another software product that doesn't work

See this page for a list of PowerPC software which has been tested under Rosetta on the Intel Macs.

(11656)

The following site will show you most if not all of the Universal (IE Native for Intel Macs) software:

http://www.versiontracker.com/macintel/updates/

There is more software coming out Universal every day. You have to also remember the first Intel based mac was not supposed to be out till Summer. So you have to give the Software Developers some time.

Oh, a G4 or higher processor is not an Intel Mac. Unless it says it is a Universal program it may or may not work with the computer. If it does work it may work slower etc.

For a list of Power PC (IE G3, G4 or G5) programs that will work on an Intel based computer check out the following site:

http://www.macintouch.com/imacintel/rosettacompat.html

A Mac OS X application which contains code for non-Intel Macs can be run in Rosetta, which translates PowerPC code so it will run on the Intel Macs. An application which contains code for both architectures is an Universal Binary; these will open natively by default, but can be opened in Rosetta by the use of that checkbox.

(11675)

Sorry to hear about your problems getting software to work.
I have hundreds of software applications, since I'm not on my 9th Apple computer. And the only ones which don't work are WireTap Pro and the Unsanity apps. Both developers are busy updating their software.

What you need to ask is whether the program is a Universal binary (which means it will run native under the Intel cpu OR if it will run under Rosetta.n
Applications running under Rosetta run a little slower. But you shouldn't notice a real 'drag' or anthing.

Hi Mark.

Seems like someone needs to explain what has happened with Apple Macs in laymans terms!

For several years Apple has been building computers that use the PowerPC processor as it's heart and brain, which has had various speed enhanced variants called the G3, G4 & most recently the G5.

The operating system (the software that boots up when you turn on your computer and allows you to use it and run other software) for Apple Macs has most recently been OS X, which has been updated with different releases, the most recent being codenamed Tiger, with a release number of 10.4

This year Apple started to build computers using a fast new processor called the Intel Core Duo. This processor, and its related hardware, is based on the same sort of hardware 'architecture' as Windows PCs.

Apple re-programmed the operating system (still called OS X Tiger but with a slightly updated release number of 10.4.5) to work with this new 'architecture'. However, there is still a lot of software out there that is written for the same operating system, but running on the hardware 'architecture' of the older Apple Macs.

So Apple created Rosetta, which is something that runs in the background in the operating system on the new hardware that 'translates' the programming code of the software written for the older hardware, allowing you to install and run it. Most of this software should run okay, some will run slowly, there might be some minor problems with some software, and a few might not run at all!

Apple are encouraging software developers to write new versions of older software that takes advantage of the new hardware, or create patches that allows you to run the software properly on the new hardware, so it doesn't need to run via Rosetta.

Ultimately Apple (and us Mac users) want software developers to write software that is Universal - it invisibly installs and runs according to both the old and new hardware architectures without the need for translation programs like Rosetta.

The problem with this transition from the PowerPC hardware to the Intel hardware is that it has been quick and a lot of software developers havent yet caught up with the changes. Also, as can be expected, re-writing your software, and developing two different versions, can be time-consuming and expensive - and developers (or rather the suits that run the software companies) might not want to spend money on doing so for new hardware that as yet hasn't got a strong consumer base - the computers are so new the user base is miniscule compared to the older PowerPC iMacs etc.

So you will find that software is still being developed, released and sold that is designed to work with OS X 10.4, but only designed to work with the older hardware - though it should work under Rosetta on your new Intel-based iMac, and if you are lucky the developer might release a Universal Binary patch for you to download at a later date that makes it run 'natively' on your hardware without going through Rosetta - also making it faster and more compatible.

As Apple sells more computers with new hardware, the user base will grow and developers will all start to write Universal Binarys of their software. Years down the line all software might be written only for the new hardware, at which point it will be old hardware and Apple might move on to another sort of hardware yet again! iMac Brain Implants anyone?

What you need to look out for when buying software is the blue Universal logo that looks like a ying&yang. If the software packaging doesn't display it or doesn't mention it, then check the software company website for downloadable patches of Universal Binarys. Or just risk it and buy it and hope it works okay under Rosetta.

Sorry to have gone on at length. I hope it hasn't hurt your brain as much as it hurt mine. I really could do with one of those iMac Brain Implants to simplify my thought processes...

More info about Universal here:

http://www.apple.com/universal



20" iMac (Intel Core Duo, 1gb RAM, 128mb video) Mac OS X (10.4.6) I've got a Windows laptop still... just in case. Of what, I don't know.