In the feline evolution of Mac OS X, Jaguar was the release we had to have, Panther is the version we wanted, and Tiger provides programmers with some of the most tantalizing application development tools we’ve seen to date. This article provides the latest information about Tiger from Chris Bourdon, the project’s senior product line manager.In this tutorial for working in Quartz 2D, Scott Thompson provides you with some sample code and shows you how to use it in an application. Along the way you’ll learn how Quartz 2D handles colors, and look an some examples of its coordinate system that can be manipulated to make drawing easier.
Tiger for Developers; A Simple Drawing Sample in Quartz 2D
About The Author
Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
Follow me on Twitter @EugeniaLoli
Many more enhancements have been made to Quartz 2D APIs in Tiger with the introduction of Quartz 2D Extreme (http://forums.appleinsider.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45112) which will be hardware-accelerated on Macs with at least 64 MB VRAM.
Tiger has the potential to move the dial up dramatically for Apple.
I hope Apple is taking their time and loads this update with tons of features for consumers and developers alike.
Did anybody know who much improving penalty has Spotlight, because I suppose than indexing at real time every file content is not for free.
I was wondering this myself and asked a Tiger developer. He didn’t say anything about the indexing part, but search results were on average 20 times faster than Panther’s Finder search feature.
I would imagine that indexing would be too heavy for smaller machines. Wouldn’t laptops also need to access the harddrive more often?
I’ve read posts elsewhere from previewers that claim that after the initial indexing of the filesystem, spotlight is very fast. How many files will you be modifying under normal conditions anyway?
Interesting comment on Apple’s future by Tim o’Reilly
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/002434.php
Tim: Apple is in a position they’ve been in a lot of times before. They’re like Moses showing the way to the promised land, but they don’t actually go there. In a lot of my talks I use iTunes as an example of what Dave Stutz calls “software above the level of a single device.” Here is this application designed from the get-go to span the handheld to the server, with the PC a way station. And that’s a paradigm for the future. But because Apple ends up with a closed platform, they don’t necessarily take that out to the industry. Someone else adopts the ideas and takes them further. I think we’re seeing that the wave of innovation that Mac OS X represented has really inspired a lot of people.
“after the initial indexing of the filesystem”
That’s the only “worry” I have. How long does it take? Can you risk losing the index and have to rebuild it, say after a power failure? I agree that normal operation probably won’t cause much overhead, but how robust is it?
Apple is the #1 OS innovator.
Apple is working toward being a complete music solution – and lock-in.
Microsoft is the #1 business innovator.
The world has voted Word the best wordprocessor.
The world has voted Excel the best spreadsheet.
They work toward being a complete business solution – and lock-in.
The software, the database (front end and back end), and the glue (programming languages) to make it all work together.
Apple offers a great computer experience.
Microsoft offers the best business experience.
Apple has always been about ease of use, innovation.
Microsoft has always been about taking care of business, from DOS on up.
Guess who gets the big cookie?
Guess who gets left with the crumbs?
I have an iMac.
I love my iMac.
I fire it up every now then and enjoy the experience.
I spend most of my time on the PC taking care of business.
Come on Apple – let me see your innovations in the Office space.
How long does it take?
Not long. Wait till it comes out – I read anecdotal evidence from someone on Slashdot talking about indexing 8GB of MP3s with no problem. Till then, here’s some more info if you’re interested.
Search Kit in Tiger is three times faster at indexing content and up to 20 times faster at incremental searching than in Panther.
http://developer.apple.com/macosx/tiger/spotlight.html
Panther is pretty fast already.
Can you risk losing the index and have to rebuild it, say after a power failure? I agree that normal operation probably won’t cause much overhead, but how robust is it?
I think it’s as robust as the file system – if they’re sensible the database will just roll back to the last known good state. Power failures really don’t happen that often. I’d wait till it comes out and see what problems people report (probably ones you aren’t going to think of) before complaining.
I think it’s as robust as the file system – if they’re sensible the database will just roll back to the last known good state. Power failures really don’t happen that often. I’d wait till it comes out and see what problems people report (probably ones you aren’t going to think of) before complaining.
OK, kernel panics or driver failures might happen, so power failures aren’t the only land mine here. 🙂
But I’m definitely looking forward to seeing Spotlight performing on lowend hardware. It would really put Longhorn to shame, although there still is too long a way before any comparison can be done yet, and it would show that such technology can work on existing low-end macs (I’m thinking my own mac :-)). I also hope it can inspire better search technologies for Linux/BSD.
8gb of mp3 (assuming 4 meg per mp3) is only 2000 files.
My Mozilla cache has far more files than that
I have a Windows PC in my junk room which sits switched off for months at a time. My PowerBook is all I need to get work done. That work includes office-type stuff, Internet stuff, and even cross-platform development stuff. The Mac is slower, sure, but the daily usage experience is so far superior that it outweighs everything else. This is the first Mac I’ve ever had and Apple has done nothing but continue to impress me with their technology and attention to detail. I get all my work done on a Mac and we’re not talking desktop publishing or graphics art or anything. Just the normal IT-type work of administering servers, reading email, and writing memos.
A Mac is just as much a business machine as a PC with Microsoft software is if you have the willpower to leave Microsoft’s propaganda behind.
I have no doubt that indexing will be very fast on dual G5 desktop but what about on my lowly G3 iBook? I think that Spotlight is a great technology but I really hope that Apple doesn’t forget make it fast for the the low end too. I personally know more people with G3 iBooks than all G4 and G5 laptops/desktops combined.
why are you guys worried about how long an index takes to build? it’s something that only needs to happen once for previously unindexed files.
this is how i’ve percieved the spotlight search index, please correct me if i’m wrong. install tiger, your files are indexed (this is the only time all files are touched). from here on out, the index is updated with every file write. there’s not a huge overhead because you’re already writing to the disk.
say i save an image i’m working on in photoshop. my image is written to the disk and during that operation, the index is updated with metadata about my new image. the metadata is small, so it takes an unnoticeable time to write to the index. if i update my picture, the metadata is updated. again, in an unnoticeable timespan.
there’s not a massive index that needs to be rebuilt every hour, day, or week (like slocate’s database or Windows indexing service). it gets built once and is updated with every file write. who cares if it takes 3 hours to build the first time. you only do that once, and updates to it are inconsequential.
afaik, its a scheme very similar to BFS, where it was completely unnoticeable. the first time you search for a file and have it returned instantly, you’ll never even consider any microseconds spent used to update an index. the insignificant overhead gives you a return that far exceeds the cost.
Hi,
Perhpas somebody here with experience with BeOS could give a short description of their experiences with BFS? How does this compare to what you’ve heard of Spotlight (or, if you’re one of the lucky Apple Developer memebers, you’ve actually seen *lucky bas*ards*).
Is Tiger some sort of successor to BeOS (doesn’t apple now have several BeOS engineers on their payroll?)?
OT: For some reason, I’ve never gotten around to trying BeOS. What would you recommend as a good intro? (Yes, saw the intro to BeOS article – kinda sparse)
thanks,
victor
Microsoft make Office for OSX
.. before they release Hello Kitty… 😛
BigZaphod
I’m not talking about Office and I’m not saying that the Mac can’t be, or isn’t, a good business machine.
It’s bout the full package.
I’d like to see Apple turn their innovative attention toward a complete business solution.
They’ve already done that to some extent with the server.
Great databases are already available.
So what exactly are you expecting them to come up with? You’ve got MS office, you’ve got Exchange compatibility with Entourage, you’ve got servers with OS X server, what more do ‘typical’ businesses need?
Don’t pressure him, he doesn’t know. He just knows that windows machines are better for business because all his buddies say so.
Macs used to have the disadvantage of poor interoperability, which killed it in the business place(every has windows so to work with them you had to have it). This isn’t so much a problem anymore, with hardware standardization, industry standard formats, and even microsoft compatibility checker in office 2004 for mac.
>Viro
>“So what exactly are you expecting them to come up with?”
What I see missing – VB and database front ends.
A lot of businesses run on VB and Access.
I’d like to see a Cocoa Basic compiler that supports the whole API.
Full compiler, not runtime. Has to be fast.
Not OOP, but can do – and support OOP.
Full drop-in support for open source and commercial databases.
Have virtual database grid and ability to bind controls to a datasource.
There is a big void in trying to write a program on the Mac.
It’ either C, Object C or RealBasic.
RealBasic was too slow for what I needed to get done.
>Safety O
>“Don’t pressure him, he doesn’t know.”
No, I don’t know. The market makes the decision.
I only know from my own personal experiences.
when does tiger come out?? is it worth the wait or would it be better to just go out and buy 3 macs now?
“There is a big void in trying to write a program on the Mac.
It’ either C, Object C or RealBasic.
RealBasic was too slow for what I needed to get done. ”
I don’t think there’s any comment needed here. You don’t know bugger all about developing software on the Mac. Why don’t you go and get a clue.
The little bit of coding i did on a Mac was with RealBasic and i found it to debug a bit on the slow side but I dont put the blame on anyone except my school becaues we had a server that wasn’t much more powerful then the g4s we had and had about the same amout of ram it was really sad but they have updated the server and it seems to be fast enough so im going to have to say RealBasic shouldn’t be to slow.
“You don’t know bugger all about developing software on the Mac.”
No – and that’s the whole point.
I’m not a software developer and I don’t want to be.
But, I do need to write my own software to take care of specific business needs.
This thread is about Apples innovations in the OS.
My only point: I wish Apple would focus it’s innovative genius also on the business sector.
It would be good for Apple.
It would be good for Apple users.
I am a OS X fan and own a Mac.
I paid for my right to have an opinion on this.
YMMV
then why do you care about what it supports?
I mean geeze. just tell the person “I want a front end for X” and he/she will make it for you.
you could make it in Python if you wanted too, there are cocoa bindings for it.
There is a big void in trying to write a program on the Mac.
It’ either C, Object C or RealBasic.
or java.
and if you download some libraries you can develop graphical apps in ruby, perl, python, and a heck of a lot more. it’s unix. as such you can run just about anything unix can.
“I mean geeze. just tell the person “I want a front end for X” and he/she will make it for you.”
I didn’t make myself clear. My bad:)
I do write tons of software – not commercial grade software.
A lot of businesses do in-house programming to take care of specific tasks.
There was a thread a few days ago about how it was impossible for a lot of business to migrate to Linux because they where so dependent on VB & Access.
This is the area I’m talking about.
Hey, I’m just throwing this out here as an area I’d like to see Apple address.
“you could make it in Python if you wanted too, there are cocoa bindings for it. “
“or java.”
Thanks for the suggestions.
I am strongly considering Perl, DBI, MySQL and Navicat as a MySQL front-end.
There is a big void in trying to write a program on the Mac.
It’s either C, Object C or RealBasic.
http://osx.hyperjeff.net/Apps/apps.php?f=programming%20language…
http://osx.hyperjeff.net/Reference/carbon.php
http://osx.hyperjeff.net/Reference/cocoa.php
And there are quite a lot more options than these as well.
Quartz will be accelerated through 3D hardware, and hence become Quartz Extreme with 16 MB of VRAM (or more), not with 64.
Tiger is meant to ship in the 1st half of 2005. That could mean anytime until the end of June 2005. If you need the macs, just get them now. Once Tiger is released, Apple has always done an OS X Family license that allows you to legally install the OS on up to 5 computers. If you don’t need the macs and don’t mind the wait, just be prepared to be waiting at least a couple of months.
There is a big void in trying to write a program on the Mac.
It’ either C, Object C or RealBasic.
RealBasic was too slow for what I needed to get done.
You will never have VB on OS X. Well, if we don’t count VBA that is.
REALBasic comes close. It does everything VB does, and it supports drag and drop connections to the database. You probably bought the Standard version if your copy didn’t come with the necessary controls.
REALBasic isn’t slow either. Don’t know what version you tried, but the 5.5 Pro version generated standalone executables that were natively compiled and didn’t rely on any runtime. If it’s slow, you’re either referring to a old version that perhaps didnt support native compilation, or you’re using the standard version that IIRC requires an interpreter of sorts.
There was a thread a few days ago about how it was impossible for a lot of business to migrate to Linux because they where so dependent on VB & Access.
Yeah, that’s because people don’t expect to put any effort at all into migrating *away* from VB and Access. Contrast that with the effort they took to be stuck on VB and Access in the first place, but that’s a digression.
You can search the net for scripts that will allow you to export data from Access into MySQL. From there, all those interfaces that you have in Access can be knocked up in your language of choice, i.e. REALBasic since knocking up GUIs is something REALBasic excels at.
If you are going to program at all, you do need to know about it. You can’t try to be ignorant of software development, and try write software at the same time!
“ Don’t know what version you tried, but the 5.5 Pro version generated standalone executables that were natively compiled and didn’t rely on any runtime”
It was an older version and not Pro, about a year ago.
“ You can’t try to be ignorant of software development, and try write software at the same time! ”
Can’t we carry on a civil conversation without resorting to such tackiness?
I program in many different languages on PC, Mac and Linux – master of none.
It usually takes extensive work with a language to find out it’s true weaknesses and strengths.
There’s no way I can keep up with all that’s available.
That’s why we have discussions here – to learn from one another’s experience.
Anyway, I think we’ve beat this to death and gone off topic.
Happy Trails…
“ You can’t try to be ignorant of software development, and try write software at the same time! ”
Can’t we carry on a civil conversation without resorting to such tackiness?
That wasn’t meant to be rude and I’m sorry if it came across as such. It is addressed at the general attitude that people display towards software development. The whole “I’m not a software developer and I don’t want to be.” attitude coming from someone who has professed to have written loads of in house software is just …. well, bothersome.
If you are going to write software, and lots of it at that, you are regardless of your prior qualifications a software developer. Developing software requires effort. All software developers know this. Your complaints about the lack of development tools on OS X has been proven to be incorrect, and the lack of a VB like tool that you deemed unavailable is indeed available. Its just not made or distributed by Apple. That has been the whole point of what most of the other posters and myself have been trying to get across. My apologies if you were offended in anyway.
“My apologies if you were offended in anyway.”
Likewise!
Have a good one…
Clearly VB must be ported to Linux or it will never be seen as a viable platform. (sarcasm now over)
Many have already listed various language support but need we remind everyone that what languages GCC 4.0 supports MacOS X supports?
You’ve got Fortran, Ada, C, C++ through ObjC++ and Java. Lets not forget Eiffel, Lisp, SELF, Smalltalk, etc.,.
If you want to write Visual Basic then enjoy Windows.
Obviously, not all these languages are directly supported, free-as-in-beer, within Xcode. Nothing is stopping people from adding support for these various languages within OS X.
Apple isn’t in the business of spreading Visual Basic. Apple is in the business of spreading Cocoa.
Is everyone finally grasping this?
them apple people really have a good buisness plan but if m$ used it they would be even farther ahead of apple…