Technical Innumerousy in Mac OS versions, Mhz/Ghz, processor names

Question

When discussing Mac OS versions, it is important to be concise about which version you are using. Starting with Mac OS X matters got a bit more confusing because of the repeated use of 10. X naturally is the roman numeral for 10, but that fact alone should not change the written communication of which version you are conveying to the people on this or any other forum. This may mean you choose to repeat 10 in both roman and arabic numerals, or simply omit the roman numeral.
Mac OS X 10.1.1 is just as easy to understand as Mac OS 10.1.1. They are in fact the same thing. But please when conveying it, don't say Mac OS X 1.1.1. That is meaningless, and can lead to confusion. Even worse, we've seen Mac OS X 1.1, or 1.5. 1.5 could mean Mac OS X 10.1.5, 10.2.5, 10.3.5, 10.4.5, or 10.5.5. Worsening matters is not everyone knows the the codenames for the operating system.
To clarify matters, here are a listing of versions in sequence of Mac OS releases (some of these are free updates to the preceding version while the boldface are not and the boldface ones notate where you can't upgrade beyond for free either; 9.0.2 is not a free update to 8.6), starting in 1984 (then called System x.x):
1.0 (.97), 1.1, 2.0, 2.1, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4.0, 4.1, 5.0, 5.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.0.2, 6.0.3, 6.0.4, 6.0.5, 6.0.6, 6.0.7, 6.0.8, 6.0.8L, 7.0, 7.0.1, 7 Tuner, 7.1, 7.1 Pro, 7.1Px (where x was a number 1 through 6. This was for certain Perfoma Macs), 7.1.2, 7.1.2P, 7.5
After this point Mac OS became commmon name for the operating system version:
7.5.1 (a.k.a. System 7.5 Update 1.0), 7.5.2, 7.5.3 (System 7.5 Update 2.0), 7.5.3L, 7.5.3 Revision 2, 7.5.3 Revision 2.1, 7.5.4, 7.5.5, 7.6, 7.6.1, 8.0, 8.1, 8.5, 8.5.1, 8.6, 9.0, 9.0.2, 9.0.3, 9.0.4, 9.1, 9.2, 9.2.1, 9.2.2, 10.0, 10.0.1, 10.0.2, 10.0.3, 10.0.4, 10.1, 10.1.1, 10.1.2, 10.1.3, 10.1.4, 10.1.5, 10.2, 10.2.1, 10.2.2, 10.2.3, 10.2.4, 10.2.5, 10.2.6, 10.2.7 (only available as a prebundled release), 10.2.8, 10.3, 10.3.1, 10.3.2, 10.3.3, 10.3.4, 10.3.5, 10.3.5, 10.3.6, 10.3.7, 10.3.8, 10.3.9, 10.4, 10.4.1, 10.4.2, 10.4.3, 10.4.4 (first prebundled Intel Mac release, Intel Macs from here through 10.4.11 could not installer discs other than what shipped with them to install their operating system. 10.5 was the next retail disc that could install an operating system on them), 10.4.5, 10.4.6, 10.4.7, 10.4.8, 10.4.9, 10.4.10, 10.4.11, 10.5, 10.5.1, 10.5.2, 10.5.3, 10.5.4, 10.5.5, 10.5.6.
Mhz literacy, it should be important to distinguish between Mhz and Ghz. A 1 Ghz machine is faster than a 900 Mhz machine. An 800 Mhz Mac can't install Mac OS X 10.5, even if it has dual processors. A Mac with a faster processor from a non-Apple preinstalled source needs support from that non-Apple source to install an operating system, if it came with a processor that doesn't meet the 867 Mhz minimum either.
Apple's processors have included a variety of processors named by generation until the release of the Intel chips. This has confused some users. A G5 and an Intel are not the same thing. These are the separate yet distinguishable releases by generation of processor, some of which you will never see the actual generation indicated on the machine:
G1 = Motorola 68000, 68020, 68030, 680LC40, 68040.
G2 = PowerPC 601, 603, 604
G3 = PowerPC 233 through 700 Mhz
G4 = PowerPC 350 Mhz through 1.67 Ghz
G5 = PowerPC 1.6 through 2.7 Ghz
G6 = Intel Core Solo, Duo, Core2Duo, Xeon, Multicore
PowerPC was the result of a collaboration of Apple, IBM, and Motorola. Some chips were manufactured by IBM, while others by Motorola.
Only G3 through G5 generations were actually named by their generation. The rest were distinguished by characteristics on the right hand side of the equal sign above. The G5 iMac, PowerMac G5, and the G4 Mac Mini are among the hardest to distinguish apart from their Intel counterparts based on their exterior. To tell apart G5 iMacs from Intel iMacs, see this article:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1463?viewlocale=en_US
To tell apart G4 Mac Minis from the Intel Mac Minis, look at the number of USB ports on the rear. The G4 had only 2 USB ports on their rear, whereas the Intel had more. The Powermac G5 had only one optical drive bay in front, where the Mac Pro had two. Apple made their notebooks easier to tell apart by generation with a label right below the screen. MacBook is Intel, where Powerbook and iBook are PowerPC.
Try to keep these specifics in mind when posting, so communication is clear as to which machine and operating system you are discussing.
Message was edited by: a brody

Answer 1

Hi a brody,
"Technical Innumerousy"?
The section with all the numbers is overwhelming. Maybe if it is broken out for readability:
10.0, 10.0.1, 10.0.2, 10.0.3, 10.0.4 (Cheetah)
10.1, 10.1.1, 10.1.2, 10.1.3, 10.1.4, 10.1.5 (Puma)
10.2, 10.2.1, 10.2.2, 10.2.3, 10.2.4, 10.2.5, 10.2.6, 10.2.7 (only available as a prebundled release), 10.2.8 (Jaguar)
10.3, 10.3.1, 10.3.2, 10.3.3, 10.3.4, 10.3.5, 10.3.5, 10.3.6, 10.3.7, 10.3.8, 10.3.9 (Panther)
10.4, 10.4.1, 10.4.2, 10.4.3, 10.4.4 (first prebundled Intel Mac release, Intel Macs from here through 10.4.11 could not installer discs other than what shipped with them to install their operating system. 10.5 was the next retail disc that could install an operating system on them), 10.4.5, 10.4.6, 10.4.7, 10.4.8, 10.4.9, 10.4.10, 10.4.11 (Tiger)
10.5, 10.5.1, 10.5.2, 10.5.3, 10.5.4, 10.5.5, 10.5.6 (Leopard)
I think you are adding to the confusion with the "Generation" numbers, almost making it sound like there are processor generation numbers for every model of the Macintosh.
The Power Mac G3, G4 and G5 were referring to that generation of the Power PC processor specifically, not the generation of the Macintosh and it doesn't flow into non Power PC (processor) units. I don't remember the Motorola processors being referred to as G1, they were the 68k family of processors and there is no G6 as the Power PC processor stopped at the Power PC G5 processor.
"Only G3 through G5 generations were actually named by their generation." Again, they were not named for the Generation of the Mac, but the generation of the Power PC Processor they contained.
We no longer call them Gx as we no longer use Power PC processors.
For your consideration,
Nubz N.