SillyDog701

[Pu7o]

I do plan to get a Mac mini eventually . . .

Wait until next year, when you can get one with an Intel processor in it.

There's nothing wrong with current PowerPC processor.

Except that a Mac running on an Intel processor will be able to run all the new Intel-only apps that will come out, as well as the possibility of running the millions of applications available for Windows through CodeWeavers' Crossover Office or OpenDarwin's Darwine, including Netscape 8.

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[DJGM]

I do plan to get a Mac mini eventually . . .

Wait until next year, when you can get one with an Intel processor in it.

There's nothing wrong with current PowerPC processor.

Except that a Mac running on an Intel processor will be able to run all the new Intel-only apps that will
come out, as well as the possibility of running the millions of applications available for Windows
through CodeWeavers' Crossover Office or OpenDarwin's Darwine, including Netscape 8.

The Macs that'll be running on Intel processors won't just have MacIntel only applications to take advantage of.
If you watched Steve Jobs' Keynote presentation speech, at the recent Apple WWDC 2005 (via QuickTime),
you'll know that most existing Mac software developers will be able to just apply a few tweaks to their
code, recompile it, and have "Universal Binaries" ready to run on both PowerPC and Intel based Macs.

Of course, apps made specifically for Windows will be able to run with the planned Mac version of CrossOver,
with Darwine, or Microsoft VirtualPC. Mind you, there is also the possibility that the new Intel based Macs,
may be able to run the entire Windows OS natively as though it was on an ordinary bog standard PC,
With that in mind, it could be possible, to dual between Mac OS X and Windows on the same box.

As for Netscape 8.x - by that time, the AOL/Mercurial/Netscape devs may have bowed under the pressure,
and restored Netscape's cross platform browser tradition. I'm not holding my breath on that one though!

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[Pu7o]

While it is possible to create universal apps, most companies will probaby not do it in order to reduce the size of the application. They will only support the "latest", which will be Intel Macs. And you do know that universal apps are big, right?

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[DJGM]

Having watched the Apple WWDC Keynote video, I can't imagine the "Universal Binary" programs being much
bigger than the versions made for running on one type of processor. Here's a prime example of this theory:

There's a Mac program called "Mathematica", which is apparently already a very large app, with millions of
code. The head developer of that program was introduced on stage at the WWDC. He explained that Jobs
invited him to come over with a HDD full of the code from the "Mathmatica". Apparently, applying all of
the necessary tweaks, changes and alterations to the code, and a recompile of the program, to create
a complete "Universal Binary" version of the entire program, took just two hours.

The main part of the "Universal Binary" would be the executable (appname.app) that tells the operating
system to run the program. Whether it's being run on a PowerPC Mac, or on one of the new "Macintel"
machines, the app would know which processor is in use, and run the program accordingly.

It's early days yet, but by the time Intel based Macs become available, "Universal Binary" programs
will be available, and I'd imagine they'll only be a small percentage larger than the older versions.
I think only those programs that are likely to take a fair bit longer than others to convert, will
end up a noticably higher percentage larger than the versions currently available.

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[DJGM]

The Mac OS X Tiger Media Program was due to end this week, but Apple have extended it
to the end of the year. As long as the application is postmarked before 22nd December.

It seems to have been extended for the UK only. I can't find it on the Apple US website.

More info . . .

Media Exchange Program for Mac OS X Tiger.

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