Current mac software on mactels

[Anthony8720]

Will all the software that is currently available for osx work on the new mactels?

 

[yellow]

Supposedly, using Rosetta, no?

 

[stridey]

Supposedly, using Rosetta, no?

Supposedly, using Rosetta, yes!

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I think it's also safe to say that the release of the first x86 Macs will coincide with a lot of developers releasing x86 native versions of their software.

 

[Eidorian]

I know Front Row is PowerPC/Intel already. What are other applications with universal libraries? I've seen some mention it on their websites but I forgot which ones. *sob*

 

[Morn]

We should see a few more universal binaries at macworld. Perhaps for some pro apps also if it's the powerbook that's out.

 

[Anthony8720]

I guess im just concerned about the library of software that I have for the current macs. I use MS Office and Starry Night Pro frequently, I am a little worried that these very expensive programs will be useless on the new machines.

 

[NewbieNerd]

Yeah, we currently just have my fiance's 3 month old iBook and I'm eager to get a powerbook, so I'm not sure if we should both use PPCs or not. Probably not since (a) we don't buy much software and (b) don't do the same things, so hopefully that will be enough justification to get an x86 pBook.

 

[Morn]

Steve Jobs was using MS Office just fine on the intel mac developer unit at WWDC. All powerpc software should work on a intel mac.... don't try and do anything CPU intensive with them though.

 

[MacDawg]

My concern is the other way around.
If I buy a Powerbook now, that runs all of my software, what happens a year from now when all of this cool stuff comes out for the Intel processors and won't run on my Powerbook?

Woof, Woof – Dawg

 

[Sun Baked]

Anything that runs on a iBook G3 should run fine.

The x86 cannot support Altivec calls, so no G4/G5 software -- there are some hints that Apple may include a emulation layer for compatibility, but this may make the current versions of VPC look speedy.

Don't expect that using any apps that requires a G4/G5 to be anything but painful.

These apps are the ones that you will want to upgrade as soon as possible.

 

[Sharewaredemon]

My concern is the other way around.
If I buy a Powerbook now, that runs all of my software, what happens a year from now when all of this cool stuff comes out for the Intel processors and won't run on my Powerbook?

Woof, Woof – Dawg

I remember reading somewhere that software will be released with dual binaries for some years to come.

 

[Counterfit]

I remember reading somewhere that software will be released with dual binaries for some years to come.

But there will almost certainly be apps that require something special that doesn't exist on the PPC chip itself, and only on the Intel one.

 

[Sharewaredemon]

But there will almost certainly be apps that require something special that doesn't exist on the PPC chip itself, and only on the Intel one.

True, but those apps will likely only be Pro apps.

But it is still possible that things like iLife would take advantage something as yet unknown that is not available on the PPC chip.

 

[~Shard~]

Hopefully companies will use universal binaries for quite some time, so even apps which are released in the next few years will still work just fine on existing PPC architecture.

 

[Anthony8720]

Steve Jobs was using MS Office just fine on the intel mac developer unit at WWDC. All powerpc software should work on a intel mac.... don't try and do anything CPU intensive with them though.

Well thats certainly some weight off my shoulders, since i just bought the software.

 

[mammajamma]

I think this heavily depends on what kind of software you are using with an Intel Mac. I don't see Rosetta as an all-around solution to the problem... During the OS 9 to OS X transition, classic was touted as being able to run all your programs in OS X. Unfortunately most of the pro audio and pro video applications that I was interested in running didn't run well under classic (if at all). I see Rosetta as the same kind of stop-gap solution. They will run simple applications (which is fine for the majority of users) like Microsoft Office, but when it comes to CPU intensive video and audio applications, Rosetta will be less than helpful. So I guess this depends on what kind of applications you are planning on using with one of those new Intel macs.

Personally, I use a lot of esoteric synthesis programs like SuperCollider and Max/MSP which aren't going to run well under Rosetta (I can almost guarantee this fact, as the developers of this software have said not to expect dual binaries for a while). I can imagine that dual binaries for these programs are also a long ways off (1-2 years).

Even if you have all the speed in the world, there's going to be a bottleneck effect if you can't run the applications you need on the new platform. I just purchased a PowerBook G4 to last me through the software/hardware transition, and I hope to buy an intel mac after all the applications I need are ported and native to the new intel format. However like the rest of you, I'm excited to see what the new Macs will look like!

 

[MacDawg]

So, will the compatibility problems be less if you buy a Powerbook now, trying to run new optimized for Intel software down the road, or will it be less in buying an Intel PB and trying to run older software not yet ported to Intel?

Six of one, half dozen of the other??

Woof, Woof – Dawg

 

[mammajamma]

depends on what software you plan to run. if you just check e-mail, use a word processor, and browse the web, hold out for the intel macs.

if you do video, audio, or other pro applications, stick with a G4/G5 until software is ported natively.

 

[Eidorian]

I just play a few games on my iMac and that's what I'm worried about. I don't care if MS Office only runs at 50-70% of PPC's speed on an Intel. It's fast enough as it is. If it's transparent enough I can just carry over all of my mini-apps short of a few open source video encoding ones. I've noticed most of them are nearing a universal binary already.

I just want my new iBook/PowerBook to be powerful enough to run some future Mac games. Like the occasional FPS and strategy game. (America's Army/CIV IV)

 

[mammajamma]

for some reason, I doubt that rosetta will run games very well. Don't take my word for it though, wait until January 10th.

 

[Eidorian]

for some reason, I doubt that rosetta will run games very well. Don't take my word for it though, wait until January 10th.

I don't expect to run games via Rosetta. I'm more worried about MS Office and the bunch of lightweight free/open source programs I have.

I hope that there are games for the Intel Mac too. I know Aspyr has been working on it. I'm not sure if smaller companies will offer Intel ports.

 

[badmofo9000]

The current developer release supports altivec and runs MOST ppc apps with ease. There is some slow down, but nothing really noticable unless you are running some pro apps. I have first hand knowlege of all of this.

 

[Morn]

Rosetta will certainly not run mac games well.... games need a good CPU.
Alhough mactels will run windows games well if you boot into windows.
Mac games will need to be recompiled to run well.

Anything that runs on a iBook G3 should run fine.

The x86 cannot support Altivec calls, so no G4/G5 software -- there are some hints that Apple may include a emulation layer for compatibility, but this may make the current versions of VPC look speedy.

The latest versions of Rosetta has Altivec. Rosetta should run every OSX app. Some might run too slow to use though... pro apps mostly.