Mac Musings

Why the G4 Uproar?

Dan Knight - 5 September 1999 - Tip Jar

The Power Mac G4/400 is built on a modified Yosemite (Blue G4) motherboard. Yet owners of Blue G3 systems with mid-May ROM version 1.1 or later cannot replace their old G3 processors with G4s.

Apple deliberately disabled this by having the system check which CPU is installed at startup. If it's a G4, the computer won't boot.

Why the big fuss?

I've received several emails asking why anyone is making such a big deal about this. After all, Apple never promised any of their computers would take G4 upgrades.

If Apple didn't promise it and explicitly prevents it on the Blue G3, what's the problem?

First, a little history. Apple once promised PowerPC upgrades to specific computer models. When they failed to offer that upgrade for a reasonable length of time, they were taken to court in a class action suit. They lost.

Since then, Apple has refused to promise that any computer can accept a processor upgrade. It's a wise move on their part.

Still, this never stopped the upgrade industry from creating processor upgrades. At this point, almost every older Power Mac can be upgraded to a G3, and G4 upgrades have been announced for the standard Apple daughter card used in the Power Mac 7300-7600, 8500-8600, and 9500-9600, as well as the ZIF socket used in the Beige G3 and the Blue G3.

It used to work!

Therein lies the rub: Before ROM version 1.1 in the Blue G3, it was possible to upgrade the processor to a G4 and use the computer. Blue G3 systems with earlier ROMs have been tested and found G4 compatible.

Although Apple never promised an upgrade path for the Blue G3, there was nothing in the initial design to prevent that upgrade. In fact, the use of a ZIF socket for the CPU makes such an upgrade very simple.

What happened?

What Apple did that has people upset is remove a capability the Blue G3 had.

Whether Apple promised that capability or not, it was there when the Blue G3 was first sold. Many Mac users bought Blue G3s that supported a G4 upgrade when purchased, only to have that capability deliberately removed by Apple when they updated their ROMs.

And Apple never told anyone the ROM update would do that. Nor did they confirm or deny rumors of the change.

Reread that. Let it sink in.

Apple deliberately removed a feature of the G4, refused to acknowledge it until the Power Mac G4 was available, and now says such an upgrade is "impossible" (MacWeek).

Whether anyone ever bought a Blue G3 because they believed it could be upgraded with a G4 processor is beside the point.

And the fact that G4 upgrades work in systems with the older ROMs clearly demonstrates that there is no technical reason for disabling G4 upgrades.

This was a deliberate move driven by marketing, not by technical concerns. Apple would much rather have Blue G3 owners buy new computers than allow them to upgrade the ones they bought less than a year ago.

Not only is that frustrating, but the fact that someone with a 1995 Power Mac 7500, 1996 SuperMac S900, or 1997 Beige G3 finds no such obstacle to installing and using a G4 upgrade.

Nor do owners of the Blue G3 who never updated their ROMs to version 1.1.

The solution

Apple can easily solve this problem and please the hundreds of thousands of Blue G3 owners who might want a G4 upgrade by simply releasing a new ROM update which eliminates to G4 block - and apologizing.

The only reason for Apple not to do this, since there is no technical reason for the block, is that they are more interested in selling new hardware than keeping current Mac users happy.

It's a stupid marketing move, since unhappy Mac owners tend to be pretty vocal.

And power users, which includes a lot of people with the Blue G3, are the ones newbies come to when they want buying advice.

Does Apple want them to hear, "Stuff Apple. They're more interested in the bottom line than keeping users happy. Buy a Windows clone - at least they're not designed to prevent upgrades."

Or, "Apple makes incredible computers. Why, I can even take this G3 I bought in January and put in a G4 chip. Yeah, the supercomputer chip you saw on the TV ad. You can't go wrong with a Macintosh."

What's it going to be, Apple? Leave your customers bitter or eliminate the block?

Kill Caps Lock, but Leave the Rest of My Keyboard Alone (Mostly), 2012.02.03. It's too easy to hit Caps Lock by accident, but why change a keyboard layout that billions of users are comfortable with?
Is This RIM's Macintosh Moment?, 2012.01.25. In 1996, Apple was in dire straits, but Steve Jobs redefined the company. Now it's do or die time for RIM.
Saying Good-bye to Inkjet Printers, 2012.01.18. Apple has discontinued its $100 printer rebates, but even a free inkjet printer is false economy.
More in the Mac Musings index.

Links for the Day

Mac of the Day: Outbound Laptop and Notebook, introduced 1989.09. The best known among the early Mac clones.
February 11 in LEM history: 98: Disposable modems - 00: Setting up a Mac web server - Small network backup solutions - 02: Flea market Mac Plus - I love this Quadra! - 03: Jaguar revisited - Beige G3 upgrades - 05: The key to Apple's success - Which iPod is best for you? - 08: Could a wireless dock be in the MacBook Air's future? - 2 of Apple's best notebooks ever
Support Low End Mac

Recent Content on Low End Mac

Fix Home Button Delay, Tablet the Ultimate Mobile PC, iPad Notebook a Possibility, and More, iOS News Review, 2012.02.10. Also using your iPad at work, two photo editors, a new iPad text editor, Macally's magnetic iPad 2 stand, and more.
White MacBook Goes End-of-Life, Logitech Touch Mouse Supports Gestures, Firmware Updates, and More, The 'Book Review, 2012.02.10. Also MacBook Air better than any Ultrabook, docks for MacBook Pro models, Intel offers improved SSDs, and more.
Mac and iOS Browsers: Options Galore, Freeware Forum, 2012.02.10. Safari is adequate on Mac and great on iOS, but the range of good alternatives is stunning. LEM writers share their favorites.
Apple's Support Lead Shipping, Smartphones Outsell PCs, OS X Ported to ARM by Intern, and More, Mac News Review, 2012.02.10. Also the power of Tex-Edit Plus, Google and Twitter are already censoring the Web, Snow Leopard Security Update, and more.
LogMeIn: Remote Screen Sharing for the Rest of Us, Alan Zisman, Zis Mac, 2012.02.09. Configuring the Mac's built-in screen sharing to work over the Internet can be difficult or impossible. LogMeIn makes it easy.
15 Years Ago Motorola Unveiled the PowerPC G3, Low End Mac Round Table, 2012.02.06. The G3 processor was optimized for real world Mac software and made a big leap forward in efficiency.
Don't Kill Caps Lock, Learning to Love the iOS Keyboard, and an Adaptive iPad Keyboard, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2012.02.06. The Caps Lock key has a useful function, the iPad's keyboard really is useful, and checking out an adaptive keyboard for the iPad.
More links in our archive.

Recent Deals

About LEM Support Usage Privacy Contact

Low End Mac is an independent publication and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc. Entire Low End Mac website copyright ©1997-2012 by Cobweb Publishing, Inc. unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, iPad iPhone, iMac, iPod, MacBook, MagSafe, Mac Pro, Apple TV, and AirPort are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks and are hereby acknowledged.
Advice is presented in good faith, but what works for one may not work for all. Please report errors to .
LINKS: We allow and encourage links to any public page as long as the linked page does not appear within a frame that prevents bookmarking it.
Email may be published at our discretion unless marked "not for publication"; email addresses will not be published without permission, and we will encrypt them in hopes of avoiding spammers. Letters may be edited for length, context, and to match house style.
PRIVACY: We don't collect personal information unless you explicitly provide it. For more details, see our Terms of Use.

Custom Search

Follow Low End Mac on Twitter
Join Low End Mac on Facebook

Low End Mac Reader Specials

TypeStyler 11 is now in the Mac App Store!! -- Special Introductory Price of $59.95!! -- To Buy From The Mac App Store Click Here Now!! Or buy direct from Strider Software.

Don't install Parallels to play poker online! Poker Mac will show you how to download and install a native Mac poker and Mac Casino applications in minutes.

Affiliates

Amazon.com
The Apple Store
The iTunes Store
PC Connection Express
GainSaver
Parallels Desktop for Mac
eBay