OS X for non-Apple Hardware
From Matthew Wright:
Hey Dan,
All the Psystar/Apple clone stuff in the news lately has me thinking
about the Apple as software company vs. hardware company question
again. I say both.
Regardless of whether or not these "Open Computers" make it to
market, it seems to me the only people who should really be worried by
the prospect of OS X running legally on non-Apple hardware is
Microsoft. How many Mac owners exclusively run Windows on their Intel
Macs? I don't know any. I only know a handful with Windows on there at
all, and all of them run it "because they have to" for work or school.
If OS X could run legally on non-Apple hardware, how many PC
owners would choose OS X over Vista in their eventual transition
out of XP?
It took Vista forever to come to market, and most everyone I know
hates it. OS X has been going through regular improvements and
versions for seven years now (if you start the timeline with Cheetah).
XP got a midnight call from the governor in the upcoming SP3, but its
retirement is officially coming soon. Vista is probably salvageable,
but most Windows users I know prefer - and most importantly still use -
XP. Even if Microsoft started from scratch with a new OS, the bottom
line is they don't have anything for the immediate future that is in
the same ballpark as OS X. A non-Apple-hardware version of the
next version of OS X would probably give Apple a 50-50 split on
the OS market in a relatively short period of time. It's not like
serious hacking is needed to run the current version of OS X,
Leopard, on any old PC now, so there's no downtime here for
development. The only real change needed would be policy.
Now my argument for this not cannibalizing Mac sales and for Apple
still being a hardware company - I keep buying Macs for the same
reasons I keep buying Toyotas: because once I buy one, I don't have to
worry about it all that much. So long as I keep up on regular
maintenance I can run them into the ground. With the exception of an
eMac I had whose CRT died 17 months after I bought it, all my Macs have
been trouble-free. How many Macs can that account for?
For a while I was a collector and have had approximately 30-plus
Macs running trouble free. I have a fully functional SE/30 that's only on its second
hard drive in 20 years. I had an iBook print server on a home network
of several computers that worked flawlessly and was easy to set up. I
had a Blue &
White music server happy on the same mixed network. Right now my
modern machines are a G5 tower and a MacBook Pro, but I could still be
handling Leopard fine in the field with the 12" Powerbook (circa 2003) I sold a few
months ago. My point being if OS X suddenly was kosher on a Dell
or Gateway or HP, it wouldn't change the fact that people who buy Macs
because they feel the hardware is better would continue to buy
Macs.
In my opinion, the rules have completely changed with the Intel
switch. Mac clones in the PowerPC era could only hurt Apple. But now
that Mac clones are PCs that are going to exist in the market anyway,
they can only help Apple sell more software.
Current Macs are on record as some of the best machines for running
Windows. So Apple is equally attractive to buyers as a hardware
company. As a software company I think people forget that a generic PC
version of OS X would also mean iApps. I have an XP box now, and
iTunes is still better than Media Player, and I am amazed there isn't a
calendar program for Windows that's half as good as iCal. Everything in
the iLife suite is better than its Microsoft counterpart. The only
Microsoft software I use at all anymore (on any machine) is Office,
which is still better than iWork. For now.
That's my two cents. I say open the flood gates. It can only be good
for Apple.
best,
Matthew
Matthew,
Several columnists have made the point that
"hackintoshes" can't hurt the Mac market and may actually help it, as
the people who build them tend to be the ones others go to for advice
when replacing their old PCs. If they're loving the Mac, they're going
to recommend it to people who can't be bothered building their own
clone.
As long as Apple isn't actively promoting OS X on
non-Apple hardware and turns a blind eye to the hackintosh community,
things should only get better. The biggest problem I see with Apple
selling OS X for Dell, HP, Gateway, and other hardware is the vast
range of hardware it would have to support. By only supporting the
graphics processors, I/O chips, WiFi chips, drive controllers, etc.
that Apple builds into its own computers, it's a lot easier to make a
robust, reliable operating system.
It would be nice to see Apple eventually open up
cloning for companies that want to reach specific markets that Apple
has ignored: tablets, 12" and smaller notebooks, and midrange desktops
come to mind. You can bet that Sony, Dell, and others would fight each
other for the right to build a single authorized Maclone.
Dan
Mac mini with HDTV
From Steven Hunter:
I actually have a good deal of experience with this matter. We run a
52" LCD HDTV as a Digital Sign in our building. We use an original Intel Mac mini (Core
Duo 1.83 GHz, 2 GB) running Keynote and a custom AppleScript
script to display slides. Some pictures of it in action are
here:
http://www.bio.purdue.edu/resources/cos-it/digital_sign/
(requires Flash)
Running your Mac (or indeed PC) on an HDTV is usually pretty easy.
You may need to use a program like DisplayConfigX to tweak the video
settings and convince OS X to output 1080p instead of 1080i (we
had to!). We also had to really tweak the video settings on the
TV to bring the quality inline with what we expected. The default
settings were just atrocious. Color was way too warm, sharpness was
through the roof (to the point of everything looking like a Photoshop
filter had been applied), and the contrast was off as well.
I also have my home PC connected to my HDTV, which was slightly
easier than the Mac once I figured out that my home theater's receiver
doesn't like computer video (for some reason; maybe my video card isn't
HDCP compliant).
As to audio, if you have a home theater receiver, pick up a mini TOS
Optical audio cable and plug it into your Mac's digital audio out port
(this is the headphone jack on your mini or iMac). Or use a 1/8" stereo
to RCA splitter and plug it into the "DVI" or "PC" audio input on the
HDTV. (Not necessarily available on all TVs)
Steven Hunter
Steven,
Thanks for sharing your findings.
Dan
Upgrade Dilemma
Sir,
I am in dire need of advice! I am running a desktop G4 with OS 9.
Why OS 9? Because I have all the Adobes from Photoshop 7, Illi 9,
Dreamweaver etc. I also have Sound Edit 16!
All these years, the only reason I have not upgraded to OS X is
because it does not support these programs, which cost me possibly
2K!
My browsers are at their highest compatible version, and fail more
and more often due to the Internet being designed increasingly around
newer formats. Forcing me to upgrade the Mac and into the 2K repurchase
of the OS X compatible Adobe software.
Suddenly I am offered a job traveling - I now need a laptop. I
pondered "Classic" running these programs on a new MacBook but was told
that even "classic" is no longer supported.
Every option seems to force me to buy the Adobe Master Suite, which
is 2K again on top of the 2K for a new Mac Book. This is a
ridiculous amount of money.
The only other way is to buy an older laptop with a version of
OS X which has Classic, but then I am not too far removed from the
shortcomings of my desktop in communicating with the fast evolving
world. - OHHH what to do - what to do????????
It is so unfair that these expensive programs are left in the
dust.
Thanks for your time,
Brian
Brian,
Those expensive programs have not been left in the
dust (well, except for Sound Edit 16). Adobe has continued to develop
them, so today's programs have a lot of features your old ones don't
have - and they're optimized for both OS X and the Intel CPUs that
Apple switched to two years ago.
It was nearly 6 years ago that Steve Jobs declared Mac
OS 9 dead. Mac OS X 10.0 had been released over a year earlier,
and version 10.1 in Sept. 2001. Apple had made OS X the default
operating system for new Macs in January 2002, and in January 2003 it
released the first Power Macs that could no longer boot into the
Classic Mac OS. At that point, Mac OS 9 was over three years old, and
the final version (9.2.2) has been out since Dec. 2001.
Apple did a wonderful thing in creating Classic Mode,
which allowed users to run Mac OS 9 and most "classic" apps while using
Mac OS X. It's worked well, and we still use it daily at Low End
Mac. Compatibility with software is extremely high.
Over the past 5 years, with OS X as the only version
of the Mac OS new Macs can boot, almost all development has left the
Classic Mac OS behind. When Apple switched to Intel CPUs, it did not
port the Classic Mode over, and over the course of 2006 Classic was
left behind as none of the new Macs supported it (this is especially
true of browsers). Apple completely abandoned Classic Mode with the
release of Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard" last October.
In short, it's been a long, gradual transition. Mac OS
X is rock solid, and the current dual-core, quad-core, and 8-core Macs
have an incredible amount of power. OS X itself has added feature
after feature, as have the programs designed for it - including those
from Adobe.
The Classic Mac OS still runs on all the old hardware,
Classic mode runs on all PowerPC-based Macs with PowerPC processors,
and SheepShaver makes it possible to emulate a PowerPC Mac on Intel
hardware, so it's probably possible to run your old apps on the newest
Macs with that emulator. You have plenty of options that avoid the need
to invest in new software.
That said, the new Adobe Master Suite includes
software several generations newer than you're using, programs with new
features that fully support Apple's Intel-based models. If you migrate
to new hardware and software, you'll probably find yourself more
productive.
I think you've gotten your money's worth out of your
old software, and if you transition to Macintel, you'll get your
money's worth from the new hardware, operating system, and software.
And you'll be able to use modern browsers.
However, if you're wed to your old software, a 15" or
17" PowerBook G4 in the 1.33-1.67 GHz range with Mac OS X 10.4
"Tiger" and Classic Mode will probably run circles around your old G4
desktop booted into OS 9.
Dan
802.11n Options for Quicksilver 2001
From Roy Huck:
Hi Dan,
I've noticed some 802.11n USB sticks and wondered if this would be a
solution to add n-wireless to a 2001 Quicksilver. This
originally shipped with USB 1.1 ports, and I added some USB 2.0 ports
via a PCI card. I believe some of the USB sticks note that USB 2.0 is
required, but I'm unsure if the added USB 2.0 would be an issue. Any
recommendations would be appreciated.
As always . . . this site is a great resource.
Thank you,
Roy
Roy,
I don't have any experience with USB WiFi sticks, but
any that work with the Mac should work with your Quicksilver. Some
don't need any additional drivers; Mac OS X will see them as
AirPort cards and use Apple's built-in drivers. Others require drivers;
if so, make sure they're included and support whatever version of
OS X you're using.
As far as adding USB 2.0 with a PCI card, there's only
one thing you need to be aware of: When your Mac goes to sleep, it
turns off power to the add-on USB cards, so you may have to reconnect
to the wireless network when your computer wakes up.
All of these dongles should be compatible with USB
1.1, but they have so much more bandwidth that you're holding them back
if you use them on a USB 1.1 port instead of USB 2.0.
NewerTech has a USB 2.0 802.11n solution with a neat
feature: an extension cable and a base to hold the dongle so you can
position it for better reception.
Dan
Hi Dan,
Thanks for the reply. I forgot about the sleep issue with the added
USB 2.0 ports. While reviewing the NewerTech product, I found they have
a PCI wireless
n adapter. I'm ordering this, as it supports all G4 Power Macs.
Thanks again,
Roy
PowerBook 5300 in a Coma
From T. Allen:
Dan,
My PowerBook 5300c was
my gift going into my freshman year back in 1990. But to say the least,
I had issues, abandoned Mac in the 90s only to return by purchasing a
PowerBook G4 in a terrible eBay deal in 2004. Despite my luck in the
circumstances surrounding my Mac purchases, I've found my self still
pretty happy with my G4.
Never got rid of my 5300c, which never had it's back seem replaced,
not to mention some issue that surfaced with the power supply
connection in the back. Does any one still work on the 5300c? I would
love to revive it if at all possible and am not scared of doing repairs
myself. I would just love to see some sort of repair manual so I can
see the secret in taking my machine apart, as I don't want to break it
while dissecting it . . . can you point me in the right
direction?
T,
The first thing to try is resetting the power manager,
which Apple documents in
PowerBook 100 through PowerBook 5300: Resetting Power Management Unit
(PMU).
If that doesn't help, see How to
Disassemble the PowerBook 5300, PowerBook 190.
Another helpful resource is PowerBook 5300
FAQ.
Dan
Lucida Grande
From Kevin O'Carroll:
Dan,
Sorry, but this reader finds the "new" font very difficult to read!
Just noticed you'd had a positive response on the change and wondered
if it might be system/display specific? (LCD screen, 1024 x 768 and
Windows XP [at work!])
Kevin
Kevin,
Yes, it's going to be system specific: If your
computer doesn't have Lucida Grande installed, the site will be
displayed with Lucida Sans. If that's not available, it will look for
Geneva, Verdana, Helvetica, and Arial, in that order. If it fails to
find any of those, it will use your browser's default sans serif
font.
If you have Safari or iTunes installed, you probably
have Lucida Sans. If you don't have either installed, you probably
don't have it on your Windows PC at all.
Dan
G3 DVD Burner Suggestions?
From Gavin Emery:
Hi Dan,
First of all I want to say thanks for such a wonderful resource for
Macs both old and new - Low End Mac is always my first stop when
looking for Apple news and views.
Anyway, the main reason I'm emailing you is because I've been
looking for an external DVD rewriter for my 700 MHz iBook G3 for
quite a while, but no matter how much I Google, I come up empty. All I
can find for sale are the latest models, and I'm lucky if they're
compatible with Intel Macs, let alone PowerPC.
So my question is this - what would you recommend? Will a DVD
rewriter designed for a new Mac still be identified by my trusty iBook,
even though the bundled software won't? It's probably a really stupid
question, but I figured I should ask first before going down to the
store and (literally) burning 200 dollars worth of equipment - I've
never really had the need for external hardware of this kind before.
Also, since I'm currently living in the UK, finding older drive models
proves to be a bit of a challenge outside eBay.
I've been hoping for a drive with a FireWire connection. I briefly
looked at portable hard drives, too, but they simply aren't a practical
option for me right now. If you're curious, I bought my iBook in June
2002 and am currently running OS X 10.3 Panther, occasionally
booting into 9.2 when needs be (though I must admit it's a rarity these
days).
Thanks in advance for reading, and I hope you'll be able to give me
some sage advice. I also apologise for my rather confusing form of
email composition!
Thanks again for the site, Dan, and keep up the great work!
-Gavin
Gavin,
You're thinking in the right direction. Those old G3
'Books have USB 1.1, and you'd never want to use anything that slow to
burn DVDs. FireWire is the way to go.
I did a little Google search on "firewire dvd-rw mac"
and found the following: Other World
Computing, 20x external FireWire/USB 2.0 drive, $78, uses Patchburn 3 for compatibility
with OS X 10.3, supports DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, and DVD+RW media.
Includes a very nice software bundle. I consider that a real deal.
Dan
DeskWriter 680c Drivers for OS X
From Mike Thompson:
Not sure if you or any other readers can help, but am trying to get
my old hp printer (above) to work under OS X with Keyspan USB-to-serial
adapter. Have installed Gutenprint (states driver for DeskJet 680c not
DeskWriter), but still no joy and printer not recognized
apparently.
Anyone had any luck?
Many thanks for consideration.
Mike Thompson
Mike,
As far as I can tell, the DeskWriters are all orphaned
products that neither HP nor Apple has provided OS X drivers
for.
Dan
Methinks Apple Owes You Some Royalties
From Lee Farrell in response to Now That's Different!:
Hello Mr. Knight!
I was reading through the archives, when I came across an article
you wrote back in 2000, about a one-pound PC. It was really the last
sentence that caught my attention. You should fire this off to Infinite
Loop and see if they'll give you any credit for it!
"We're looking at something about the same size as a 500 page mass
market paperback (which I just measured at 4.1" wide, 7" tall, and
about 1-1/4" thick). Wow! I'll even suggest a name: the MacBook." I'd
ask for credit where it's due :)
Peace,
Lee Farrell
Lee,
Thanks for the reminder. That article did foreshadow
the Mac mini, which
arrived almost five years later. The big difference is that the tiny
Pocket EPC System didn't have a built-in optical drive.
As far as the MacBook name goes, maybe I should have
filed for a trademark. ;-)
Dan
Dan Knight has been publishing Low
End Mac since April 1997. Mailbag columns come from email responses to his Mac Musings, Mac Daniel, Online Tech Journal, and other columns on the site.
