Apple Remote Desktop 2 Released

chasingporsches writes "Today Apple released Apple Remote Desktop 2, a major upgrade of their network management software. New features include new software management support, and VNC support, which allows you to control and view any VNC-enabled Mac, Windows, or UNIX-based machine. Unlimited client price is $499, 10-client $299. It's not available as a free upgrade, but you can get a discounted price if you purchased the previous version today or later."

Comments

Up-To-Date Program

[chlorophyl]

For those of you who have or will purchase version 1.2 (version 2.0 won't ship till July) - you can get the new version for $19.95 by using these forms.

Up-To-Date 10 Client
Up-To-Date Unlimited Client

Re:Whatever

[chromaphobic]

If 10.0 had been release in 1995, this might be a valid comparison. But back in 1995 the Mac was still on System 7.5, so if you want a valid weighing of the cost to keep a system up-to-date you need to start counting a bit earlier than OS X.

Try: (leaving out free updates)
7.5 - 8.0 - 8.5 - 9.0 - 10.0 - 10.2 - 10.3
versus:
95 - 98 - ME - XP

Assuming upgrade prices (and assuming I'm remembering prices correctly,) thats:
99 + 99 + 99 + 99 + 129 + 129 + 129 = 783
versus:
99 + 99 + 99 + 99 = 396

Which means, to keep the Mac OS up-to-date has been nearly twice as expensive (assuming you never got any upgrades "free" with a new system purchase) over the last (almost) ten years.

I love my Mac, so I'd MUCH rather have those ten years of Mac Operating Systems than Windows (yes, even System 7.5!) but that doesn't change the fact that it IS more expensive to keep a Mac up-to-date.