On the other hadn't the difference between accidentally supported and not supported can be accidental... I think it applies quite well to the storage in Mac laptops. But we can agree to disagree
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What Intel software will you miss after the Arm transition?
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On the other hadn't the difference between accidentally supported and not supported can be accidental... I think it applies quite well to the storage in Mac laptops. But we can agree to disagree
I guess if you use the term "accidentally", but I wouldn't.
I think the difference is that one is more consumer friendly than the other.
Apple won't sell the drives to end users, so that's an obstacle. Taking apart the iMac Pro is also quite complex, but there's no reason a motivated user can't swap the drives if they have parts and the know-how to do it.
So, the T2 chip won't prevent a user from swapping the storage on the iMac Pro?
If so, then I concede that the T2 chips have not locked down Macs as much as I though.
But, everything I have read in the past, and I did a quick search in the last 5 minutes says that the storage cannot be changed in the iMac Pro due to the T2 chip. Only Apple can do it. Unless this is what you meant by "know-how".
By your link, it appears that Apple has provided a path for OEM storage upgrade on the Mac Pro, but it looks like that path may not be for other Macs such as the iMac Pro.
Although, I could be wrong.
To understand this, you have to understand that the replaceable modules in the 2019 Mac Pro and the iMac Pro aren't actually SSDs the way most people think.
A SSD has two or three major components: flash memory, DRAM (optional), and a controller.
In the case of the T2-based SSDs in both the iMac Pro and Mac Pro, the removable modules aren't whole SSDs. They contain just one of the three components, the flash memory. The SSD controller is a subsystem of the T2 chip, and the DRAM is a chip on the motherboard connected to the T2 chip.
The interface between the T2 and the flash modules isn't documented, as far as I know, so it's not actually a path for OEM upgrades. So far, you can only upgrade the 2019 Mac Pro by buying Apple modules.
When iFixit tore down the 2019 Mac Pro, they thought the "SSD" modules looked the same as those in the iMac Pro. And they probably are; why would Apple redesign them? The thing which is preventing upgrades for the iMac Pro isn't the T2 chip, it's the difficulty of opening the computer and the lack of official Apple support for the procedure.
Same goes for everything else using a T2 for storage, except more so because you'd have to desolder flash chips and solder new ones on.
Thanks for the explanation, although I do have some questions about it that still isn't clear to me:
So, by this statement are you saying that if my iMac Pro's SSD failed and was out of warranty, if I opened the Mac and swapped the SSD module with one from another iMac Pro, it would work perfectly fine and the T2 chip would not prevent anything?
Well, the ever-increasing amount of Macs with soldered components that was once replaceable is another probably, but also another example of the further locking down of Macs.
It would not work perfectly fine right away. But it wouldn't be because the T2 chip was trying to prevent you from upgrading your computer, it would be due to the T2's implementation of always-on full-disk encryption. The T2 has its own internal nonvolatile "Secure Enclave" storage used to store keys. The key stored in the T2 must match the key used to do the initial format of the flash modules, or things won't work.
This also applies to the 2019 Mac Pro. If you want to upgrade its T2 SSD, your job isn't done after you swap in the new flash modules. You must use a second Mac running Apple Configurator to restore the T2's firmware, which also erases the flash (presumably, this is when an encryption key is generated and the flash is formatted).
Revive or restore an Intel-based Mac using Apple Configurator 2
In rare circumstances, Apple computers may become unresponsive and the chip’s firmware must be revived.
support.apple.com
(note: the support doc also describes the T2 "revive" procedure, which just updates the T2's firmware without erasing/formatting the flash)
It is possible that this procedure would work on an iMac Pro after replacing its flash modules. In fact, I consider it very likely. After all, it's the same T2 chip, same physical flash modules, and every T2 Mac can have its firmware restored and flash erased by Configurator. However, obviously there are no guarantees as I have not heard of anybody testing it...
Nothing, because you'll still be able to run everything with emulation or on a separate x86/x64 PC.
I've used Windows since version 1, Linux since pre-1.0 kernel days, OS X / macOS since 10.1 and SunOS 2-4.x (BSD) and System V Release V UNIX variants. The worst experience by far has been Micro$oft Windows.
Haven't missed it on my family personal computers at home for more than a decade. I still use two Dell laptops for work and grumble under my breath every day.
It remains a brain-damaged OS. The Linux-like toys under the hood are not terribly impressive (nor are the past and present sorry excuses at web browser attempts).
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I much prefer mac to windows, however I disagree. Its probably the crap your work puts on the laptop, although I am not vouching for Dell.
All I can say is I have used windows and macs for 20+ years and both are as stable as each other.
I use windows for 3D apps and outlook. Its is solid as a rock the vast majority of the time. Using the same apps on my mac though hang and are terrible. My mac is great for media, images, music etc. Just using the right tool for the job.
I don't know what Intel software I will miss. I'll notice it when I get my first AS mac.
But I don't use virtualization or bootcamp so it will be all up to the app developers and not because of the need for windows software that I might miss some app after the AS transition.
But I don't use virtualization or bootcamp so it will be all up to the app developers and not because of the need for windows software that I might miss some app after the AS transition.
The crap on them is "different"... One is corp and the other is government. At a past gig I had two government computers (similar crap on both: Dell and a MacBook Pro). The MBP performed significantly better and more reliably. At my last work gig, 5-year old and even 9-year old personal MBP's outperformed a 2019 mid-level Dell Latitude corp laptop!
I don't dig:
Dodgy patching crapola that breaks enterprise stuff over and over again. Sometimes we've bitched at micro$oft and through 3 or 4 patch updates they still could not get it right and just pulled the patch for some heinous vulnerability.
Watch in futility as windows updates slither along at a snail's pace with that annoying spinning its wheels thing
Deal with idiotic Windows UI "features" and all too frequent "new & improved" changes
Registry hell version whatever
Suffer not being able to right click "open with" on a basic text file that has some unknown extension .yml, .yaml, .IdontCare
Install 3rd party tools to make up for what is missing/lacking as basic as PDF tools or things like MobiXterm or Xceed for access to semi-legit UNIX tools on a PC
Have to use Alt PrtSc or Shift-PrtSc to do screenshots and paste into some app
And get raped on enterprise licensing
I think mostly upon consideration what I'll probably miss the most at first is proper drivers for various hardware. I have a Slate Raven touch screen with UPDD, V-Control Pro, Logitech mouse, RME Fireface 800, Ableton Push 2 with scripts by Moss for Bitwig, MOTU MTP/AV. This is just the hardware that requites drivers, then there's abandoned or discontinued products I still use: Camel Phat, Space and Alchemy. Arturia Spark.
All this is why I will have an Intel Mac around as well for years probably.
All this is why I will have an Intel Mac around as well for years probably.
Virtualization.
No more goofing around in Windows 98 and Mac OS Snow Leopard, it seems.
No more goofing around in Windows 98 and Mac OS Snow Leopard, it seems.
It might be a bit late then!
I've already started making a list of the core software that I use so that I can check whether it is supported on Apple Silicon before buying. By supported, I mean it either has an ARM-native version or is known to run without issue via Rosetta with acceptable performance.
You would be unwise to buy an Apple Silicon Mac without ensuring continuity of use with your current apps, unless you have already identified alternatives.
Unfortunately this is anecdotal in both our experiences and obviously differ.
It all depends where you work and what apps you are using.
In my case my personal computer isn't what I use for work, so I'm not that dependent on having every piece of software to work. Also for the things that I do "need" I know there are alternatives, maybe not my firsthand choices but I'll manage.
As I see it the biggest problems are games for me, luckily I don't have time to play that much anyway.
Only PSP games at this point, but yeah. However, since quite a few of its cores already run well on iOS/Android, I'm not that worried.
Sure we've had different experiences mine are rather far and wide...
In additon to extensive enterprise desktop windows experience, I've recovered data of all sorts from:
3.x, 95, 98, NT 3.5, 4.0 and 2000 - 2016 server on individual hard drives, RAID-based JBOD, Dell and HP hardware controller hosted, plus iSCSI and InifinBand attached SAN storage.
Windows still sucks as a desktop and server operating system.
The only plus is that the IT industry is at the minimum 3-4x larger due to all of the people it takes to keep everything AD/exchange/blah backed up, running, maintained, secured, etc. (and me gainfully employed for multiple decades).