Danger Will Robinson...Danger!

I have been a die hard Mac fan - no addict - since 1986. I've seen OSes come and go, but the latest Intel Mac version of OSX, OSX 10.4.6, is the software equivalent of the Krell monster from the ID. No matter how positive I try to be about my iMacs, my once rock solid Macs are dying horrible deaths. Is there no fixing this thing?

I am worrying now that I made a mistake buying into Apple's hype. I recently bought two Intel iMacs and am very, very dissapointed. I have lost a serious amount of time rebuilding systems, and this has cost me dearly [wringing hands...].

After reinstalling a complex system 5 times (yes, count 'em, 5 times!) I feel it fair to warn anyone thinking of buying the Intel iMacs to BEWARE. Those who've suffered the issues generated by the 7.0.1-7.0.4 version of QuickTime (crashed my factory-installed Apple video card), and Adobe's installer issues know what I am talking about. Apple NEEDS TO LISTEN, take immediate steps (and perhaps even apologize?)!

The Adobe's CS2 Installer WILL lock up no matter how you install (no matter what options you try) from a single program to the Entire CS2 Suite. I don't know who's fault this is (likely Adoobe's) but the facts are in. My own testing shows VersionCue absolutely deadly to 10.4.6, and the CS2 Installer will lock up causing damage (illegal file names, directory damage of many sorts) - depending upon when it tries to finish the install - every time! Hard reboot is mandatory, as is disk repair. In one case even a repair was impossible!

If you want to install Adobe's Suite (and what artist can afford not to?) on an Intel iMac, you need to use v4.41 of the OS, install the suite (MINUS VersionQue!) and THEN upgrade. I am doing this even now as I write this. There is no other way. Adobe, p-l-e-a-s-e patch this. I have thousands invested in your software, and don't deserve this. None of us do.

I am also suspicious of some of my crashes having links to MS' Office Suite software installs (no big surprise, Office '2004' is right!). I am forced to play it safe by installing this into a separate user log-in altogether, just in case.

There also appears to be issues with PACE (so-called) anti-piracy software, and a known issue with Formac's TVR software was a real system freezer under OS X 4.41. Not sure if the latest version fixes anything, but users take note the software does not claim Intel compatibility.

Over all I am seriously dissapointed. Developers better get their acts together, and Apple better stop adding features and start fixing things, pronto.

As I said, I am Apple's biggest fan, but this makes me feel like I am running Windows or something. I am starting to wonder whether it is actually possible to run on an Intel chip with the sort of stability we expected from the PowerPC chips? Talk about "early adopter's blues!"

In all fairness there are many great new Intel native applications, often from new companies. Things in the Apple world - in many ways - have never been better. But these new Macs are a real ngihtmare. Things need to be stabilized now. (Are you listening Adobe?)