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Let's start a petition to keep the old Mac Pro and rebadge it as the Mac Pro Classic!

V

vander

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 30, 2007
54
4
San Diego, CA
I've been thinking that while the nMac Pro is a great machine there is a TON of folks out there that would love a new updated version of our old standby which I will now call the Mac Pro Classic. I think Apple has a unique opportunity to make good with a ton of folks who don't need two graphic cards, or at least would prefer Nvidia, want PCI expansion, want to run CUDA, want to run internal hard drives, etc. The list goes on and on.

There is a lot of precedent for this, Apple itself sells the iPod classic, that's where I got the name, but look at Coke, they changed the formula and folks spoke loud and clear they wanted the original Coke back, we need to do the same thing, tell Apple, thanks for the nMP but give us an updated Mac Pro classic. I run a CUDA based app and will continue to do so on my 5,1 Mac Pro but would love newer hardware without abandoning the investment I already have in hard drives, everything isn't always better by going smaller, sorry apple, the current iMac I believe is a case in point.

Let's keep the existing Mac Pro as the Mac Pro Classic! I know there is less than a snow ball's chance in hell, especially with Apple because the Mac Pro represents such a very small % of their bottom line but it seems as if they have now alienated everyone who would otherwise be interested in the nMP because of its limitations, except the video folks...Bring back the Mac Pro Classic!
 
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They were discontinued in Europe for a long time before the new machine became available as the fans don't comply with new EU regulations.

So, no, the Mac Pro Classic will never happen.
 
While I would be more that happy to get updated "big box" macpro - this is just not going to happen.

Coke analogy is flawed, because Coca-Cola is a flagship product with a lot of consumers. Same as iPod (not mentioning that HDD price-per-GB still beats that of flash).

Macpro market niche is just too small and not really important for Apple bottom line.
 
vander said:
I've been thinking that while the nMac Pro is a great machine there is a TON of folks out there that would love a new updated version of our old standby which I will now call the Mac Pro Classic. I think Apple has a unique opportunity to make good with a ton of folks who don't need two graphic cards, or at least would prefer Nvidia, want PCI expansion, want to run CUDA, want to run internal hard drives, etc. The list goes on and on.

There is a lot of precedent for this, Apple itself sells the iPod classic, that's where I got the name, but look at Coke, they changed the formula and folks spoke loud and clear they wanted the original Coke back, we need to do the same thing, tell Apple, thanks for the nMP but give us an updated Mac Pro classic. I run a CUDA based app and will continue to do so on my 5,1 Mac Pro but would love newer hardware without abandoning the investment I already have in hard drives, everything isn't always better by going smaller, sorry apple, the current iMac I believe is a case in point.

Let's keep the existing Mac Pro as the Mac Pro Classic! I know there is less than a snow ball's chance in hell, especially with Apple because the Mac Pro represents such a very small % of their bottom line but it seems as if they have now alienated everyone who would otherwise be interested in the nMP because of its limitations, except the video folks...Bring back the Mac Pro Classic!
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Just for the record, we didn't get real coke back, we got corn syrup in a can, which tastes like drek, although it was better than "New Coke" which was horrible. You want a "real" Coke, try a Mexican or a Passover Coke. That's what it's supposed to taste like, not some vile slurry tainted with aluminum.

As for the Mac Pro, Yeah, bring it back, slap 16 cores, USB3, SATA III, a Thunderbolt bus and leave the slots so I can determine how many GPUs I need. and I'm in. The money they'd spend to do it would be less than the rounding error on the interest they make on their cash stash, and they'd buy a lot of goodwill with the geezers who remember what a soft drink is supposed to taste like, and still have a few bucks in their pockets.
 
Larry-K said:
As for the Mac Pro, Yeah, bring it back, slap 16 cores, USB3, SATA III, a Thunderbolt bus and leave the slots so I can determine how many GPUs I need. and I'm in. The money they'd spend to do it would be less than the rounding error on the interest they make on their cash stash, and they'd buy a lot of goodwill with the geezers who remember what a soft drink is supposed to taste like, and still have a few bucks in their pockets.
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That would completely kill sales for Cylinder Mac Pro, no one would ever buy it.

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ABCDEF-Hex said:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1689842/

Just saying.
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I'm one of people who voted "Yes, will order", because there is no alternative if you want to have a powerful OS X workstation.
 
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2128506 said:
That would completely kill sales for Cylinder Mac Pro, no one would ever buy it.

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I'm one of people who voted "Yes, will order", because there is no alternative if you want to have a powerful OS X workstation.
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I think your prediction is incorrect.
 
If Apple were to start reselling the old MP, that would have a negative effect on the nMP as people would say apple is hedging its bet or doesn't believe people will buy the nMP. Either way Apple is all in with the nMP.

This is apart from the fact that online petitions have a horrible track record and really won't do too much.

I understand the arguments for the oMP and against the nMP but clearly Apple has gone a direction with the nMP that they won't be going back from.
 
The nMP fits Apple's hardware blueprint.

I think Apple have moved the nMP into the same propriety territory as the iMac and iPad. They control the hardware and OS software completely and that is how they want it.
I'm pretty sure all the lost revenue, having folks buy a Mac OS PCI-e based tower, then fill it with their own RAM, drives and PC GPUs at a fraction of Apple's rates for those upgrades, must have soured Apple's love for the big box MP.

Exactly the reason I bought a MP 3,1, good base spec 8 core model in 2008, affordable plus £500 tricked it out with RAM, HDDs and a GFX card which Apple would have stuck me on £1500 for if I'd asked for it all at point of purchase.....

With one stroke Apple have cornered the market for their own top spec machine, no more cheap PC parts fitted aftermarket and all the profit to Cupertino. I suspect we won't see another Mac exhibiting off the shelf compatibility with PC parts again.
 
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2128506 said:
Would you care to elaborate, why people would buy a powerful version of Mac Mini if they could get same base specs in midtower format with free drive bays and PCI-E slots?
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You are making the incorrect assumption that YOUR needs and wants match all other potential Mac Pro buyers. There are many people that want a compact and powerful workstation class computer running OS X without the features that you just mentioned.

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gpzjock said:
I'm pretty sure all the lost revenue, having folks buy a Mac OS PCI-e based tower, then fill it with their own RAM, drives and PC GPUs at a fraction of Apple's rates for those upgrades, must have soured Apple's love for the big box MP.
Click to expand...

I am curious what facts you used to come up with these kind of conspiracy theories? Fascinating stuff.
 
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How about we just start calling the old Mac Pro the Mac Pro Classic and leave it at that?
 
theSeb said:
You are making the incorrect assumption that YOUR needs and wants match all other potential Mac Pro buyers. There are many people that want a compact and powerful workstation class computer running OS X without the features that you just mentioned.
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Actually it is you who're making incorrect assumptions. I've wrote rather clearly that I'm one of the buyers of the new Macpro. Love the mini size, low noise and power of it, and D700s seems to be okayish for occasional gaming.

Of course, having new midtover with TB2/etc would be fantastic, but this is not going to happen IMHO, because that would mean huge sales hit to cylinder macpro ("because no one would buy cylinder, when...yada-yada...").

Guys, do you mind at least reading posts you're replying to?
 
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2128506 said:
Actually it is you who're making incorrect assumptions. I've wrote rather clearly that I'm one of the buyers of the new Macpro.

Of course, having new midtover with TB2/etc would be fantastic, but this is not going to happen IMHO, because that would mean huge sales hit to cylinder macpro ("because no one would buy cylinder, when...yada-yada...").

Guys, do you mind at least reading posts you're replying to?
Click to expand...

This is what you wrote:
That would completely kill sales for Cylinder Mac Pro, no one would ever buy it.
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You believe that if both were on sale, then nobody would buy the cylinder and compact version. This is simply an incorrect assumption. What is so hard to understand about what I wrote? Not everyone needs a large tower with space for 3.5" drives and PCIe slots. Therefore you cannot predict that if both versions were offered, it would "kill sales for Cylinder Mac Pro".

Guys, do you mind at least reading posts you're replying to?
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Yes, that would be a good idea.
 
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[MOD NOTE]
Lets stay on topic, this thread is not about any sort of headless iMac or mid range tower that apple does not sell but rather the oMP being sold by Apple again.
 
I wish.

I know we're probably 1% of the market, if that, but Apple needs a true workstation.
 
Wishful thinking.
Not gonna happen.
It's not in Apples business model.

Before high speed Internet access and single mass storage drives Apple offered the G5 and oMP.
 
theSeb said:
You believe that if both were on sale, then nobody would buy the cylinder and compact version. This is simply an incorrect assumption. What is so hard to understand about what I wrote? Not everyone needs a large tower with space for 3.5" drives and PCIe slots. Therefore you cannot predict that if both versions were offered, it would "kill sales for Cylinder Mac Pro".
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I agree with this post. I deliberately waited for the nMP to come out before buying into a Mac Pro to replace my "lesser" workstation systems, because this design is exactly what I wanted. I only speak for myself, and for no one else--as is the case with each and every one of you--but I say that if I have to so much as touch a screwdriver to change anything on my system the design is screwed (see what I did there?). All my drives--including optical--are already external and moving data around is as simple as changing a plug. That's how it should be IMNSDHO. My time is best spent doing things that either entertain me or generate income. Engaging in IT drudgery accomplishes neither.

This proposed "Mac Pro Classic" would be stillborn if they relied on people with my perspective.
 
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A tower with Thunderbolt 2 just isn't going to happen because of the way Thunderbolt isn't really compatible with PCIe cards.

Even if it was, the cost for Apple to spin back up the multiple factories required to make the Mac Pro is going to cost way more than any sales of the old Mac Pro.
 
goMac said:
A tower with Thunderbolt 2 just isn't going to happen because of the way Thunderbolt isn't really compatible with PCIe cards.
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It is if the processor has GPU graphics. Perhaps not a Xeon but a haswell with LGA2011.

goMac said:
Even if it was, the cost for Apple to spin back up the multiple factories required to make the Mac Pro is going to cost way more than any sales of the old Mac Pro.
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I agree. Never going to happen. I doubt sales of the old Mac Pro would inspire even if the nMP turned out to be a flop ultimately--Apple would probably just drop the pros entirely.

Let's hope Thunderbolt pans out!
 
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