MBOOK: FW startup the same? Word the same? What's different?

[California]

Okay, I am completely pleased with the reviews on the MacBooks. What I don't get, yet, as a very contented PPCer, is what is different on the Intel machines.

What is different with apps I have for PPC? How would my Word run? My other word processing apps? Would they be slowed down?

Also, do the MBooks and MBPros and other Intel Macs still have firewire start up and target mode capabilities? Without this, I would be an unhappy camper.

So what's the downside? Those MacBooks look great. I just want to know that the Word I bought in March will still work. Also, forgive my laziness, but how much memory can they take?

Still holding on to the 12" 1.5ghz PB as it is now, the smallest lightest and fastest machine Apple will ever make...

 

[WildCowboy]

Word processing apps don't see much of a slow down running through Rosetta because they're actually fairly simple apps.

They can take 2 GB of RAM.

As far as I know, they support FW start-up and target disk mode...I don't know this for certain, but I can't imagine any possible reason why they wouldn't.

 

[tristan]

The next version of MS Office will likely be out in 2007, and it will be a universal binary. The current one is PPC which means it is emulated on the Intel platform using Rosetta. However, Microsoft, MacWorld reviews, and people here say that the performance is fine. (I don't believe them, but not for rational reasons, just because I'm philosophically opposed to emulation.)

 

[California]

Yeah, considering Word is slow as molasass on the fastest PPC machines, it's got to be worse on Intel machines. you'all just answered my question as to when I will be switching to Intel Macs. Next year.

 

[WildCowboy]

Hmm...I find that Word runs pretty well on my PowerBook. No complaints here.

 

[matticus008]

Yeah, considering Word is slow as molasass on the fastest PPC machines, it's got to be worse on Intel machines. you'all just answered my question as to when I will be switching to Intel Macs. Next year.

Actually, because it's so damn slow on PowerPC, it makes it look like Rosetta is a 1:1 translator because there's basically no speed penalty. Word isn't appreciably slower on an Intel Mac than on my PowerBook.

 

[tristan]

I see you were able to draw the same conclusions I did.

And seriously, if anyone emulates anything on my computer, they'll be very sorry. I have a shovel and a big backyard. Do the math.