[G4] Black boxes (was: IBM chip fabs)

[Joseph B. Gurman]

     jgvp wrote:

[snip]
>What I find strange is the dearth of actual purchasers reporting on
>their experiences with the new G5. Maybe I should seek out the G5
>newsgroup ? <s> I've only seen one report so far but that was
>restricted to the fact that it had just been received. As you say, time
>will tell. I sincerely hope nothing negative comes about for all
>concerned as we all need a boost after all the events of this year so
>far.

     Well, you could say it's because all the end users who actually 
received their G5's are recovering from the tree impact, and trying 
to find a general contractor who can manage the repair of the massive 
structural damage to their homes or places of work. (Pity the ones on 
the upper floors of tall buildings).

     My theory is that Apple forgot to include in its "now shipping" 
press release the tiny detail that it meant it had loaded several 
very slow trucks with G5's, treated all the drivers to a big meal 
(but no coffee),  and sent them on their way to distributors on the 
East Coast, Apple Stores, and agencies like the NSA, that are unable 
to talk about anything. And, of course, the DHL plane full of nice, 
black G5 boxes headed for the Falklands Islands Apple Store.

     I am surprised that the mere absence of the G5's themselves has 
prevented TheMacintoshGuy, or anyone else, from starting a G5 
list.... after all, look at all the substantive [coughs] discussion 
here on the subject.... from people who don't have one.... yet.... 
like me.

P.S. Speaking of nice, new, black shipping boxes.... a 12-inch 
PowerBook G4 we ordered for a member of our group a couple of weeks 
ago was mysteriously delayed by one week after an initially early 
ship date. It arrived yesterday, in a black box. The graphics look 
similar to the ones on the G5 box, as portrayed on the Apple homepage 
(I say portrayed, but no one we know has seen a _real_ G5 box, 
right?). I guess the ever style-conscious Apple wants to be certain 
all the boxes in its stores are the same color.

P.P.S. Of course, this could suggest another reason for the delay in 
the appearance of the G5's: Apple's waiting until all the Apple 
Stores are repainted black before putting the boxes on display.
-- 
"I love deadlines. I love the whooshing sound they make as they go by."
                                                             - Douglas 
Adams, 1952 - 2001

Joseph B. Gurman, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Solar Physics
Branch, Greenbelt MD 20771 USA