Life as an Artificial Lifeform

I can´t really describe my feeling about this. Just yesterday I wasn´t sure anymore if Steve wouldn´t do it. I didn´t call the rumor completely off this time even though I hated most thoughts about it. Apple moves their complete platform over to Intel processors and starts selling the first machines on 06/06/06 (that is June 6th 2006). That means if you are having an Apple computer and was thinking about selling it to replace it by a new PPC based Apple computer you are out of luck for two reasons. No more PPC based Apple hardware after 2007 and your old computer just lost about 50% of its resale price. It also means most of those wanting/needing a new laptop or a new Desktop will probably want to wait until this switch has gone over - just to have a box that runs 95% of all their apps in emulation mode and the rest as 1.0 beta versions for the next 3 years. As said it took Apple and its customers 5 years from 680x0 to PPC it took Apple 5 years at least to switch from OS9 to OSX it will take Apple and its customers at least 5 years to be at the point where we are today - a almost stable OS with TONS of software that is finally also getting more and more stable and optimized for current hardware. It took some developers 8 years to finally implement Altivec what do you think how long it will take small mac only developers - and there are MANY out there - to port their heavily optimized applications to an Intel architecture? I think this is a bad move for all long term Apple customers and mac/ppc only developers it will kill all Mac hardware sales in the next 2 years and it will feel very very bad to be on the mac platform that will just stagnate the next 5 years. Future is far now.... I still have to make up my mind if I want to help apple at all anymore through betatesting program - they burned me alive.
What should I do with the powerbook now? there is no way in hell I am buying a powerbook now - even my old 400Mhz just died and desperately needs replacement. Will I wait until the prices drop for current G4 powerbooks on ebay? Will they actually drop and not even rise because everyone wants a G4 Powerbook for their bookshelf? Will Apple come to my help with that decision? Its fucking 12 month before they start to ship the first boxes... Likely those will be consumer boxes as they are the people who are running the least amount of software. The pros/powerbook will then another 1.5 years off in the future??? Are you kidding me? This company just kills all high profit margin sales for 2 years that is suicide?! Also EVERY other computer maker that has tried to move from 680x0/PPC/Custom (alpha) hardware to Intel has died or has been bought up shortly before bankruptcy or at least lossing all profit. Be, Commodore, NeXT, Sun, SGI are the most prominent examples for that. Apple has OSX and the hardware lockin will probably remain to ensure great compatibility and the "ease of use". The ease of use just has gone out the door: "you have a Intel mac or a PPC mac? What? Your processor? Oh I have an iMac..." All companies especially in the entainment bussiness have to buy ALL of there software anew... There is simply no way to run a video application or a 3d application in emulation mode that would cost you the speed gain the Intel hardware would have brought with it in the first place. Thats a lot of money down the drain for a lot people. I am starting to just bitch around sorry. I am really sad - its an era over for me - 16 years on 680x0/PPC processors in a 19 year computer life is not something you brush off easely. I ALWAYS liked the systems. I never felt "left out" or "on slow hardware" even through the 400Mhz disaster it was all still feeling ok for what I did at the time. I am sad to see these times go - I guess I have to gripe with another change in my life and will probably survive it. I feel sad for all the VJs out there that hoped to get a fullrez capable machine in the short future - I guess we all have to wait 2-3 more years for that. That is why I put this under category "Future is Far" - that is how I feel today.

Picture are taking on June 06 2005 from http://www.apple.com/powermac/performance/