Apple might discontinue the Mac Pro

[Dolby]

Hi Dolby, you appear to love to tackle the most controversial topics head-on lol

... and you're always the one to tackle me head on!

We're talking 'Apple' and 'future' here and the majority here seem to think they go hand in hand and predict everything correctly? Apple is no better at predicting future technology than anyone else.

Let's use your example :

Yes, the 3.5" was first used on an Apple - but they no hand in it at all. That was about a year after their own flop when it came to designing a disc? Which was around the time of their flopped Lisa? And their flopped Apple III? I'm sure he predicted the world to be using his disc in his Apple III ... but he was wrong.

Steve decided about 4 years back that was Flash was a dying technology. By his own admission, it's still 70% of the videos online and assuming it dies in a few more years, we could be looking at close to decade before Flash is finally gone. I'd call that an error myself :/ Predicting the death of a technology is easy .... everything will die off and be replaced eventually. He got the timing wrong on Flash IMO

Blu Ray did falter initially because of the format war - but what about now? I'm sure Apple predicted the death of optical media a few years back too - yet we're here with sub R1,000.00 players, 1 billion discs sold per year and 100+ million people that use this? Yes - it'll die and be replaced ... but when?

Apple isn't a prophet on technology and often get it wrong too. They've also got a string of product and technology flops behind their own name.

EDIT : I'm not trying to argue every point, but it does seem like there are people that think everything Apple does it correct. Everything they use - is right. Everything they discard - is right. Everything with Apple, is the future.

It's not.

 

[[)roi(]]

... and you're always the one to tackle me head on!

We're talking 'Apple' and 'future' here and the majority here seem to think they go hand in hand and predict everything correctly? Apple is no better at predicting future technology than anyone else.

Let's use your example :

Yes, the 3.5" was first used on an Apple - but they no hand in it at all. That was about a year after their own flop when it came to designing a disc? Which was around the time of their flopped Lisa? And their flopped Apple III? I'm sure he predicted the world to be using his disc in his Apple III ... but he was wrong.

Steve decided about 4 years back that was Flash was a dying technology. By his own admission, it's still 70% of the videos online and assuming it dies in a few more years, we could be looking at close to decade before Flash is finally gone. I'd call that an error myself :/ Predicting the death of a technology is easy .... everything will die off and be replaced eventually. He got the timing wrong on Flash IMO

Blu Ray did falter initially because of the format war - but what about now? I'm sure Apple predicted the death of optical media a few years back too - yet we're here with sub R1,000.00 players, 1 billion discs sold per year and 100+ million people that use this? Yes - it'll die and be replaced ... but when?

Apple isn't a prophet on technology and often get it wrong too. They've also got a string of product and technology flops behind their own name.

EDIT : I'm not trying to argue every point, but it does seem like there are people that think everything Apple does it correct. Everything they use - is right. Everything they discard - is right. Everything with Apple, is the future.

It's not.

... and to not disappoint, here's me going head on...
Apple in no way are the inventors of everything... to the contrary they are good are taking good basic technologies and packaging them in a way that's makes them desirable -- yes even the Apple I & II, consisted of parts obtained from other companies.

Consider the direction shift with music players, cell phones and tablets since Apple entered these spaces (more so let their financial success be an indication that they must be doing something different to their competitors and at the same time providing what the customer's want -- trust me not everyone was either born an Android fanboy or iOS Fanboy )

Competition is healthy -- as it drives innovation forward; Blatant copying on either side, without the additional of some new secret sauce only serves to stifle the market and innovation (Hands up who wants to go back to a phone prior to touch screen technologies, or hands up those that want to go back to Vista / XP or Windows 98)

Of course Apple makes mistakes and yes you don't have to look far to find these. Overall their approach imo has been positive as it challenge the norm and/or mediocrity... and argue or agree if you will... their impact overall has been positive for the consumer... for example I think:

• Android is better as a result of the iPhone entrance...
• Windows is better as a result of the OS X threat...
• Amazon is better as a result of iTunes...
• etc...

Similarly Facebook will get better because of Google+

Although I appreciate good technology as opposed to blatant copying; I am honestly supporting the success of both sides; a monopoly never results in anything good -- we need only look at Telkom, Vodacom or our dear Gov as examples of how bad too much power is for innovation; Apple is not immune to this type of complacency or laziness (you don't have to go too far into Apple's history btw), hence I want Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Microsoft, etc. to succeed...

 

[undesign]

Great post.

We're lucky to have Android vs Apple debates. It means innovation and moving forward.

 

[macboer]

Steve didn't "predict" flash's death. Apple just don't want other co. to control too much of what goes on on their devices, if any.

Apple (maybe Steve) thinks that HTML is superior to Flash. Which it is, in 95% of the cases.

 

[[)roi(]]

Steve didn't "predict" flash's death. Apple just don't want other co. to control too much of what goes on on their devices, if any.

Apple (maybe Steve) thinks that HTML is superior to Flash. Which it is, in 95% of the cases.

It never used to be; for many years flash was superior.
Now don't get me wrong, Steve didn't predict the death or even kill flash... what he did do is keep it off Apple's devices (you can make up your own mind why) and the popularity of the iPhone + iPad encouraged sites to start looking into HTML5 as an alternative...

It's imo much better than before, except maybe for H.265 players that still need some more work...
As a contrasting view; flash has always been a pain for the blind community -- text to speech systems definitely cope a lot better with standard HTML5 as opposed to flash. The overall result is what counts... I like to think it's positive...

Btw have you seen some of the new extensions Adobe has proposed for HTML5 transitions -- It looks as if Adobe has finally come on board, and with its graphics might, might very well be one of the companies that is recognized as being fundamental to html5 ultimate success...

 

[Dolby]

All I'm saying is 'Apple' and 'future' shouldn't be used in the same sentence - which I've heard a few times on this forum. Just causes me to chuckle a little ...

 

[[)roi(]]

All I'm saying is 'Apple' and 'future' shouldn't be used in the same sentence - which I've heard a few times on this forum. Just causes me to chuckle a little ...

Nothing about future, except that you could quite easily say they challenge the norm ... and in that way push the industry forward.

I like Apple for its build quality (both hardware and software).

I find it difficult to look at another laptop or desktop without being appalled by the bad designs and materials employed.

On the Apple end, the lack of an easy upgrade option for the HDD on the iMac irritates me though.

 

[Dolby]

True ... love the design.

Dumb question I guess - but there's no issue with drivers or anything anymore?
If I put in my Cell C dongle, Canon laser and Netgear Wireless N dongle - all will work instantly?
How does networking to a Windows PC work?
Isn't there a 24" iMac - seems just 21.5" and 27"?

And lastly - my old PC is a Quad Core 2.5ghz Q9300 with 4GB RAM - I'm guessing the i5 machines aren't much faster than what I have currently?

 

[[)roi(]]

True ... love the design.

Dumb question I guess - but there's no issue with drivers or anything anymore?
If I put in my Cell C dongle, Canon laser and Netgear Wireless N dongle - all will work instantly?

I take it you are referring to Mac OSX; If so then it's pretty much the same as for Windows and Linux -- If you don't have the right drivers then you going to experience problems.

It is however becoming less of a problem re:

• Most peripheral manufacturers provide drivers for OSX, and Apple provides its own drivers for the majority of the popular peripherals (same as Microsoft) -- so they work out of the box.
• With WIFI cell routers (MIFI, …) -- most people are opting to use an external router as this avoid all the hassle of plugging in a USB device (which on any of the OS systems is a pain to get working)

...and in answer to your devices, yes they all will work just fine...

Networking to a PC is very simple; browse, connect, enter password...
24" iMac was replaced by 27" a few years ago... I'd rather steer you in the direction of a Macbook Pro re portability, and it's HDD can be upgraded.

To be honest, you are always going to come unstuck on comparing just hardware... The software imo is what really makes the difference (except maybe a solid state disk; wow those puppies really make things happen quickly)..

If you like to avoid buying new hardware, then I'd suggest you look in Hackintosh and get OSX running on your current hardware... Not going to be a perfect shiny experience, but you get to enjoy OSX, and you can set-up dual boot to Windows 7 as well. There are some experts with Hackintosh on this forum, sure they could help you...

 

[clasqm]

Hands up who wants to go back to a phone prior to touch screen technologies,

<Intense coughing fit>
I do, actually. After the 3-year old scientist in the house field-tested the water-resistant capacity of my Sony Ericsson and my wife's Nokia, I picked up two ancient looking Samsung dumbphones (remember the old clamshell design? They still make them!) while travelling in Europe. For 20 Euros each, they work fine and when the experiment was repeated (3-year old scientist believes in the principle of verification), they turned out to be a lot more robust. So now I carry the iPod Touch and a really trendy "retro" phone. . It charges in an hour and maintains that charge all week.

I'll get the 4S when it lands here and my contract runs out. But don't knock dumbphones; they just keep on trucking.
</Intense coughing fit>

or hands up those that want to go back to Vista / XP or Windows 98)

OK, you got me there. But we wouldn't want to go back to MacOS system 7 either ...

 

[[)roi(]]

<Intense coughing fit>
I do, actually. After the 3-year old scientist in the house field-tested the water-resistant capacity of my Sony Ericsson and my wife's Nokia, I picked up two ancient looking Samsung dumbphones (remember the old clamshell design? They still make them!) while travelling in Europe. For 20 Euros each, they work fine and when the experiment was repeated (3-year old scientist believes in the principle of verification), they turned out to be a lot more robust. So now I carry the iPod Touch and a really trendy "retro" phone. . It charges in an hour and maintains that charge all week.

I'll get the 4S when it lands here and my contract runs out. But don't knock dumbphones; they just keep on trucking.
</Intense coughing fit>

OK, you got me there. But we wouldn't want to go back to MacOS system 7 either ...

Lol re your 3 year old scientist...
I agree the simple / dumb phones deliver on many things that the new smartphones don't (robustness, battery life, hardiness, ...) but that doesn't mean I want to install a rotary dial phone at home.

The smartphone is a compromise, but unless you willing to carry multiple gadgets, you are going to have to compromise.

I find I spend less time on the phone and more on email, sms, etc... hence I had to part ways with my old trusty "bounce off the wall/floor" Nokia a few years back.

 

[koffiejunkie]

My old Nokia 5110 once spent around two days at the bottom of someone's pool (there was a party, and lots of alcohol, and people got thrown into the pool). Took it apart, applied hair dryer and sunshine, and used it for two more years.

But damn, I like my iPhone4 so much more