in such a
: >way that any chip from a given chip family can be installed in a _bank_
: >of processor slots, a detachable external bus system, the ability for
: >software to map certain processors to graphics, I/O, or other task areas,
: >etc, etc. A _fully_ modularized sysem. Kind of like a PC? Not really,
: >for such a system really demands idiotproof extensibility, such that no
: >DIP switches must be set, no software setting flipped, just fully auto-
: >configuring "LEGO" piece components. New CPU's will be made available at
: >"upgrade" prices to current owners, etc. Steps like these will become
: >necessary to make computers an investment again. I'm no processor genius,
: >but this is the direction, IMHO.
Buses and perepherials get obsolete nearly as fast as CPUs. Who needs to
plug an Alpha into their Q-Bus? Nobody. Why doesn't apple support a PPC in
the //e? It can't. Memory, CPU's and buses and devices need to be designed
to work together.
The few exceptions occur when the device that comes out is just so much
ahead of the rest of the technology, like Ethernet.
: Frank Flonnoy - email:flo...@twg.com | "The man who rows the boat generally
: Senior Product Support Engineer | does not have time to
: The Wollongong Group, Palo Alto CA | rock it."
--
-Matt Kennel m...@inls1.ucsd.edu
-Institute for Nonlinear Science, University of California, San Diego
-*** AD: Archive for nonlinear dynamics papers & programs: FTP to
-*** lyapunov.ucsd.edu, username "anonymous".