Filed under: Still Speculating, just not wildly.
My inept Photoshop skills aside, Leander’s post below and the prevalence of the OSX86 project and similar efforts really speak to a single problem within the Macintosh lineup: The Tweener. That is, the Mac that is in between the Mac Mini and the MacPro. Apparently there are a WHOLE lot of folks who are desperate for this machine. Why it doesn’t exist is a mystery. Not only is there apparently a huge market for this kind of machine, there is an even larger market for “Certified Mac” after-market parts.
It’s a wonder that being the “Salesy” part of a duo that built their first computer in a garage, Steve doesn’t seem to get that enthusiasts want a computer they can “tinker” with.
As always I am gratuitously soliciting your comments as to what you’d like to see in this machine. My specs follow after the break
Customization: This machine really ought to be able to be personalized. Now NO ONE wants Apple to go down the slippery slope of trying to support all kinds of hardware, cards and whatnot, letting idiot write 3rd party drivers that mess up our Mac experience. Leave that for Windows Fans. But I don’ t think its too much to ask to have multiple video and sound card options, and a processor that is end-user upgradeable.
- Standard ATX Type Mini-Tower, 2 external drive bays 4 internal SATA II drive bays.
- Intel Core 2 Quad Processors (Various speeds available for purchase). –>UPGRADEABLE PROCESSOR SLOT<–
- 2 Gig of RAM upgradeable to 4.
- All the usual trappings of Mac-Land, Firewire, airport extreme, ethernet built in.
- End user selectable and upgradeable video-card (multiple cards with SLI too much to ask?)
- End user selectable and upgradeable Sound Card.
Price-point: $1100 – $1500 depending on options.
That’s my core requirement set, I’d love to hear everyone’s builds.
Leigh McMullen leads the Advisory Services & Strategy practices for the professional services arm of one of the Big-Five firms. He has written several books that would cure any insomnia you might have, and is an avid Mac junkie.
