[G4] snow leopard

[Eric Smith]

Keith Whaley wrote:

>>> In this case, we're comparing Intel systems with NON-Intel systems.
> 
>> I wasn't; I was comparing an Intel system running 10.5 with the same
>> Intel system running 10.6.
> 
> To be pedantic, OS 10.5 and 10.6 are both Intel systems, correct?

Maybe we're talking at cross purposes. When I said Intel systems,
I meant Intel-based HW platforms, like Macbook, Mac Pro, etc.
That would be opposed to PPC systems like Powerbook, Power Mac, etc.

> But to continue in the same vein, OS 10.5 carries PPC code with it, 
> while OS 10.6 doesn't, correct?

Right, so my point being that an Intel HW system doesn't run PPC code,
so whether it's there on its disk or not makes no difference to
system performance.

And to bring this discussion back to its relevance to this
list, Apple could have provided a PPC version of 10.6 without
impacting the performance of Intel systems, since the two
architectures run different code. Apple, or its apologists
at any rate, will say that PPC systems get no benefit from 10.6's
new OS features. But that's really just an excuse for the fact
that Apple no longer wants to support legacy platforms.
Apple will say that your G4s (mostly) and G5s will still run
Leopard, so what's the big deal? But once Apple has dropped
OS development for PPC, application developers will quickly
follow suit.

Eric S.