I don't if this is worthy to anybody or not, but here goes . . .
I run a media production company and I need a new Mac Pro. I still have clients who want DVDs and CDs and I have PCIe cards that I want to continue to use. Apple has not addressed anything in their earlier communications about the circular Mac Pro this year, about how cards were going to work or the lack of CDs or DVDs (never mind anything related to USB 2, Firewire 400, Firewire 800, or eSata). I assume breakout boxes are in Mac Pro users future, but without any discussion of that, I hate to guess. The incompatibilities of the new Mac Pro with my old hard drives, cards, or other equipment could be a staggering amount of money to invest in new gear.
In addition, I'm still a media editor who is smarting from Apple's answer to Windows Vista with the release of Final Cut Pro X (not a good move for a product that was an strong industry standard in Final Cut 6 and Final Cut 7). By the way, an Apple Store employee actually said to me that Final Cut Pro X is really just "iMovie plus, it's not a professional tool. You should go to Adobe Premiere." I already had been stung once by Apple's sudden switch to something different, I didn't want to get hurt again.
So, I thought I would purchase kick-butt old version Mac Pro tower before the new ones came out. Working with an Apple Business Representative, I made the purchase on October 21st. Apple made their presentation on October 22nd and mentioned nothing about the issues I raised above, other than the new circular Mac Pro's would be available in December. On Friday the 25th of October, my order online suddenly showed a picture of the new circular Mac Pro, but with the specs of the old Mac Pro tower I'd ordered. I called my Apple business representative who said he'd check in with his "back room" people and find out what was going on.
On October 28th, I got a call from one of those "back room" people, a nice lady from Austin, Texas. She said my order was going to be initially rejected on October 21st because the equipment was going to be discontinued, but there was some pleading by Apple (she says) to their manufacturers, and so I'm assuming I'm probably getting one of the last new old-style tower Mac Pros. She assured me I would get it, in spite of the graphics I'm seeing online with relationship to my order status. I told if I did get a circular Mac Pro, I'd be (1) angry and (2) would be calling Mac tech blogs offering photos and tear downs to help finance my new computer. She nervously laughed. She assured me I was getting an old-style Silver tower Mac Pro and she would throw in 2-day shipping at no additional cost and would resend my order to me just to confirm what I wanted. She also confirmed that they had no information on how PCIe cards, CDs, DVDs, or any of the other connections, would work with the new circular Mac Pros.
The Apple "back room" representative did send the order status to, not only me, but also the Apple Business Representative I was dealing with elsewhere in Apple. He called me out of the blue and was stunned by what I said she told me (about the near canceling of the order initially). Since I had ordered Applecare with the old-style tower Mac Pro, I asked about support, especially in terms of parts, if the old-style Mac Pro's were indeed going to be discontinued. My previous Mac Pro had needed its entire motherboard replaced, so if something like that happened, what was the plan? After a long pause, the Apple Business Representative said he was going to do some digging and get back to me and also keep my order "front and center." No confirmation if parts would even be available.
My order has yet to arrive, but should be here on Tuesday.
This all reminds of me of the pre-Steve Jobs Apple when people were buying Powermac 9500s as fast as they could because they weren't sure Apple was going to be around much longer. 15 years later, professional users are having to buy old tower Mac Pro's because Apple hasn't provided information on how their current equipment or needs with work with their new innovation. Where is the breakout box (or boxes) for the new circular Mac Pros?
One good thing, I was able to purchase a brand new still wrapped and in the box retail version of Final Cut Pro 7. Apple still has some laying around sells them for $999 to businesses, but you won't find that in the Apple Store. Apparently the professional community complained loudly enough about Final Cut Pro X that Apple made some additional copies of Final Cut Pro 7 available for those who still want to be media professionals.
Hope that helps someone and I hope Apple comes to their senses soon and remembers the Media Professional customer base, at some point. There was a reason George Lucas edited the prequels on Final Cut Pro. Design and innovation is great, but without addressing productivity or compatibility to the user experience, what is the point?
Thanks!
Doug
I run a media production company and I need a new Mac Pro. I still have clients who want DVDs and CDs and I have PCIe cards that I want to continue to use. Apple has not addressed anything in their earlier communications about the circular Mac Pro this year, about how cards were going to work or the lack of CDs or DVDs (never mind anything related to USB 2, Firewire 400, Firewire 800, or eSata). I assume breakout boxes are in Mac Pro users future, but without any discussion of that, I hate to guess. The incompatibilities of the new Mac Pro with my old hard drives, cards, or other equipment could be a staggering amount of money to invest in new gear.
In addition, I'm still a media editor who is smarting from Apple's answer to Windows Vista with the release of Final Cut Pro X (not a good move for a product that was an strong industry standard in Final Cut 6 and Final Cut 7). By the way, an Apple Store employee actually said to me that Final Cut Pro X is really just "iMovie plus, it's not a professional tool. You should go to Adobe Premiere." I already had been stung once by Apple's sudden switch to something different, I didn't want to get hurt again.
So, I thought I would purchase kick-butt old version Mac Pro tower before the new ones came out. Working with an Apple Business Representative, I made the purchase on October 21st. Apple made their presentation on October 22nd and mentioned nothing about the issues I raised above, other than the new circular Mac Pro's would be available in December. On Friday the 25th of October, my order online suddenly showed a picture of the new circular Mac Pro, but with the specs of the old Mac Pro tower I'd ordered. I called my Apple business representative who said he'd check in with his "back room" people and find out what was going on.
On October 28th, I got a call from one of those "back room" people, a nice lady from Austin, Texas. She said my order was going to be initially rejected on October 21st because the equipment was going to be discontinued, but there was some pleading by Apple (she says) to their manufacturers, and so I'm assuming I'm probably getting one of the last new old-style tower Mac Pros. She assured me I would get it, in spite of the graphics I'm seeing online with relationship to my order status. I told if I did get a circular Mac Pro, I'd be (1) angry and (2) would be calling Mac tech blogs offering photos and tear downs to help finance my new computer. She nervously laughed. She assured me I was getting an old-style Silver tower Mac Pro and she would throw in 2-day shipping at no additional cost and would resend my order to me just to confirm what I wanted. She also confirmed that they had no information on how PCIe cards, CDs, DVDs, or any of the other connections, would work with the new circular Mac Pros.
The Apple "back room" representative did send the order status to, not only me, but also the Apple Business Representative I was dealing with elsewhere in Apple. He called me out of the blue and was stunned by what I said she told me (about the near canceling of the order initially). Since I had ordered Applecare with the old-style tower Mac Pro, I asked about support, especially in terms of parts, if the old-style Mac Pro's were indeed going to be discontinued. My previous Mac Pro had needed its entire motherboard replaced, so if something like that happened, what was the plan? After a long pause, the Apple Business Representative said he was going to do some digging and get back to me and also keep my order "front and center." No confirmation if parts would even be available.
My order has yet to arrive, but should be here on Tuesday.
This all reminds of me of the pre-Steve Jobs Apple when people were buying Powermac 9500s as fast as they could because they weren't sure Apple was going to be around much longer. 15 years later, professional users are having to buy old tower Mac Pro's because Apple hasn't provided information on how their current equipment or needs with work with their new innovation. Where is the breakout box (or boxes) for the new circular Mac Pros?
One good thing, I was able to purchase a brand new still wrapped and in the box retail version of Final Cut Pro 7. Apple still has some laying around sells them for $999 to businesses, but you won't find that in the Apple Store. Apparently the professional community complained loudly enough about Final Cut Pro X that Apple made some additional copies of Final Cut Pro 7 available for those who still want to be media professionals.
Hope that helps someone and I hope Apple comes to their senses soon and remembers the Media Professional customer base, at some point. There was a reason George Lucas edited the prequels on Final Cut Pro. Design and innovation is great, but without addressing productivity or compatibility to the user experience, what is the point?
Thanks!
Doug
