Macfixit report: Panther won't be compatible with pre-USB Macs

[gopher]

According to Macfixit, Panther (Mac OS X 10.3) won't be compatible with pre-USB built-in Macs! Apple is going to be considering all machines older than 5 years obsolete. Or so Macfixit was told by an anonymous source from Apple.

Here's the report before it disappears into Macfixit's pay only portion of the website:

Non-USB Macs to not support Mac OS X 10.3 booting in
future builds According to sources, Panther will definitely not support
Beige G3s or PowerBook G3s without USB ports in its final release, even
though users are having limited success booting the developer preview of
Mac OS X 10.3 on these systems. A developer, speaking to us on the
condition of anonymity, said: "Any successful installations are likely
to be unstable and definitely unsupported. Future builds will not even
install on these models. I've been directly told this is the case. [...]
This is in keeping with Apple's statement that it will support its
computers for a period of five years before considering them
obsolete/vintage."

If you think this is wrong I suggest submitting feedback to
<http://www.apple.com/macosx/feedback>

A sidenote: Powerbook G3/333 and 400 without Firewire but with SCSI (a.k.a. Lombard model) have been known to have issues installing Mac OS X in the past or running it due to a problem on the motherboard, which if fixed can make those machines work with Mac OS X.

 

[Pete_Hoover]

This stinks. Maybe someone will find a way around this. I guess Apple just wants people to buy newer machines, but that is a bad way to do it.

 

[hesdeadjim]

While it stinks for those who own pre-USB Macs, 5 years is a lifetime in the computer world. These Macs are still able to run Jaguar if wanted and I think that Apple is in the right to exclude them if there are stability issues.

On the note that Apple wants people to upgrade their computers, of course they do. The answer though is that their computer will still be able to run Jaguar and still get the benefits of OS X and many of the Apps available now.

 

[strider42]

Re: Macfixit report: Panther won't be compatible with pre-USB Macs

Originally posted by gopher
According to Macfixit, Panther (Mac OS X 10.3) won't be compatible with pre-USB built-in Macs! Apple is going to be considering all machines older than 5 years obsolete. Or so Macfixit was told by an anonymous source from Apple.

Here's the report before it disappears into Macfixit's pay only portion of the website:


If you think this is wrong I suggest submitting feedback to
<http://www.apple.com/macosx/feedback>

A sidenote: Powerbook G3/333 and 400 without Firewire but with SCSI (a.k.a. Lombard model) have been known to have issues installing Mac OS X in the past or running it due to a problem on the motherboard, which if fixed can make those machines work with Mac OS X.

so that would mean it won't run on any machine more than 5 years old (imacs came out in 1998 which were the first, i believe, to include built in USB). Is this really such a big deal. OS X runs pretty slow already on those old tray loading iMacs. I wouldn't WANT to run os X on machines that old. I'm sure some people do, but i don't think it makes a lot of sense for apple to support them for the small number of people who want it. I had OS X on my iMac, and went back to OS 9 immediately. it just wasn't worth it. Apple probably wouldn't be supporting anything more than 3 years old except that they promised OS X would run on those machines.

 

[Ensoniq]

I concur with HesDeadJim's analysis.

Jaguar is a fast, stable OS that runs current applications perfectly well. The fact that a Beige G3 can run it is pretty amazing. And older machines like that will get 10.2.7, and if needed...specialized 10.2.8 and 10.2.9 Jaguar updates to fix bugs.

But if Apple needs to drop support for those machines in order to stabilize 10.3, then I'm all for it. The Windows approach is to support almost every possible piece of PC hardware, at the expense of fairly unpredictable results with different machine configurations. Apple's approach has always been to keep their machine's in house to properly control the hardware platform, and optimize the OS for that platform.

If Apple is dropping non-USB machine support, there is a reason. Maybe firmware related...motherboard related...some reason why it's not being kept in. It wouldn't be done to make things easier...it would be done to make things better. And if that is a required step to enhance Panther and the Mac platform as a whole, no complaints here.

Also note that for the most part, even if some owners of these older machines upgraded them in some way, buying the bottom of the line eMac would probably give them a better machine than they have for under $1000. If Apple needs to help push them into that rather than adding support for older machines that could make the experience for recent machine buyers less pleasant, then it's a reasonable expectation to consider a new machine purchase for those who feel compelled by the new features of Panther.

 

[Nermal]

It's not too diffferent from what MS does. Take XP for example, which came out in 2001, and required a 300 MHz system. Try to find a 300 MHz system sold 5 years prior, you'll have a hard time, if it's possible at all!

 

[pEZ]

To be honest, I'm surprised that OS X would even run on these machines. My old Wallstreet can barely run 9 without catching a cold.

This is to be expected. Sorry, 5 years in the technological timeline is in NO way Apple forcing people to buy new machines. Buy the cheapest eMac - it would run faster anyway AND run Panther.

 

[LimeiBook86]

arg...

The reason I bought my MinitTower G3 was teh features and price...it was $400 and came with AV in, 256 RAM, a good HD, and good upgrade options. I guess I'll have to sell it then. My iBook is getting old and I need a new laptop. I guess I will save up for the future G5 PowerBooks...I wish Apple would contiue to support older machines, they just focus on the newest and then forget about the older machines... I guess I was due for an upgrade but I wish I knew about this before I bought the G3. I know I wasn't planning for it to last forever, but at least longer than this...

 

[zulgand04]

I agree with Apple on this, i mean why cripple a OS, just to have it work on computers that are considered as one said earler vintage. A company can only keep things compatible fr so long, it makes good sense. So you don't have the newest greatest OS, if the one your useing works for ya then u have no problems, but if u want the latest and greatest ur going to have to hand out the cash for a new system, its how tecnology has and will continue to go.



-neal

 

[gopher]

Re: arg...

Originally posted by LimeiBook86
The reason I bought my MinitTower G3 was teh features and price...it was $400 and came with AV in, 256 RAM, a good HD, and good upgrade options. I guess I'll have to sell it then. My iBook is getting old and I need a new laptop. I guess I will save up for the future G5 PowerBooks...I wish Apple would contiue to support older machines, they just focus on the newest and then forget about the older machines... I guess I was due for an upgrade but I wish I knew about this before I bought the G3. I know I wasn't planning for it to last forever, but at least longer than this...

The G3 will last even beyond the point Apple supports it. In fact there are still people running Apple ][+ machines out there! Yes vintage 1980 machines, and happy with them!

 

[LimeiBook86]

Re: Re: arg...

Originally posted by gopher
The G3 will last even beyond the point Apple supports it. In fact there are still people running Apple ][+ machines out there! Yes vintage 1980 machines, and happy with them!

Well that's good to know

 

[thebossisback]

jaguar would go to slow on any computer with no usb, so it wouldnt be worth it anyway