Got a G4 or G5? iPhoto '09 will be missing features

Will upgrading the video card on my G4 tower help with iLife 09?

I disagree that Mac owners should suddenly excuse the fact that certain features in iLife '09 are inaccessible. It would be one thing if it were a matter of processing power, as is the case with the iMovie program, but watching a video of an artist play an instrument? If it in fact IS a matter of processing power in the case of the Garageband features, simply offering lower-res or a different video codec would enable G4 users to view these demonstrations. As other users have also expressed, the fact that there are even workarounds to this (in Terminal) suggests it could have been done anyway probably with some extra code.

As far as the slideshow transitions, as long as you have some graphics acceleration and a decent amount of vram, it shouldn't be a problem. We're not talking millions of polys here. I think the point that others and myself have to make is that if the computer is perfectly capable of running the feature, why limit it needlessly?

I wouldn't expect my G3 to run iMovie 09, but what most people are asking for here isn't beyond reason. A couple of slideshow features isn't a dealbreaker, but come on, someone's Powermac G5 could reasonably handle it.

"Last year, iMovie dropped PowerPC support" - Oh really? I use iMovie 08 and 09 on a PowerMac G5.

The number of slideshow themes available in iPhoto '09 depends on your Mac's processor and, in some cases, available vRAM:

* Intel-based Mac computers, PowerPC G5 with more than 64MB of vRAM: All iPhoto '09 slideshow themes are available.
* PowerPC G5 with less than 64MB of vRAM: Only Classic, Ken Burns, Scrapbook, Sliding Panels are available. http://www.laptops-battery.co.uk/apple-a1078.htm
* PowerPC G4: Classic and Ken Burns are available.


Got a G4 or G5? iPhoto '09 will be missing features. Can we download some apps to add these features?

You know, I recommend everyone to start transitioning to the Intel Macs as soon as possible. PowerPC macs will drive up the electric bills like crazy.

@Sabon
You can install them just fine, however the described functions won't work.

@James Madley
Excatly 64MB won't cut it either.

@TUAW
I doub't this has anything to do with PPC, this transistions work fine on PPC G5s with enough vRAM. That G4s get killed of, well, been long enough. On a G5 it will work just fine with enough vRAM.

I KNOW that I can't use Garage Band's new features or those of iMovie '09 on my G4 iMac. I understand that. I understand there are limitations on what iLife '09 will do on my G4. Ok? Ok. I also understand that these versions can be SLOW, SLOW, SLOW. OK? Ok.

Now that this is understood, I want to use the basic stuff from iPhoto, iMovie, and iWeb '09 on my 800mhz G4 iMac and PowerBook. How do you work around the install program so it will be to install these versions anyway?

Did they ever release a G5 with less than 64MB of VRAM?

@iamdigitalman234

Honestly think about what you are saying. You have two machines that you got for free, both of which are several years old. And both those systems are capable of running the most current operating system as well as most of the current software (though with the mentioned limitations). Prior to that you were using nearly a 10 year old machine. You're completely right, running Tiger on a machine from 99 is pretty damn good.

Now put this into perspective. Take a PC from 1999 (or a PC at 450 mhz) and run XP on it. Now take a PC made at the same time as the iBook and eMac with those kind of specs and run Vista on it. Even if you were able to get any of these to work, they certainly wouldn't work as well as what you are experiencing now.

My family has sub 1GHz iMacs and G4 towers, as well as a 1GHz G4 tower. All of these machines are at least 7-8 years old, and all of them are running Tiger or Leopard without any issues at all. The fact that my mom is having to use an older version of iMovie is no big deal at all considering she is able to get a free mac and able to experience the mac experience. Her next computer will undoubtedly be another mac.

I'm not criticizing having older macs, not at all. I love them! I'm just saying you shouldn't expect a machine that old to function just the same as the newest stuff. As people said with the cars, you certainly don't expect your 99 car to have built-in integrated GPS and backup camera and heated seats and TVs in the headrests and etc etc etc. You're happy that your 99 is still running smoothly and getting you to and fro and being what you need it to be. If you want the newest and greatest you have to buy the newest and greatest. Thats just life, not Apple.

This is not fair. I just got a 1.2ghz iBook G4 after owning a eMac 1.25ghz (both of which I got for free). These are my first G4s, and my first + 1ghz machines. All this after coming off a 450mhz B&W G3 from 1999 (which I got in 2005 and used until 2008).

Why should I have to deal with a sub par experience simply because I don't own (and can't afford) the latest and greatest? Now I have to hunt down a copy of iLife '08 or even iLife '06 to run on this "antique" hardware.

Both machines do run leopard just fine, however. Hell, I was running Tiger on my B&W G3, a 1999 machine running a 2005 OS. That's pretty damn good.

Maybe in a few years I will be lucky to snag a used macbook for free, but until then, the iBook and I will be very good friends.

/rant