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PowerBook, Because Lives Are On The Line
WCityMike writes "Major Shawn Weed, an intelligence planner with the Third Infantry Division, eschewed his Panasonic Toughbook because it wasn't fast enough in processing giant satellite and reconnaissance images. He put in a requisition for and received a PowerBook G4, the only Apple currently being used in the entire Middle East theater. 'Frankly, lives are in the balance here, so the quicker I can get stuff done accurately, the better,' Weed says."
AND you can stop bullets with the case!
If the military can pay thousands for a toilet seat, imagine what they paid for a PowerBook.
The article says it's been fine so far, but sooner or later the lack of military-grade durability is going to be a factor.
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Major Shawn Weed, an intelligence planner with the Third Infantry Division
So he's in military intel? Isn't this among the most famous oxymorons in existence? The jokes are too numerous to mention, all with Apple or the Army as the brunt of the jokes.
I can see the switch ads now...My name is Shawn Weed and I find Iraqis in the desert.
btw, I'm not trolling. I'm writing this from a TiBook using an Airport, behind a Linux server.
I am, and always will be, an idiot. Karma: Coma (mostly effected by
Although I'm an avid mac fac I always thought the glowing apple on the back of the LCD screen would be a bad thing in the field.
big mac attack?
Would you trust an intelligence officer named 'Weed?' Heh, no wonder he wants an Apple product.
I am Law! You are Crime!
In the Navy, the only they doled out were annoying uniforms and silly hats.
I'll be the one pulling the laptop out from underneath the Major's corpse trying to figure out where the heck is the second mouse button went. Faster/better/different is great until you have to take over someones job unexpectedly. More of an occupational hazard in his area... though the Valley is not much safer (job wise).
+++ UGUCAUCGUAUUUCU
...to have at least one of the computers different from the others. When a virus written by some 9th grader wipes out the Windows boxes at least the PowerBook will be up and running.
Or vice versa...
It also kinda goes with the whole "Power of One" ad campaign the Army has going on.
Used to be SSG Nichols
I think you may have just proved yourself wrong ... The Baked Apple still worked after being baked, so the PowerBook should be able to easily stand up the much lower temperatures of the desert.
A Minesweeper clone that doesn't suck
The system itself is fine, but I personally would not want literally mission critical apps running on OS X, nor would I want them on Windows. I would say that *nix (not apple's version) is a better solution as far as operating systems go. Ive seen OS X dump programs, become unresponsive temporarily, etc on powerbooks before and it happens a bit too much I think to actually perform extremely time-critical tasks on; atleast, without a backup.
"What can a thoughtful man hope for mankind on Earth, given the experience of the past million years? Nothing." -Bokonon
...running LUnix!
Probably the best platform they could use, at least until Jeri Ellsworth's Commodore One laptop hits the shelves...
the world's most bitching Switch ad.
I am a believer of momentum and curves.
Oh yes, and we also all know that benchmarks are the be all and end all of performance evaluation. Especially those benchmarks that conform to no known standard, and aren't terribly well documented.
Please, spare me.
Benchmarks can give you a general idea of how performande might compare if you used exactly the same programs, input files, OS configuration, network load, other running processes, etc...
What are the chances that the military uses Photoshop for their image processing? I'd think not very high (unless there's a series of photoshop plugins I am unaware of that will process an image looking for convoys of trucks, bunkers, and other such things that the military cares about satellite images for). If he is not using photoshop, then the benchmarks you're getting so excited about are meaningless.
MacBibble has shown us that a Macintosh can perform quite well on image processing, if you run optimized code.
Benchmarks are just that, benchmarks. If this guy finds that for his application a Macintosh is faster, then let him use a Macintosh.
"In a room full of ugly, ruggedized Panasonic Toughbooks running Windows 2000," he said, "the glowing white Apple against the titanium skin of the G4's lid draws looks from everywhere, and acts as a magnet for the closet Mac addicts serving with the Third Infantry Division."
If the military is using intel equipped notebooks running windows 2000, then changing from his too slow but rugged notebook to a powerbook I would tend to think he is using some off the shefl commercial app. Why? because I really doubt the military would spend the time or effort to redevelop some custom app for processing satellite images just so one Major can run non-standard equipment. Infact it is rare that the military will let anyone use non-standard equipment in a critical position. So I tend to think this guy is probably not in a critcal position and may actually be in some PR department in the army where he may be using Photoshop or the like to touch up images for dispersal to various news organizations.
Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
Well, since I almost never read MacSlash, posting it here saves me the trouble of looking elsewhere. Though I did read this store elsewhere today, Mac Central, I think. Or perhaps yesterday.
"Common Sense Ain't" -Unknown
It's more than mere benchmarks.
... is faster'. Let him use a Mac, lets put lives on the line because of personal preference of having an apple brand computer.
The only reason that Mac's enjoy this positive-stigma of being the best in terms of image processing is because up until a few years ago, hands down they were. However, RISC architechture in the form of motorola's version of the PPC has not kept up in terms of innovation and advancement that the x86 has. Sure, you can spout the, my such and such a mac is equivalent to this and this a pc... based on what? The benchmarks don't back it up, perception doesn't back it up, experience doesn't back it up.
Plain and simple, it's nostalgia and brand loyalty. But I guess if you prefer to be ignorant so long as you're waving your favorite coloured flag, then thats alright then... bah.
Personally, I would prefer hard data and statistics for choosing the better system rather than what 'this guy finds that for his application
Please, spare me from your blind fanaticism and your blatant ignorance.
Poor lonely guy in the field. I'd be more than happy to send him a Disney covered DVD with prOn. He'll work late every night too!
So I pose, if this is true, and the Army buys computers in bulk for general-purpose use without regard to what applications they might be used for, a.) why they chose the iBook then, and b.) why they didn't this time. Are the old iBooks somehow more durable than the new (they're definitely a lot heavier)?
Regards,
John
Falling You - beautiful
Um... well, the fastest Toughbooks out there are like 1.8GHz P4s.
If he's utilizing Altivec optimized code (quite possible), it's quite possible that his 1GHz PowerBook can outperform a 1.8GHz P4.
Which tasks are Altivec optimized? Photoshop, for one. Certain encryption/decryption tasks are another. Certain video tasks, as well.
It's certainly within the realm of likely possibility, given the description that "Weed declined to specify what he does exactly, but said he works with giant satellite and reconnaissance images,"
Sure, a P4 is fast but when you're talking about a 800MHz difference, the other things (like cache, registers, Altivec, pipeline depth, etc) make more of a difference.
Now, if they were talking about 2.4GHz P4Ms or 3.0GHz P4 (desktops), that would be different. However, Toughbooks don't scale that fast (yet).
GPL Deconstructed
...would have you ignoring the actual risk to peoples lives and safety just because your preference is prettier and easier to figure out.
Huh? Coherent responses only please.
Actually it's not the *only* PowerBook G4 being used here right now. I've got an 867MHz PowerBook G4 I bought back in July 2002 that I am using while stationed in Camp Va, Kuwait. I use it for very similar reasons to Major Weed, although I had to purchase mine myself.
We've got to get our troops as many of these new uniforms as we can. Do it for little Jimmy American on the front lines, darnit!
(Nothing like a little ruthless self-promotion to get a day started right!)
-----
"Cogito Eggo Sum: I think, therefore, waffle."
Man. I tried the link to look at the ToughBook, and it was absolutely miserable. It is really hard to find specs on their computers. It is kind of like they assume you already know all the models and what they are. Even finding the prices was very awkward. You'd think that a company like Panasonic would work a little harder on their web pages?
-Jeff
I think what you've 'seen' is anecdotal.
Since we don't know exactly what his 'mission critical' tasks are, exactly, we have to take his word for why he chose a G4. It sounds like this guy already has reason to trust his choice. After all, it's not just the hardware nor just the software...it's the combination, and in this case, they are strictly made for each other. I know of no other examples that come close...
I'm a bit unclear on this.
Does he mean that the faster he can process those satellite images,
the more lives they can bomb to pieces,
or
the less lives will be lost to friendly fire as the pilots shoot at everything that moves while they're waiting for targeting data?
A: About the same as Apple's academic discounts!
Apple Federal Home Page
How to buy for federal agencies and miltary - Includes:
Using a GSA SmartPay purchasing card
Apple Federal Store (for SmartPay) or Apple Retail stores
Federal Employee Purchase Program, via Apple Federal Employee Purchase Store or Apple Retail stores at Tyson's Corner, Clarendon, VA, or Towson, MD
Any number of various federal, GSA, and military contract resellers
Cool that he's using a Mac. If Saddam's forces defect over to our side, will that make them switchers? :)
Bob
The PC Weenies: 11 Years of Online Tech 'Too
You mean this isn't macslash?
That was coherent to someone who is not retarded.
Wrong.
Now if that only meant something to be proud of...
If you used it to brain your enemy, it would STILL work AND would be simple enough for the debrained enemy to operate.
:)
So there.
I'm most impressed not that this guy wanted a Mac, but that he actully got one. The military is rightly known for a plodding mentality, and what's he going to do if he needs an extra battery? Steal it from CNN? Of course, had the guy simply called Apple to say, hey, I'd like to place the first Mac in the field, they would have sent over ten gratis.
Clicking away on my deweaponized iBook...
I think this sums it up
i wonder if it's a mapping thing. i know someone else who's stationed in the Middle East right now doing similar work who's also using a Mac to do it, although he had to purchase it himself.
there's a Mac presence within the Army, which can't be a bad thing.
"now, drop the little bomb icon on the little tank icon and they blow up"
Most of the planet is up in arms about this invasion of Iraq and the declared intent by Washington to make no part of Baghdad safe (at the inevitable expense of untold numbers of citizens). And this trained killer says lives are "on the line"?
Correction: lives are about to be wasted, made trash, disposed of, terminated. Let's at least be honest about that much.
If Saddam has the stuff the government says he has -- and I don't doubt that for a minute -- then we need to take him out NOW! So don't go raving that most of the planet is against the war. The principle opponents are France and Russia -- both of which are making proffit ($$$) from selling materials to Iraq. The other opponents are those who want peace at any price -- and history will tell you hom well that has worked in the past.
I am extreamly offended that you would refer to a member of the US Military as a "trained killer. " You should appologize now for your rudeness.
Macs are well-known to be widely-used graphics workstations, and the whole system is optimized towards that. I have a PowerBook that's about a half as fast as the one this guy is using and it runs Photoshop like a charm.
The guy did not say he wanted a "prettier interface". He said the Toughbook "slowed to a crawl" when he worked on it and the PowerBook actually works. You don't need to do a bake-off to compare "slowed to a crawl" with "actually works". Get over yourselves.
Well, my wallstreet has battery that disconnects when you touch it, a useless hinge, a busted audio out jack, and black rubber scraped off all over the place. I used it primarily as a desktop machine.
The reliability of machines like these seems to vary widely, but none are really designed to last longer than about 3 years these days, it's the unfortunate truth.
No one seems to have used the obvious headline... "Apple Computer scores some Major Weed" :-)
Apple laptops are effectively unusable for unix users.
I am a long-time Unix user. That means I need to have the Ctrl key to the left of the A key. This is a genuine need, not merely a want; it is based upon ergonomics. The Ctrl key is heavily used in unix, and it must be easily accessable. It cannot be off in the lower left corner of the keyboard where it is difficult to get at, and where it distorts the position of your left hand such that you can't easily type other keys while holding the Ctrl key down.
Apple desktop keyboards are now all USB. They are all OK. The CapsLock key can be re-mapped into a Ctrl key.
Unfortunately, even in this modern age, all Apple laptops have built-in ADB keyboards. The ADB keyboard is broken-by-design. It is, in general, not possible to remap the CapsLock key into a Ctrl key.
There are some exceptions, but they are horrible kludges. They are horrible kludges because the original design of the ADB keyboard was a horrible kludge. The correct solution would be for Apple to re-design their laptop motherboards to use built-in USB keyboards. This hasn't happened yet. If you run Linux, use Debian's solution. For Mac OS X users, uControl works. There are no solutions (that I know of) for either NetBSD or OpenBSD. Please note once again that the "solutions" above are in fact kludges, because of the original bad design of the ADB keyboard.
Apple provides a technical note on how to remap the keyboard, but provides no solution to the hardware problems caused by the design of the ADB keyboard. This tech note helps foreign language users, but does nothing for the CapsLock/Ctrl problem.
Apple is (currently) ignoring Unix users! This is not merely speculation on my part. In an on-going email exchange I am having with an Apple employee (whom I won't name) in their marketing department, the Apple marketing person directly stated to me that Apple was catering to their historic Mac customers, and is purposely ignoring the Unix market. He also claimed that Apple would soon start paying more attention to the Unix market. I won't hold my breath. Apple has been ignoring Unix users for more than 12 years. I expect that trend to continue.
Apple has now lost two opportunities to sell me hardware. I really wanted an Apple laptop for their superior battery life, and for the PowerPC with Altivec CPU. (The Altivec is vastly superior to the x86 line for DSP.) Because I can't live with the broken-by-design built-in ADB keyboard in all Apple laptops, Sony and IBM sold me laptops instead. If Apple fixes this problem, they will sell me a PowerBook next year; if they don't, I'll still be running OpenBSD on x86 hardware, and wishing I could use a Mac.
Except that the military satellite system doesn't really use normal file types. Check out this tutorial on the image format that is used by NIMA (sat imagery folks).
Now, I knew Major Weed a number of years ago, and he is really in MI but he was a journalist when he was enlisted. He may be doing some work in Photoshop just because it's not an imagery analyst's task but is useful and he knows the program. Imagery analysts, by the way, are never officers.
Illegitimi non carborundum
Except that the military satellite system doesn't really use normal file types. Check out this tutorial on the image format that is used by NIMA (sat imagery folks).
Now, I knew Major Weed a number of years ago, and he is really in MI but he was a journalist when he was enlisted. He may be doing some work in Photoshop just because it's not an imagery analyst's task but is useful and he knows the program. Imagery analysts, by the way, are never officers.
Illegitimi non carborundum
The Imagery Product Library can serve JPEG images via a Java-capable web browser to any machine on the network that is granted access. Cross-platform.
The actual analysis is done on Sun workstations, of course. Real mission-critical work is never trusted to anything but real machines.
Illegitimi non carborundum
It's still advertised as Duck Tape in my local hardware store in Ireland, although this may be a brand name.