I just got a Mac Pro 3G!!!!!!

[Shooshie]

I tend to agree, WSVP. But I can also see it from MOTU's standpoint. I'm sure it's a matter of simplifying things for their employees: rather than make judgment calls as to what's ok and what's not ok to discuss publicly, they just say "if it's in the manual, you can talk about it. If not, you can't." Or something to that effect. If they tried to say that some things are ok to discuss, and let employees explain more of the workings of their software, pretty soon they'd be dealing with trade secrets breached. They've been tight-lipped all these years, and they're still in business. They even keep their tech-support people in the dark about current development, as well as the existing code. You have to wonder if they would still be in business if they'd been a more open, transparent company.

But for us, it sure produces a conundrum from time to time. It feels bad to speculate on things--such as my own presumption that they are having to rewrite significant portions of DP from the ground-up in X-Code to make this switch to Intel, but it feels worse to be left hanging with no explanation at all for what is happening. When you see all these new bugs emerging with no context for it, the instinct is to turn and run from all things MOTU, because it seems like the programmers have gone crazy. But in context of a rewrite, it all feels perfectly natural. So, I choose to go with my presumption that a rewrite into X-Code is, in fact, what is taking place.

If that is true, then it might also explain why DP has not seemed to be "firing on all cylinders" lately, especially for the G5 owners. After all, the numbers and benchmarks do not seem to add up to the real-world experience reported by so many users here at UnicorNation. Considering that much of the code was first generated for the Motorola 68000 series processor, it's hard to imagine that it would be optimized for current machines without a significant rewrite, and it's easy to imagine that a small company might do patch jobs on legacy code when converting to Native PPC code, then to OSX over UNIX, and then to the G-series processors, dual processing, and so forth. Now, the switch to Intel puts a brick wall in the path of patch-jobbers. Rewrite your code or give up! That seems to be happening.

The result can only be for the betterment of all parties. Yes, I know, it's still presumptuous of me to resort to guesswork to explain all of this. I may be totally off base, and MOTU may have had pristine code since day 1, and maybe they've even kept it updated for the latest and greatest compilers, but if we accept that assumption, then we have to presume that the programmers have gone insane, what with the myriad little buglets that keep appearing. You don't fix what ain't broken.

So, I'll stay with the "sane programmers meet brickwall CPU swap and resort to complete rewrite of legacy code" explanation. If true, we should be seeing fire-blazing speeds in DP soon, at least for the Intel machines. As for the rumored diminishing returns on the G5s, I'm not ready to attempt a more detailed context for that one.

Shooshie

[toodamnhip]

Installation suggestions? Yes. Absolutely. You should definitely install it over here under my desk. I've got a place for it, and that's the ONLY way we can be sure it's properly installed. I'll send you my shipping address.

Oh, you got one of those MOTU 424 PCI express cards to go with that? I'll be needing that, too.

Congratulations. Feel our envy.


Shooshie

You're funny dude...here's a guy, reading each of your words with baited breath, and you slap a sardine in his mouth..lol

[toodamnhip]

I guess I better pack up my Mac back in the box, as it has to make several world wide stops to all you guys!

I hear ya on the RAM...It's actually not available yet..all I could get was the stock 1G..I couldn't even get an airport card for it...Crazy eh? Apparently it uses a new kind of card...although I have yet to check this out with my own eyes. I guess I really am the first one to get it eh?

Any of you guys use a RAID array? I've been considering doing that for my audio drive....(It's works great on my Giga rigs)

I was also considering not using or even installing any of the "i apps"...just keeping the system totally pure...just DP, and it's plugs/drivers........no surfing, no itunes, no email....Doing all that stuff on my powerbook instead....Not sure if it makes much difference with OSX....What do you guys think..is that over kill?

The only problem with that idea is getting updattes into your system..you'll have to start a second machine in firewire mode or something similar and it can be a pain..might want to instead install basic internet and then have a separate acct for that ..one which os off when working in DP

[monkey man]

You're funny dude...here's a guy, reading each of your words with baited breath, and you slap a sardine in his mouth..lol

You're toodamnfunny, dude...

[CWoodONe]

Ok here's the latest update....

After much reflection this is what I did:

1) Take out of box, wipe off huge grin

2)Start up from install disk: Open Disk Utility and........Verify HD, Erase and Zero Data, Do Custom Install

3) Install the bare essentials- No extra Languages, Only the Canon and Epson Printer Drivers, and of the Bundled software only iPhoto made the cut....(iTunes is part of the OS install now...unless I missed it when I was unchecking boxes)

4) Restart, and Repair Permissions

5) Update Software...only 2 files needed updating thanks to this disk, restart, Repair Permissions

6)Set up OS- turn of sleep, get rid of Dashboard,remove the isight plug from HAL folder, get rid of Genie effects etc...

This install thus far takes up 4.5G...sweet!

Here are the only other apps that will make the cut:
DP5
Motu drivers
My favorite "Utes": Disk Warrior, TechTool but maybe Drive Genius instead, Onyx

That's it....I may bring in my itunes, and iphoto libraries, but other than that, it'll just be pure Audio bliss. The extra ample drive space I may use for easy backing up of current projects. Reasoning is twofold. One, it will obviously minimize conflicts. But with all these Damn "Cats" coming out every 6 months (...Leopard...Cougar XI...Bobcat XII and on), a reinstall will be a cinch....My last machine had a lot extra junk I didn't need or use. I had multiple accounts, but I had so much stuff on there, I avoided reinstalls like the plague.

A final note on the new machine....I haven't even gotten to DP yet, but I'm already amazed at it's speed. I feel like I just got a Lamborgini.

I'm going to install the rest over the next day or so..and will keep you guys updated.

Hey lucky you -)
If I was you , I would install a second drive to be abble to boot from it in case of problems or to be abble to troubleshoot problems ....
I always have the last image of my first drive on a second drive , just in case ....

Aramis

I just got a Mac Pro also, just setting it up tonight. Are you sure that Disk Warrior will work on it? Isn't the GUID disk a new thing in these Macs?
What kind of audio interface are you using? What latency are you getting. I tried an M-Audio Firewire 410 and could not get the Mac Pro to recognize it. So I hooked up the SPDIF outs on the 410 to the optical ins on the Mac Pro just to get going..

[monkey man]

...I just got a Mac Pro also, just setting it up tonight.

Another one!
I didn't realise until now how many wonderful, close and generous friends I have.
I love you all so much.

[thehypercube]

I just got a Mac Pro also, just setting it up tonight. Are you sure that Disk Warrior will work on it? Isn't the GUID disk a new thing in these Macs?..

Click here to see Alsoft Support message regarding DiskWarrior 3.0.3 and Intel-based Macs (they are incompatible)

I went to the Apple Store to use a Mac Pro yesterday. It was pretty impressive, although it wasn't hard to make it beachball trying to run Logic Express demo song and open/run Final Cut Pro HD demo at the same time. The processors never spiked as I had the activity monitor on, but I think it was related to disk access and speed. So, multitaskers, prepare to put at least a few platters in your tower. Maybe that's second nature for many of you, but I've been notebook based so long, internal storage seems like this wild new concept. My poor LaCie rack with FW disk and DVD burner. I don't know how I'll break the news to them.

[monkey man]

...I don't know how I'll break the news to them.

Hey, 'cube.
I'm hopin' and guessin' that it's with a smile on your dial.

[thehypercube]

...I don't know how I'll break the news to them.

Hey, 'cube.
I'm hopin' and guessin' that it's with a smile on your dial.

I think you're getting the hang of this. It's not frequently that I literally talk directly to my rack gear. Nice detective work.

[monkey man]

------------ ------------

[Phil O]

The spiritual man tries all things. He examines, investigates, enquires into, questions and discerns all things. 1stCorinthCh2v5

Did you mean 1stCorinthians Ch2 v15?

Ch2 v5:
"That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

Sorry, just thought you'd want to check that.

[monkey man]

Gee, thank you Phil O
Please don't be sorry...

I "lived the quote" for 35 years, and usually thought I was crazy 'cause of my intense passion for figuring "nature" out.
Hey, I even sat in trees(!) and kept and bred every critter I could find.
In the densely populated, richly bio-diverse part of S.Africa where I grew up, that was a lot of critters!

I only stumbled upon this quote 3 years ago.
It summed me up pretty well, so I wrote it and it's reference down.
I've been using this false reference since then.
Truth (accuracy) and loving intent are what matter to me...

The spiritual man tries all things. He examines, investigates, enquires into, questions and discerns all things. 1stCorinthCh2v5

Did you mean 1stCorinthians Ch2 v15?

Thanks. It's an interesting one, but no.

Ch2 v5:
"That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."
Sorry, just thought you'd want to check that.

Yet more wisdom, but no.

I'll find it somehow and correct the reference.
Of course, I won't give up 'till I've turned the right stone!
That reminds me; a large proportion of the wildlife I kept, and much of what I learned as a kid about nature, was discovered by literally turning over stones.
Ya gotta love that eternal wisdom...
Please don't underestimate the value of this correction to me, Phil O; your effort has most certainly been appreciated!
Now, if I'd examined, investigated, enquired into, questioned and discerned the reference I was given...

Thanks again, Phil O

[Phil O]

Hey, no problem.

Anyway, it's a good way to live no matter where it's from.

Phil

[Splinter]

I have been told by MOTU tech support, and my usage confirms, MOTU is fully multi-processor aware.

If I recall properly, MOTU was using all G5 Quads when they demoed DP5 at NAMM. I would assume the software is optimized for Quads if that was they're demo model of choice.

[monkey man]

Hey, no problem.
Anyway, it's a good way to live no matter where it's from.
Phil

Hey, Phil O. Good call, I think.
Eventually it'll be back to take pride-of-place...

I just thought you'd appreciate the fact that, until I can correct this error, I'll probably rotate a couple of dozen favourites.
Hopefully I don't contradict their instruction in some way.
Man, that was pure, unadulterated hypocrisy!
Thanks again, Phil O.