| Re: MacTel [message #44397 is a reply to message #44302] |
Tue, 07 June 2005 13:04  |
K. Bowman
Messages: 330
Registered: May 2000
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Senior Member |
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In article <d84ngk$r9f$1@news.nems.noaa.gov>,
Rick Towler <rick.towler@nomail.noaa.gov> wrote:
> As far as IDL on OS X is concerned it's hard to say (this is
> comp.lang.idl-pvwave, isn't it?) The next 18-24 months will be
> difficult as Apple transitions. I don't think anyone is going to run
> IDL using the binary translation layer so what does RSI do? We know they
> are reticent to support IDL on the OS X PPC architecture. Now are they
> going to support both? I think we can only hope that the claims that
> most applications can be recompiled in a few hours with just "minor
> tweaks" are true.
Since the OS X version is basically the Unix version (i.e., runs from the
command line under X Windows) the port should be straightforward, if not
trivial. It is not so much an OS X application as a FreeBSD application. ;-)
Altivec optimizations will need to be replaced with sorta-equivalent Intel
optimizations, but maybe the compiler will take care of that.
> You have to wonder what the Macatistas are thinking. Some of the cachet
> of the Mac platform was it's mysterious RISC based PPC architecture.
> Now you guys will be so ordinary. :) And <gasp> what if you could walk
> into your local apple store and buy a copy of OS X to run on your home
> built x86 PC? Then how would you discern yourself from the slobbering
> masses? You say it won't happen... And they said OS X would never run
> on x86 too.
Apple said yesterday that OS X will not run on generic PC hardware, although how
they will accomplish that has yet to be revealed. Apple is still mostly a
hardware company and can't afford to lose their hardware business.
The new machines may have Pentia inside, but they will still *look* cooler than
wintel machines outside. ;-) (And still cost more, no doubt.)
It has been an open secret that Apple has maintained a parallel x86 version of
OS X.
> Apple has ~18 months until Microsoft delivers Longhorn. 18 months to
> convince developers to "switch" to yet another platform. 18 months to
> convince users to "switch" to an arguably better OS. 18 months. It's a
> fine day in the soap opera that is the industry.
I think this will be tough on Apple. In the face of uncertainty, I don't plan
to buy any more PPC-based machines. We'll get by with what we have for the next
couple of years until we see how this all falls out.
> And Mac IDL users hold their breath.
I'm not worried yet, but RSI is about as transparent as Apple.
Ken Bowman
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