Plan for BobTheCBuilder (John Kabus)
by John Kabus (BobTheCBuilder) · 06/07/2004 (5:11 am) · 13 comments
Wow, it's been an exciting week. Besides the obvious excitement over the TSE release (really looking forward to plowing into the source) I picked up a G4 PowerBook and let's just say that I'm seriously impressed.
Let me throw out a little background info for anyone who may be suffering from what I've suffered from; basically I've been guilty of living with preconceived notions of Macs based on bad experiences I've had nearly a decade ago and info I've either read or heard from others. How wrong I've been...
Obviously with that attitude I didn't buy a Mac for fun it was to support my work, but that changed very quickly. My first impressions were ho-hum, 'hmm... white bubbly accessories, luckily I'm a secure guy' *promptly hides accessories*, 'hmm... cool silver case, score one for Apple'.
Then I opened the lid... let's just say that you have to see a Mac's widescreen display to have any appreciation for it. Being familiar with PC laptops I went with the 15" display not realizing just how large it would be... wow... it may've been overkill, but man did it bring a smile to my face.
After several hours of playing around, compiling TGE, compiling the Lighting Pack, and generally trying to break stuff, I was totally at home and not in that 'ya, I could use this' sort of way, but more like 'wow, I wonder if there's an x86 port for OSX' (which there is). Now I'm totally sold. I feel just as comfortable working in OSX as Windows and I've been continually switching between the two while working. Personally I prefer XCode over VS (not surprisingly as it reminds me of BCB).
Anyway I could go on for hours, believe me I cut this plan very short, but here are a few of the highlights; machine fast, os solid, display amazing, XCode very nice, preloaded software covers all the bases, hardware decked out, worth the money absolutely. The white accessories are my only complaint, however after seeing what the machine offers I can happily live with them.
What a difference a week can make... and the moral of the story: things can change in a decade. :)
To make a long story longer here's a shot of an upcoming Lighting Pack demo (note the desktop os):
-John
Let me throw out a little background info for anyone who may be suffering from what I've suffered from; basically I've been guilty of living with preconceived notions of Macs based on bad experiences I've had nearly a decade ago and info I've either read or heard from others. How wrong I've been...
Obviously with that attitude I didn't buy a Mac for fun it was to support my work, but that changed very quickly. My first impressions were ho-hum, 'hmm... white bubbly accessories, luckily I'm a secure guy' *promptly hides accessories*, 'hmm... cool silver case, score one for Apple'.
Then I opened the lid... let's just say that you have to see a Mac's widescreen display to have any appreciation for it. Being familiar with PC laptops I went with the 15" display not realizing just how large it would be... wow... it may've been overkill, but man did it bring a smile to my face.
After several hours of playing around, compiling TGE, compiling the Lighting Pack, and generally trying to break stuff, I was totally at home and not in that 'ya, I could use this' sort of way, but more like 'wow, I wonder if there's an x86 port for OSX' (which there is). Now I'm totally sold. I feel just as comfortable working in OSX as Windows and I've been continually switching between the two while working. Personally I prefer XCode over VS (not surprisingly as it reminds me of BCB).
Anyway I could go on for hours, believe me I cut this plan very short, but here are a few of the highlights; machine fast, os solid, display amazing, XCode very nice, preloaded software covers all the bases, hardware decked out, worth the money absolutely. The white accessories are my only complaint, however after seeing what the machine offers I can happily live with them.
What a difference a week can make... and the moral of the story: things can change in a decade. :)
To make a long story longer here's a shot of an upcoming Lighting Pack demo (note the desktop os):
-John
#2
06/07/2004 (6:14 am)
That 
#3
Look sweet, John. Dang. I'm in the same boat with obsolete notions. Most of my experience with the Mac came from the System 7 days, which were *AWFUL* as a programmer. Times change.
06/07/2004 (7:56 am)
One day, it shall be mine... Look sweet, John. Dang. I'm in the same boat with obsolete notions. Most of my experience with the Mac came from the System 7 days, which were *AWFUL* as a programmer. Times change.
#4
06/07/2004 (7:56 am)
Macs are truly awesome. If only I had a few thousand lying around, I'd get myself one... 
#5
06/07/2004 (9:13 am)
One more mac user? Apple really need to run a "Success story" about the GG community :)
#6
06/07/2004 (10:28 am)
Congrats on the Mac. I have a dual G4 Desktop, I will never buy a PC again unless I'm forced to for work reasons. Now if only all the tools for building a game were native to Mac. The DTS exporter for Blender works well and we only need to get the blender map exporter working, which I'm trying to work on now, and the Torque Shader Engine.
#7
06/07/2004 (10:28 am)
Congrats on the new machine! One more person has turned to the ways of evil. ;)
#8
Also, NEVER be the first out of the gate to use Apple OS updates. 99 out of 100 of them either break the OS, destroy's hardware(As in firewire drives destroyed), destroy's software, erases data, locks out users, etc...
Bottom line, don't let the thrill of New and Different cloud your judgement of what truely is. Macs have their share of problems just like PC's do.
BTW, did you know that if a Mac salesman sells 10 Applecare contracts in one month he gets a free Microsoft Xbox? Sell 20, get 2 Xboxs, lol. That's for real.
"Apple Computer Australia this week announced an unusual incentive program to boost AppleCare Protection Plan sales among resellers: salespeople who sell 10 AppleCare contracts between May 24 and June 25 will be rewarded with an XBOX, the game console made by Microsoft. Sales reps who sell 20 AppleCares, or "APPs," will receive two XBOX units. "The more you sell -- the more XBOX you get!" Apple Australia said in an announcement letter to independent resellers."
06/07/2004 (10:42 am)
G4 Powerbooks are riddled with problems. Give your book more time and it might just disappoint you. Thinks to look for are "Complete logic board failure", "spots appearing on the screen", "Screens cracking due to flexing(more common with larger screens", "Hinge failure and wear", etc...Also, NEVER be the first out of the gate to use Apple OS updates. 99 out of 100 of them either break the OS, destroy's hardware(As in firewire drives destroyed), destroy's software, erases data, locks out users, etc...
Bottom line, don't let the thrill of New and Different cloud your judgement of what truely is. Macs have their share of problems just like PC's do.
BTW, did you know that if a Mac salesman sells 10 Applecare contracts in one month he gets a free Microsoft Xbox? Sell 20, get 2 Xboxs, lol. That's for real.
"Apple Computer Australia this week announced an unusual incentive program to boost AppleCare Protection Plan sales among resellers: salespeople who sell 10 AppleCare contracts between May 24 and June 25 will be rewarded with an XBOX, the game console made by Microsoft. Sales reps who sell 20 AppleCares, or "APPs," will receive two XBOX units. "The more you sell -- the more XBOX you get!" Apple Australia said in an announcement letter to independent resellers."
#9
06/07/2004 (10:53 am)
Not to argue but I've never had any problems with updates from Apple. I've never had a problem with 10.2.x, although I can't speak about the hardware for the laptops.
#11
Maybe one problem with an OS update, nothing critical through.
:rolleyes:
06/07/2004 (12:36 pm)
Gonzo, I used Macs for 9 years now (6 years of developement activities) without having any hardware problem.Maybe one problem with an OS update, nothing critical through.
:rolleyes:
#12
I have been quite enjoying the desktop apple was kind enough to send us here at GG, as well as my ultra-portable 12" powerbook.
The only time I have to switch over to the windows box is for Quark, and occasionally Max, when I have a to edit an old model that no Maya equivalent exists for.
06/07/2004 (3:17 pm)
Very cool John!I have been quite enjoying the desktop apple was kind enough to send us here at GG, as well as my ultra-portable 12" powerbook.
The only time I have to switch over to the windows box is for Quark, and occasionally Max, when I have a to edit an old model that no Maya equivalent exists for.
#13
06/08/2004 (10:40 am)
Hi Alex, the new Mac has been a blast! I 
Torque 3D Owner Phil Carlisle
you went for a 15inch powerbook with a radeon 9600 in it? thats what I'm getting (next month).
Pity about the price though :)