I can get a copy of Mac OS X for $79 if I know where to look. Or I can get 12 copies (a new update every month, on CD, full legal copies) for $99. If you know where to look, you can get lot's of things.
Subnotebooks also don't use full desktop processors. In fact, many of them are still using celerons. They also use much smaller screens and a different graphics set. In all, the original question pertains to why PC manufacturers can't seem to get their regular notebooks to Apple's sizes. Sub-notebooks are not in the same market as a regular notebook.
In all honesty, they can get that light, that small and that powerful, Sony does a nice job with it. But likewise, they also get more expensive as the Sony's come pretty close to Apple in pricing.
1) It's cheaper. If you don't have to make parts smaller, and you don't have to worry about the problems associated with high power in small areas, it makes things cheaper since you can put a larger heat sink in instead of designing a better air flow system.
2) Swapable bays. Now I haven't seen this laptop (the link is down) but if they use the swable bays, they have to change how things are controled, drives become heavier and it changes things.
3) Duability. While the powerbook and ibook durability is certainly not horrible, the thicker the laptop, generaly speaking the more durable it is (for example, the old clamshell iBooks could be dropped from fairly decent hights with no damage except maybe a busted CD rom cover.
There are some theming apps availible, but Apple was never big on themes. Even in OS 9 (and maybe 8, I forget if that had schemes) it was more just color schemes and not actual themes. You probably won't see new themes for a while except from third party people.
As for the biege G3, well like you said, you have an app to install it, but eventualy, we must all realize that our aging macs need to stay in the OS they have. I would love to see my old 5400/180 with the G3 upgrade running OS X, but it's really not feaseable, the computer works much better as a classic machine, and so that's where it will stay untill it finaly dies.
And 4 weeks after the final version is released, someone will have iChatUSB out or some similar project that alows for USB cameras.
You're right, Apple CHOSE not to allow USB as a supported protocol. And you CHOSE to use iChat as opposed to another program.
USB isn't exactly the best thing for video. Firewire does much better and that's what Apple has been pushing for a long time. USB for periphrials, Firewire for data/video.
It's great that companies are getting out new things, but how likely is it that they will ever be used? Many people still have PS/2 and serial ports, and they bought hardware for that, and none of that hardware is compatable for USB. As much as I like this, wouldn't it be better to develop codecs to promote this or work on the last mile issue?
It's this sort of attitude (which to mean seems very prevalent in everything except processors in the x86 world) that is the reason why ISA slots were still arround 3 years ago, and why it took untill Apple pushed USB out the door before it actualy became a worthwhile standard.
Ok dad, click the terminal icon ok, good. now type sudo apt-get install gnome-meeting. done? cool!
It's asking for the root password? Well type it in.... It's the one you first typed in when we installed this, the one I told you you shouldn't use unless you're told to. What do you mean you don't remember it? I told you not to forget it.
If Apple could have produced better results with a better compiler, than they should have. The end.
And if apple did that, instead of conspiracy theories of crippling the Dell there would be theories about apple using a highly tweaked compiler with mac only very specific and cheating instructions.
Let's face it, no matter what Apple (or any other company for that matter) does, the results are going to be suspect.
They will, when the G4s get phased out. Hell they're stil using G3 processors. Jeezus, where are the "consumer" opteron systems or the consumer xeon systems. The high end products are going to cost more money, that's a fact.
Of course, that doesn't take into account the power, space and heat requirements. Somehow I think if you're going to spend that much money, you should probably get the single computer.
It's not really skewed, let's look at it this way. How many topics are there that cover x86 hardware and software, and how many topics cover PPC hardware and software.
Eh, sorry bout that, bad keystrokes, the point remains the same. And the $99 spent on the developer package pays for itself beccause apple ships a new copy of the OS every month to you.
My guess is because AFAIK, you can't buy an AMD machine from the major vendors, and most places have their POs with Dell or one of the other major vendors.
That special Apple version of GCC could have just been the version built for the PPC.
Or it could have something to do with this from the GCC webpage:
The version of GCC shipped by Apple typically includes a number of extensions not available in a standard GCC release. These extensions are generally specific to Mac programming.
And platform dependancy, because as much as PC people would like to believe they can just up and leave Windows when ever they choose, they have a lot of money invested in software that won't work anywhere else.
definately should have called Apple. When the store people treat you bad, call apple and complain. And complain loudly. They will usualy take things in and do repairs.
I can get a copy of Mac OS X for $79 if I know where to look. Or I can get 12 copies (a new update every month, on CD, full legal copies) for $99. If you know where to look, you can get lot's of things.
Subnotebooks also don't use full desktop processors. In fact, many of them are still using celerons. They also use much smaller screens and a different graphics set. In all, the original question pertains to why PC manufacturers can't seem to get their regular notebooks to Apple's sizes. Sub-notebooks are not in the same market as a regular notebook.
In all honesty, they can get that light, that small and that powerful, Sony does a nice job with it. But likewise, they also get more expensive as the Sony's come pretty close to Apple in pricing.
Lower speed drives are nessesary in laptop computers because the drives have a tendancy to be jarred much more often than a desktop drive.
A few reasons:
1) It's cheaper. If you don't have to make parts smaller, and you don't have to worry about the problems associated with high power in small areas, it makes things cheaper since you can put a larger heat sink in instead of designing a better air flow system.
2) Swapable bays. Now I haven't seen this laptop (the link is down) but if they use the swable bays, they have to change how things are controled, drives become heavier and it changes things.
3) Duability. While the powerbook and ibook durability is certainly not horrible, the thicker the laptop, generaly speaking the more durable it is (for example, the old clamshell iBooks could be dropped from fairly decent hights with no damage except maybe a busted CD rom cover.
There are some theming apps availible, but Apple was never big on themes. Even in OS 9 (and maybe 8, I forget if that had schemes) it was more just color schemes and not actual themes. You probably won't see new themes for a while except from third party people.
As for the biege G3, well like you said, you have an app to install it, but eventualy, we must all realize that our aging macs need to stay in the OS they have. I would love to see my old 5400/180 with the G3 upgrade running OS X, but it's really not feaseable, the computer works much better as a classic machine, and so that's where it will stay untill it finaly dies.
What version of Quicktime are you using? The window I have open in front of me shows the time code on the left, clicking it does nothing.
Clicking on the sound levels on the right however brings up the sound controls.
You might want to try calibrating the color on your laptop. The tab names are quite readable on my powerbook.
not even netmeeting can help you on dialup.
Video just does not go on dial up. period.
And 4 weeks after the final version is released, someone will have iChatUSB out or some similar project that alows for USB cameras.
You're right, Apple CHOSE not to allow USB as a supported protocol. And you CHOSE to use iChat as opposed to another program.
USB isn't exactly the best thing for video. Firewire does much better and that's what Apple has been pushing for a long time. USB for periphrials, Firewire for data/video.
It's great that companies are getting out new things, but how likely is it that they will ever be used? Many people still have PS/2 and serial ports, and they bought hardware for that, and none of that hardware is compatable for USB. As much as I like this, wouldn't it be better to develop codecs to promote this or work on the last mile issue?
It's this sort of attitude (which to mean seems very prevalent in everything except processors in the x86 world) that is the reason why ISA slots were still arround 3 years ago, and why it took untill Apple pushed USB out the door before it actualy became a worthwhile standard.
For the most part, but did you ever use OS X beta? It was buggy as all hell. Useable as a regular system (about as useable as linux) but buggy.
Ok dad, click the terminal icon ok, good. now type sudo apt-get install gnome-meeting. done? cool!
It's asking for the root password? Well type it in.... It's the one you first typed in when we installed this, the one I told you you shouldn't use unless you're told to. What do you mean you don't remember it? I told you not to forget it.
If Apple could have produced better results with a better compiler, than they should have. The end.
And if apple did that, instead of conspiracy theories of crippling the Dell there would be theories about apple using a highly tweaked compiler with mac only very specific and cheating instructions.
Let's face it, no matter what Apple (or any other company for that matter) does, the results are going to be suspect.
They will, when the G4s get phased out. Hell they're stil using G3 processors. Jeezus, where are the "consumer" opteron systems or the consumer xeon systems. The high end products are going to cost more money, that's a fact.
Of course, that doesn't take into account the power, space and heat requirements. Somehow I think if you're going to spend that much money, you should probably get the single computer.
It's not really skewed, let's look at it this way. How many topics are there that cover x86 hardware and software, and how many topics cover PPC hardware and software.
Sitcking feathers in one's ass does not make one a chicken.
Seriously, I have a Sparc 2 lying arround in my room that I turn on from time to time, I certainly would not call myself a SUN user though.
Eh, sorry bout that, bad keystrokes, the point remains the same. And the $99 spent on the developer package pays for itself beccause apple ships a new copy of the OS every month to you.
My guess is because AFAIK, you can't buy an AMD machine from the major vendors, and most places have their POs with Dell or one of the other major vendors.
Get a real job instead of one that requires you to copy the same file from one folder to another over the course of several months.
OTOH, you have no proof of concept on your PC.
That special Apple version of GCC could have just been the version built for the PPC.
Or it could have something to do with this from the GCC webpage:
The version of GCC shipped by Apple typically includes a number of extensions not available in a standard GCC release. These extensions are generally specific to Mac programming.
Which, AFAIK should not affect the SPEC tests
And platform dependancy, because as much as PC people would like to believe they can just up and leave Windows when ever they choose, they have a lot of money invested in software that won't work anywhere else.
They used the spec tests this time arround too.
definately should have called Apple. When the store people treat you bad, call apple and complain. And complain loudly. They will usualy take things in and do repairs.