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Apple Store selling PowerPC only games, very misleading

C

chelsel

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 24, 2007
479
250
Why are games, specifically SimCity 4, still being sold at the Apple Store when they only work properly on PowerPC http://www.aspyr.com/product/game_specs/23

There are no returns on software and if you don't read the fine print on the box you're completely out of luck. Apple should cease selling software that doesn't work with their current line of computers. Or, they should make a PowerPC section for games that don't work on their Intel hardware.

This is shameful for Apple to let Aspyr sell old software (well, software that doesn't work on the new Macs anyway).
 
chelsel said:
Why are games, specifically SimCity 4, still being sold at the Apple Store when they only work properly on PowerPC http://www.aspyr.com/product/game_specs/23

There are no returns on software and if you don't read the fine print on the box you're completely out of luck. Apple should cease selling software that doesn't work with their current line of computers. Or, they should make a PowerPC section for games that don't work on their Intel hardware.

This is shameful for Apple to let Aspyr sell old software (well, software that doesn't work on the new Macs anyway).
Click to expand...

Since when is System Requirements 'fine print'?
 
fine print or not, they're selling old wares

whether you consider System Requirements fine print or not, it's still old software that is being sold.

Most Apple customers would assume that something they buy at the store "just works" without having to do the IBM PC world equivalent of matching chips and version numbers to make sure the software will perform properly.

Or am I just being picky for believing that something I buy at the Apple Store "just works".
 
chelsel said:
Why are games, specifically SimCity 4, still being sold at the Apple Store when they only work properly on PowerPC http://www.aspyr.com/product/game_specs/23

There are no returns on software and if you don't read the fine print on the box you're completely out of luck. Apple should cease selling software that doesn't work with their current line of computers. Or, they should make a PowerPC section for games that don't work on their Intel hardware.

This is shameful for Apple to let Aspyr sell old software (well, software that doesn't work on the new Macs anyway).
Click to expand...

Did you try it on an Intel Mac? Did it work or not? Or do you just assume that it wouldn't work? I haven't tried SimCity, but my copy of Office 2004 for PowerPC works quite well on my Intel MacBook.
 
yes, I tried it, no it doesn't work

yes, I purchased it, tried it, and it does not work properly. Here is Aspyr's feedback on the matter: http://www.aspyr.com/software/news/23/138

They basically say it's not supported, here's a beta, let us know if it helps... still very misleading.

Cliff.
 
Just because it's "old" software doesn't mean they're obligated to stop selling it. System requirements are system requirements. If they can carry software that's Intel only, they can certainly carry software that's PowerPC only. It's up to you to make sure what you purchase will work on your machine, not Apple, or Aspyr.
 
Pathetique said:
Just because it's "old" software doesn't mean they're obligated to stop selling it. System requirements are system requirements. If they can carry software that's Intel only, they can certainly carry software that's PowerPC only. It's up to you to make sure what you purchase will work on your machine, not Apple, or Aspyr.
Click to expand...

Yep. I have a PPC Mac and would be upset if I couldn't buy games from Apple (or anywhere) just because "it's all Intel now." So long as the Apple Store page states the game is PPC only - and I haven't heard OP or anyone else dispute that - it's buyer-beware. Suggest purchasing from Amazon or another retailer with a better return policy next time (or try to wheedle an Apple CSR for a return - but no luck if you opened).
 
Not only that, but Aspyr has a very neat application that checks your computer and lets you know if your comp is compatible with the game....I hate to say it, but you didnt do your homework and got screwed...thats your bad, not apple or aspyr.

Also, i think its great they still have older software available, for a couple reasons. a) there are not as many games for mac, so if they got rid of the old ones, wed have almost nothing. b) older apples are still common to buy, so older software to accommodate them is great.
 
Since when did the APPLE STORE sell that? The link went to Aspyr, not Apple. So it's somehow Apple's fault for not monitoring every game website to make sure they only sell Intel? Mind you, some ppl still use PPC, and those computers will probably be much faster and better than yours.
 
SnowLeopard2008 said:
Since when did the APPLE STORE sell that?
Click to expand...
Actually, http://store.apple.com/us/product/TE832LL/A

While it would be nice of them to put a badge or something by the product saying PPC only, it is up to the buyer to see that their computer meets the system requirements, which are listed in the product description. There are also comments alerting people to the fact, and that there is actually a Universal Binary patch available (but apparently it sucks).
 
badges

I think badges on the product box is a great idea. It would help eliminate some confusion as to compatibility. Although I think this would've been more useful a year ago.

I'm sure I'm not the only one to be bitten by this problem, a lot of people I'm sure have no clue what the difference between PowerPC and Intel is. Heck, I've seen people at the Apple store who've never used a mouse before.
 
chelsel said:
I think badges on the product box is a great idea. It would help eliminate some confusion as to compatibility. Although I think this would've been more useful a year ago.
Click to expand...

Some of them do. They specify if it is a universal binary or not, which means it works fine on intel and PPC macs.

chelsel said:
I'm sure I'm not the only one to be bitten by this problem, a lot of people I'm sure have no clue what the difference between PowerPC and Intel is. Heck, I've seen people at the Apple store who've never used a mouse before.
Click to expand...

If people don't know, they shouldn't just wing it and complain when they're wrong. Apple have phone support, or if the customer is in a store, there are salespeople there who get paid to help people.
 
compared to the Windows world this sucks

I'm not saying I like the Windows world anymore, but compared to the Windows world this sucks... if you go to Best Buy and pick ANY 2 or 3 yr old Windows based game, it's going to work on pretty much everything they're selling in the store (except maybe for some low-end Intel GMA integrated graphics chip notebooks).

Oh well, I guess that's what you get transitioning your hardware architecture... will just have to learn to read the boxes and reviews more clearly.
 
apfhex said:
Actually, http://store.apple.com/us/product/TE832LL/A

While it would be nice of them to put a badge or something by the product saying PPC only, it is up to the buyer to see that their computer meets the system requirements, which are listed in the product description. There are also comments alerting people to the fact, and that there is actually a Universal Binary patch available (but apparently it sucks).
Click to expand...

Maybe I'm a bit sleepy. What I see is:

"700 MHz G4 or faster processor"

Well, most (all?) of Apple's Intel processors are faster processors :)

Is there another bit I'm missing?
 
Sorry, but you must look at the game specifics on every box.

Keep in mind many customers are still using PPC Macs too.
They have a right to buy games in the Apple store.
 
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