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Is Apple concerned/aware about all the negative comments about the new MP?
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I have a 2008 Mac Pro. I ordered and have already received a very powerful PC. That is money Apple is not going to get toward their new Mac Pro. I let my wallet do my talking for me.
Not really. All you can say is that in your personal opinion most of the people posting are negative. That is no correlation to the actual number of users. Also, Apple may not be targeting current users. There is always the possibility that Apple is aiming the new Mac Pro at customers who are not being served by current Apple products. If that niche was seen as more lucrative than the current MP customer base, then the new MP may be aimed at them. I'm just raising the possibility, not arguing for it.
Yes. Not just from the original configuration, but also from systems that are brought in for warranty repairs. It would easy for them to extrapolate how many MPs are upgraded from the original configurations. Plus Apple knows how many MPs are sold as singles (i.e. one at time to a single user) vs contracts to sell multiple systems to big studios. I'll bet that Apple talked to their largest customers to get more data.
Because if Apple wanted to kill the line this makes more sense than just, you know, stopping production?
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I, for one, am looking forward to seeing the new MP. I am set for a 3 more years... but if there are some good deals on refurbished MPs then, I would absolutely find one of the new MPs being a great tool for my professional work.
There is a story, I don't know if it is true, that Henry Ford used to check out Model-Ts in scrap yards and if any parts were still in good condition he knew to change the spec (for the worse) on the new cars as they were obviously over-specced in the first place!
It may be that Apple knows the existing Mac Pro is too sustainable, people can keep it going for years and that is not a good thing from Apple's point of view. They want a closed system that is attractive but is going to be replaced by the user with a later model every two or three years.
I think that is what they have designed for the new Mac Pro and those who don't like it (which includes me at present though I may change my mind) are precisely the sort of keep-it-going-for-five-years-or-more customers that Apple would be quite happy to lose if they are not willing to convert to the Apple creed.
I understand they won't change the design and I see what you're saying in regards to prototype and what was shown at WWDC. Makes sense since these will be released before the year is out.
I agree with this opinion. I think Apple wants to change the direction of workstation computing, hence the new design. I am sure they are aware of the backlash, but that's something to expect from a radically new design.
Like some of Apple's products, they are giving you what you need; you just don't know you need it yet.
Bull crap. Apple does what it wants and always has. And if they want to push the industry in a certain direction they will no matter how loudly the minority squawks. Last time I checked MacBooks and iMacs still have glossy screens and don't support blue ray.
I think that a lot of the criticism came from non-MP folks. The mini folks seemed to be particularly active in the beginning. What gets me is that folks say that they love the fact that Apple is innovative but when Apple does innovate, the naysayers seem to breed. A lot of complaining comes from folks who bluntly say that they can't afford the new product (insert MP, rMBP, etc). And, you get folks who are focused a single technology that has been phased out. Really, did we need have to discussions about an internal optical drive with the new MP? Then you have folks who are dedicated MBA/mini users expressing their thought on a machine that they aren't considering. That's fine, and it is expected. Once the MP starts to actually get into customers' hands the threads will change. I am particularly interested in comments made by pro's not on this board. So far, the ones out there are positive. So, no Apple probably is not concerned about the comments here. I am sure that they aware of the comments but are probably just rolling their eyes.
Full disclosure - I like the MP. I expect a reasonably configured MP to be in the $5,000+ range.
Full disclosure - I like the MP. I expect a reasonably configured MP to be in the $5,000+ range.
That's pretty absurd. The Mac Pro isn't a money maker anyway. It is like BMW, Mercedes, Renault, Ferrari having Formula 1 cars: They don't make money, they demonstrate how great the company is. If nine out of ten new movies are created using Mac Pros, what an advertisement for Apple!
These machines are designed to keep the customers (I mean the real ones buying them, not the ones on the sidelines) as happy as possible for the maximum amount of money.
My greatest hope for the MacPro is that there are non-FirePro video card options. If I can get two 7870s instead of W9000/W7000/W5000s, that would go a long way in softening the blow to transition to the new MP. I would be even happier if there were nVidia options. I used to have a 2008MP which didn't have the CPU grunt that I needed, so, I am using an HP workstation now.
The new MP isn't inherently a bad option for my type of work:
1. almost all of my storage is external
2. 12 core (24 threads) allows me to complete my work with real-time simulation
3. I don't need a lot of GPU power as my apps are not OpenCL/CUDA enabled
My biggest concerns are the overpriced GPUs and the (potential) RAM limitations for my work. Hopefully, Apple, will reduce their CPU upgrade premiums too. 33% to way too much.
GL
The new MP isn't inherently a bad option for my type of work:
1. almost all of my storage is external
2. 12 core (24 threads) allows me to complete my work with real-time simulation
3. I don't need a lot of GPU power as my apps are not OpenCL/CUDA enabled
My biggest concerns are the overpriced GPUs and the (potential) RAM limitations for my work. Hopefully, Apple, will reduce their CPU upgrade premiums too. 33% to way too much.
GL
I Agree!
In addition let's make no mistake Apple is very aware of what goes on in the blogosphere and elsewhere. I'd say it's far too early to judge this product, to do so is lunacy.
Apple didn't get to where they are today without a lot of very smart decisions.
I think part of Apple's strategy is to encourage more developers to support OpenCL by ensuring all MacPro owners have powerful GPUs as standard. They went out of their way to emphasise the "as standard" bit in the WWDC announcement.
No, not necessarily. The "majority" as in slightly over 50%, might have an issue or two but I don't think the majority are generally dissatisfied with MP6,1.
I think they have a very casual awareness of the buzz on sites like this one. They're probably much more aware of blogs connected to print magazines. And even that is almost completely meaningless to them. They do focus on constructive requests to some degree but most likely these are assessed and determined only from the feedback Apple gets directly from their customers. All this external (to Apple Inc.) chatter mostly doesn't reach Apple's ears and when it does it's usually just an element of entertainment for the individual reader - it almost never get's taken seriously!
And I agree with that myself. Way over 90% of what I read here and in the rag related blogs is written in ignorance, vacant of reason, and without even rational educated thought. At best 8 or 10% of it is intriguing or interesting conjecture. So why would Apple waste their time on that?
If there are last minute changes and there probably will be, I seriously doubt that they would be based on any of the petty bitches and tripe that gets published here. The 8 or 10% I mentioned that is rational might contain one or two percent of what Apple themselves considers important.
No, of course not! This sentiment is so far on the right side of that 90% it's just stupid. In fact that actually describes the sentiment of your above paragraph: stupid.
Ridiculous, petty, and stupid.
And no, I don't mean you are these things. But that paragraph conveys what I believe Apple would indeed consider as being ridiculous, petty, uneducated, vacant minded, stupid and all the other adjectives I used above as well. Thus probably only considered comic relief to them.
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This is, I think, somewhat tempered by the problem that no one I know has bought anything from Apple because the Mac Pro is a nice machine. Aspirational products used as marketing need to drive sales - I've seen little or no evidence that Mac Pros drive sales, and indeed would note that the "worst" time for the Mac Pro in recent memory has coincided with serious growth by Apple.
On the other hand, the assertion that a Mac Pro doesn't make money ignores that workstations are one of the few places PC makers *do* make money. Is Apple really so bad at it that they can't turn a profit?
Its not as if i have proof that all of the people complaining are MP users, i just thought so, people with certain needs whom feel left out, why else would you complain? (unless some folks just want something to wank about out of boredom)
Precisely right. Apple has a record of releasing products 3-5 years ahead of their time in my estimation. I can tell you looking at trends that the new Mac Pro falls into that category. So if you buy one you are that far ahead of the curve.
Back to OP Apple surely knew there would be a lot of teeth gnashing. I'm sure they're not concerned about it, because they haven't released final product yet (including prices) and so how this will play out remains to be seen.
It didn't sell well because it was expandable and didn't need to be replaced as often, thats bad for Apple's business model.
Please remember some of us are not enamored with a retina screen (I don't own one and will never) iPads (I don't own one dunno what I do with it if I did), the latest and greatest iPhone (still on my 4). We want things that integrate into and complement our work.
And please remember that you're the sort of customer that companies want to LOSE. You're the last person Apple has any interest in satisfying - pleasing you is a terrible business model.
Hmmja, I've heard that one since I got my G3 .
As for workstations, I can only speak for myself .
For me , they have to make sense NOW, be compatible with stuff from yesterday, and with stuff a few years from now .
Ahead of its time is really not what I have any use for, thanks very much .
ok, build a PC then!
The problem is you don't make sense. You want something integrative? What's more integrative than a tiny powerful box with tons of pcie breakouts? Oh I guess an obtuse clunker of a box with 4 pcie slots and ooooh 4 hard drive bays. I don't know if you have no creativity or what, but I feel like the ability to use cables, and all sorts of breakout boxes is going to lead to a much more manageable workspace than what's offered by the current mac pro.
It seems you didn't read deconstruct60's excellent post on the subject, but you seem to fall into category c:
Users that are actually complaining about lack of focus on their sunk costs; not really the viability of the new machine. " I need proprietary card XYZ and it is more important than the rest of my Mac system. " . The flaw in their complaints typically revolves around Apple's duty to make their choices, good or bad long term, work. That Apple's business is primarily suppose about making their design and/or purchase decisions work.
The problem is you don't make sense. You want something integrative? What's more integrative than a tiny powerful box with tons of pcie breakouts? Oh I guess an obtuse clunker of a box with 4 pcie slots and ooooh 4 hard drive bays. I don't know if you have no creativity or what, but I feel like the ability to use cables, and all sorts of breakout boxes is going to lead to a much more manageable workspace than what's offered by the current mac pro.
It seems you didn't read deconstruct60's excellent post on the subject, but you seem to fall into category c:
Users that are actually complaining about lack of focus on their sunk costs; not really the viability of the new machine. " I need proprietary card XYZ and it is more important than the rest of my Mac system. " . The flaw in their complaints typically revolves around Apple's duty to make their choices, good or bad long term, work. That Apple's business is primarily suppose about making their design and/or purchase decisions work.
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Soften how? The GPU package in a W7000 is basically the same as the one in a 7870. (the W7000 can address more VRAM but the core graphics capabilities are approximately the same. ) Apple is not buying "off the shelf" W7000 cards. They have probably built their own implementation of it and it is not necessarily priced as an open market W7000.
There is no quoted price Apple's instantions so hard to claim they are overpriced. ( They don't have to be priced the same as open market FirePros because they slot different. They are in physically separate markets. )
RAM prices will come down over time.
Not going to happen.