| Joined: | Mon Apr 2nd, 2012 |
| Location: | South Lakeland, UK |
| Posts: | 4066 |
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How many users actually NEED cards nowadays? That is the only justification for the size large of the current Mac Pro. Direct access to the processors can be made via thunderbolt, it's possible to fit a couple of Express Card 32 slots, as found in the NLA 17" MBP. With the availability of large Thunderbolt array RAID drives, internal storage isn't so critical. I don't see there being sufficient unit sales of an expensive and limited need device to justify Apple continuing the line.
Apple's whole ethos seems to be towards developing personal and household products, maybe they don't want (need?) the 'heavy' side?
Further evidence of this is the way Apple ID's are managed and the 'dumbing down' of serious and previous professional applications like Final Cut, their video software and the Apple server software which is now a mere'App' lacking the capability of the original product. They have dropped the 'proper' industrial, rack mount servers. The current version of Final Cut 'Pro' is I understand, anything but Pro, having lost many vital Pro features; it's a hollow shadow of the original highly regarded software. Many serious video producers have moved over to Adobe Premiere.
I saw a discussion recently where a pretty experienced Apple user was trying to set up a small business network of about 10 units for his brother but when it came to updating the software the Apple ID Issue started to rear it's head, there are workarounds but it doesn't seem to be designed/intended for more than 5 unit clusters out of the box, from an admin point of view.
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Robert.