From: "Jim Love" <jim@riverrockstudios.com>

Date: November 22, 2006 1:28:22 PM MST

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: new firewire Italian camera


I'm also a die-hard Mac user. If it comes down to using Windows for anything, I'd rather 

just not do it at all. For me it's Mac OS or nothing. We've been hearing prophecies of 

Apple's doom for 20 years, always in reference to marketshare numbers. There have been 

ups and downs, but Mac OS lives on and Mac development is still thriving. Yes, Apple is 

using Intel chips, who cares? I'll never run Windows on my Mac, so don't be so quick to 

assume anyone is switching to Windows... it's more likely that people will switch to Mac. 

Watch that marketshare percentage grow!




--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, "Tim" <tjp314@...> wrote:


Ray:


I'm one of those die-hard Mac users at JPL who screamed bloody murder

when there was talk of moving to Windows only machines.  It was never

a really serious threat, though.  There are too many scientists and

engineers here who rely on Macs.


On the other hand, I recently purchased a MacPro with 16GB of RAM and

2 30" monitors to build my Mars landing site maps, and with the new

Hirise images, that are often approaching a gigabyte in 8-bit

grayscale, I can already bring the poor thing to its knees.  Of

course, Canvas X (my application of choice for this) isn't yet native

to the Intel Macs, so it actually still runs faster on my G4 laptop

and G5 desktop than it does on the Macpro.  ...and it looks like it

might be a while yet before the next upgrade.


Astro IIDC is truly a remarkable program for the stuff we do.  I like

it for DSO as well as planetary imaging.  If Milton someday decides to

only write it for windows, I suppose I'll understand - but then I'll

install it on a Macintel running parallels and Windows.  Hope it

doesn't come to that, though.


-Tim.


--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, Ray Byrne <ray@> wrote:



On 16 Nov 2006, at 19:57, Milton Aupperle wrote:


In fact, Astro IIDC should never have been built - it simply makes  

no sense economically to do it or even continue with it as there  

simply are not enough Mac users to buy software. Other than video  

or audio and maybe some PhotoShop usage, there are no other  

perceived uses for a Mac. And With BootCamp and MacIntel, basically  

Mac specialty software is going to "poof" and disappear off the  

market as people just switch over to Windows software.


Milton,


I'd have to seriously disagree with you here, especially the "no  

other perceived uses for a Mac." bit. Without the Mac there would be  

no print industry period. Try getting a colour brochure printed from  

a document made in Adobe InDesign or QuarkXpress on a PC, the printer  

will accept it but will open it on a Mac to get it to print, ask Alan  

F he knows the score I'm sure.  I know it must be hard for you  

developing an application for such a niche market and I've imagined  

it was pretty much a labour of love rather than a bread and butter  

business. To be honest I'd have paid more for your software and I'm  

delighted you've created it. I've just invested a load of cash in a  

new Mac, New camera and various other bits just to use AstroIIDC. My  

friend Mick hates Macs (he's an IT manager for a large company and is  

very Windows-centric) but he was obviously envious when I showed him  

your app. last weekend, I think it could make him switch even only  

for Planetary imaging. I've heard a story that the mission control  

guys at NASA or JPL were going to do a walk-out when it was proposed  

they went over to Windows.


Steve Jobs is a canny guy and he's got a score to settle with Bill  

Gates you mark my words the Mac has a big future.


Keep your chin up


My best regards


Ray Byrne