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Nekkid, we now all know that OSX has always worked on x86, Apple is switching to x86, and the first x86 Macs will be available in a year. The big question is what does this mean for Apple, MS, developers, and computer users everywhere.
The more I think about it, the more I realize it doesn't mean all that much in a lot of ways, but does mean some really cool things in others.
First, it does not mean you will be able to run OSX of random whitebox or Dell PC. OSX will still only run on Macs, you will still buy a Mac from Apple to run OSX and OSX will still be 1000000000 times better than anything MS has put out. Apple will be hobbeling OSX to only run on their boxes, probably using the DRM tech that Intel has been working on and putting in their chips. Sure, there will be some hackers that work out how to get around it for a while, but it will turn into a constant running battle that will be fun to watch. At the same time, the fact that it will be a constant battle means it will be too much of a hassle to worry about for most users.
Second, it really doesn't do anything to the Apple/MS relationship, since OSX will still only run on Macs.
What does change then?
First, higher performance hardware, and lots of it. PPC is superior to x86 without a doubt, but IBM hasn't put the effort into advancing it. More importantly, things outside the proc will get a nice speed boost. Memory access speed should speed up as frontside bus speeds ratchet up considerably. This move should allow Apple to move to PCIe easily, so acess to better video cards is possible. Speaking of video cards, this probably means you no longer have to wait 'till the Apple version of a card comes out 6 months later, but will instead be able to use the latest and greatest from ATI and nVidia right away.
Second, price drops. Not by much but by a bit. Not because Intel's chips are that much cheaper than IBM's, but because Apple will receiving more support from Intel than they did from IBM.
Speaking of support, this could mean very interesting things for GCC. According to the developer transition guide, OSX-x86 will be using GCC as its default compiler. Since Intel is really good about support, I wonder if this means that Intel will be sending a few of their compiler guys to work on GCC. It could really help out GCC's optimizations for Intel's vector units, which sucks at the moment.
On that note, a lot of code is going to be updated. The big three are networking, hand optimised assembly, and vector code. Any app that does much of its own networking will need to have its networking code gone over with a fine tooth comb, but since most of those are cross platform anyway the framework is already there. Anything with hand assembly is gone, but there shouldn't be much of that, and anything using a lot of vector code will need to be redone. Overall, it shouldn't be that big of a change for most apps, as the transition framework seems to be really well done.
New Mac sales are going to vanish untill the first x86 Mac comes out. I was planning on getting a new PowerBook for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sacra_imbri sometime soon, but now I probably won't. Maybe eBay or something.
The more I think about it, the more I realize it doesn't mean all that much in a lot of ways, but does mean some really cool things in others.
First, it does not mean you will be able to run OSX of random whitebox or Dell PC. OSX will still only run on Macs, you will still buy a Mac from Apple to run OSX and OSX will still be 1000000000 times better than anything MS has put out. Apple will be hobbeling OSX to only run on their boxes, probably using the DRM tech that Intel has been working on and putting in their chips. Sure, there will be some hackers that work out how to get around it for a while, but it will turn into a constant running battle that will be fun to watch. At the same time, the fact that it will be a constant battle means it will be too much of a hassle to worry about for most users.
Second, it really doesn't do anything to the Apple/MS relationship, since OSX will still only run on Macs.
What does change then?
First, higher performance hardware, and lots of it. PPC is superior to x86 without a doubt, but IBM hasn't put the effort into advancing it. More importantly, things outside the proc will get a nice speed boost. Memory access speed should speed up as frontside bus speeds ratchet up considerably. This move should allow Apple to move to PCIe easily, so acess to better video cards is possible. Speaking of video cards, this probably means you no longer have to wait 'till the Apple version of a card comes out 6 months later, but will instead be able to use the latest and greatest from ATI and nVidia right away.
Second, price drops. Not by much but by a bit. Not because Intel's chips are that much cheaper than IBM's, but because Apple will receiving more support from Intel than they did from IBM.
Speaking of support, this could mean very interesting things for GCC. According to the developer transition guide, OSX-x86 will be using GCC as its default compiler. Since Intel is really good about support, I wonder if this means that Intel will be sending a few of their compiler guys to work on GCC. It could really help out GCC's optimizations for Intel's vector units, which sucks at the moment.
On that note, a lot of code is going to be updated. The big three are networking, hand optimised assembly, and vector code. Any app that does much of its own networking will need to have its networking code gone over with a fine tooth comb, but since most of those are cross platform anyway the framework is already there. Anything with hand assembly is gone, but there shouldn't be much of that, and anything using a lot of vector code will need to be redone. Overall, it shouldn't be that big of a change for most apps, as the transition framework seems to be really well done.
New Mac sales are going to vanish untill the first x86 Mac comes out. I was planning on getting a new PowerBook for
sacra_imbri sometime soon, but now I probably won't. Maybe eBay or something.