The time draws nearer? MacPro Discontinued 1 March in Europe

"Apple discontinuing Mac Pro in Europe on March 1st due to regulatory standard changes"
www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3937442/apple...regulatory-standards

and

9to5mac.com/2013/01/31/apple-to-disconti...ification-standards/

My guess Apple decided it made no sense to make minor design changes to meet regulatory standards given the time frame for the replacement. Yes, purely speculative on my part but one might hope we'll know what our FCPX beast is somewhere between NAB and WWDC.

Of course someone can argue that even if it's not until December they can live without a MacPro for the rest of the year but that doesn't convince my gut.

I have a maxed out Mac Pro, but I still use my 15" rMBP way more for all my work. Yeah, I can live without a Mac Pro for awhile easily.

BenB wrote: I have a maxed out Mac Pro, but I still use my 15" rMBP way more for all my work. Yeah, I can live without a Mac Pro for awhile easily.

Actually I can't imagine anyone buying a MP 2010/12 unless they were backed into a corner with something that had to have a MP and one just died on them.

I suspect the sales are so low that even a minor retooling is just not worth it. Assuming there's some orders still going on the parts orders are going to be even smaller in quantity making any parts orders not very cost effective. I can see Apple killing it in the USA in the near future as well... keeping in mind they're going to sell what's on hand and that might actually be all they need.

I do know the odd person here and there that need to use a Decklink Quad in a Xeon box, That could work in a MBPr with a Sonnet PCIe chassis though. The Ivy Bridge Quad i7 can handle it but it can push things depending on what else they're doing.

So yes, it could be as long as December but I have to think Apple's thinking of the possibility of any marketing opportunity in making an announcement by WWDC. I'm guessing we'd know by then, not necessarily it'll be delivered by then.

Apple states:
"Due to evolving regulatory requirements, Apple will stop selling Mac Pro in EU, EU candidate and EFTA countries on March 1, 2013."
"The new requirements necessitate fan guards and some increased protection on the ports on the electrical system".

I, personally, can only conclude two facts:
- First, there is a rash of people in the European Union who are missing fingers because they opened a tower computer while it was still powered up (super genius idea to start with).
- Second, there is a rash of people in the European Union with brain damage from sticking their tongues into the Firewire ports of a still powered up computer (mega-super genius idea).

Someone please tell me it is April 1st today!

Have you ever stuck your finger into the fan of a computer tower while it is powered on? Nothing, harmless. And that is, for a Mac Pro, IF you have the hands of a 4 year old child and can actually get to the damned things.

Stupid regulations. I'd like to see a single report of someone being seriously harmed by a computer fan or FW/USB/Ethernet port.

The wheels seem to be coming off for Apple lately. First they can't make their new iMacs, now this. We're still waiting for our new 27" iMac ordered in Nov, with no real delivery day in sight.

And just to infuriate further, it seems they've also decided to make Firewire disappear on the new models in favour of Thunderbolt. Because we all have Thunderbolt drives, don't we? Back in a sec, just putting all our FW drives in the bin.*

*yes i realise you can get an adaptor for the the Tbolt port but...

I can understand dropping firewire. Apple always does things like that. There is a Firewire to Thunderbolt cable. Also while the enclosure's use might become limited, you can always pull the drive and put into another enclosure... although I think only the Western Digital My Book Thunderbolt allows that. Also the Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock has a Firewire 800 port (if it eventually ships).

The odd thing is that I thought Tim Cook was supposed to be "Mr Supply Chain Master" but it's but lots of problems in recent months as you note.

Don't get me wrong, big fan of Apple stuff and FCPX but if they want to wind up pro users, they're going about it in the right way by bringing in new stuff half-baked while at the same time, cutting off supply of the old (FCPX/FCP7, new/old iMac, Thunderbolt/Firewire). I'd love us to be running our new Thunderbolt equipped client suite right now but we're still waiting for the machine to plug everything into. Would switch the iMac out to a Mac Pro but can't wait till the end of the year for news of a replacement. Like most of you here, we've got videos to cut and bills to pay!

BenB wrote: I, personally, can only conclude two facts:
- First, there is a rash of people in the European Union who are missing fingers because they opened a tower computer while it was still powered up (super genius idea to start with).
- Second, there is a rash of people in the European Union with brain damage from sticking their tongues into the Firewire ports of a still powered up computer (mega-super genius idea).

I absolutely despair at some of the things the politicians and officials in the european union get involved in. What ever happened to taking responsibility for your own actions & common sense? Perhaps this is just to keep someone in a job.

Oh, wait, maybe it was me that caused this? Stuck my tongue in the USB port at the front while poking my wet fingers in the FW port in the back after taking the side off so I could poke my finger in the fan. Seemed like fun at the time, but I did wonder what the sparks were and why there was some red sticky liquid stuff in the bottom of the case. Damn. Never been able to sit straight since

As far as the new MacPro coming, it would be nice to see, but I'm unlikely to be in the market for one. I'm thinking MBP, rMPB and new iMac is 99% of what I need now, with my 2009 MacPro doing sterling work with the SAS LTO drive, that is until some one pulls their head out of the sand and makes a thunderbolt LTO drive

After reading your post I'm tempted to Google "College Fraternity Hazing Mac Pro Europe" and see what shows up. It's the way I can imagine a bunch of people being forced to put their tongues in USB ports.

On the other hand you've given me a idea for a new game called "Mac Pro Twister"

If they want hardcore thrills, they should upgrade to Thunderbolt. Saw sparks the other day when I plugged one of those (great value) £40 cables back in (that's not a joke).

Electrocutes you 12 times faster than Firewire apparently (that is though).

ms1 wrote: If they want hardcore thrills, they should upgrade to Thunderbolt. Saw sparks the other day when I plugged one of those (great value) £40 cables back in (that's not a joke).

Electrocutes you 12 times faster than Firewire apparently (that is though).

And you thought they were called Thunderbolt just for marketing purposes? :lol:
I'm waiting for the ban on thumb drives because they're a choking hazard.

In my view this is good news. It means that Apple will not be continuing on with the MacPro in its current form factor.

Roll on the new Mac Pro!

ms1 wrote: Saw sparks the other day when I plugged one of those (great value) £40 cables back in (that's not a joke).

Actually, the price of TB cable just dropped a couple weeks ago, and they introduced a shorter cable for less money.

Anyone can guess how this news is being reported around the web, with a lot of ill-informed opinions shouting from the the virtual rooftops.

"The MacPro is dead!"

One nitwit on the Verge told me he figured that Apple wouldn't be selling ANY desktop machines in 2-3 years.

I informed him I thought he was on glue.

I think you really have to go out of your way to put your hand in a spinning fan in the mac pro from what I can see in my own. This liability would be solved though quite easily if opening the side of the mac pro completely cut the power to the mac pro. I find it little sketchy anyway having the side panel open while the tower is running.

BenB wrote: … Stupid regulations. I'd like to see a single report of someone being seriously harmed by …

... putting a wet poodle in the microwave to dry it …
… putting a foam cup with hot coffee btw his legs, while driving …
…

stupid regulations, indeed, but human stupidity is endless, as A.Einstein found out.-

I'm with Seanus:
instead investing 5¢ into an awesome, breathtaking 'new' fan grille, Apple clears inventory for forthcoming Cube² …

cseeman wrote: I'm waiting for the ban on thumb drives because they're a choking hazard.

BenB wrote: Apple states:
"Due to evolving regulatory requirements, Apple will stop selling Mac Pro in EU, EU candidate and EFTA countries on March 1, 2013."
"The new requirements necessitate fan guards and some increased protection on the ports on the electrical system".

I, personally, can only conclude two facts:
- First, there is a rash of people in the European Union who are missing fingers because they opened a tower computer while it was still powered up (super genius idea to start with).
- Second, there is a rash of people in the European Union with brain damage from sticking their tongues into the Firewire ports of a still powered up computer (mega-super genius idea).

Someone please tell me it is April 1st today!

Have you ever stuck your finger into the fan of a computer tower while it is powered on? Nothing, harmless. And that is, for a Mac Pro, IF you have the hands of a 4 year old child and can actually get to the damned things.

Stupid regulations. I'd like to see a single report of someone being seriously harmed by a computer fan or FW/USB/Ethernet port.

They are justing riding the same trend that we been doing for the past 30 years in the States.
You know "This product not intended for use as a dental drill." - "Caution: Do not spray in eyes." - Never use hair dryer while sleeping." - "Remove child before folding." - "DO NOT put any person in this washer" - "Do not eat Ipod shuffle" - and the list goes on. Try to conclude around that.

Surprised there is no Warning label on Guns. Do not aim at people.

Ha ha so true. Policy was probably implemented by a bunch of Volvo drivers.
Sick of this nanny state politics. How about some common sense people?

Incidentally; I often get slight electric shocks from my MacBook Pro - does no one else ever experience that? Sometimes I can feel small vibrations if my hand is on the outside of the case, sometimes actual light shocks (often with external drives and things like that attached).

I used to think it was an earthing issue in my house, except I have experienced the same issue in different locations.

As many Apple laptops as I've worked with (and windows, too), and my new rMBP, I've never had one shock me. I'd take it in to an Apple retail store ASAP. Something seriously wrong with it.