What does the team at TekSyndicate think of PowerPC?
PowerPC is similar to x86, yet very different. One thing would be that the OpenFirmware just boots systems and cannot change hardware variables. Unfortunately, OpenFirmware but cannot boot DOS based systems like Windows because of OpenFirmware's device tree scheme. In OpenFirmware, every component, whether hardware or software, is part of a tree that resembles the Unix and Linux system. For example, a GTX780ti would be located at: /ht/nb/pci@1/NVGK110. Linux boot files would be at: /ht/nb/bsb/sb/sata1@1/hdd1:3/yaboot/bootloaders. Because of that, OpenFirmware cannot boot Windows, unless a PowerPC-Optimized version of windows was created by M$. A PowerPC CPU is typically faster than an x86 CPU made within the same time period, but will lack compatibility. Without a compatible firmware, the GPU will also be emulated, because a PowerPC CPU does not understand the default x86 initialization code (Mac systems do not have this GPU emulation layer, thus Macs need to have the GPU flashed in order for it to work at all). Clock multipliers, voltages, and bus speeds are all set through DIP switches on the motherboard (in Mac systems, Apple choose to solder on jumpers to discourage overclocking). I like the hardware overclocking, some hate it. On a normal PowerPC system, all that needs to be done to change a multiplier is to flip a switch. Some users put a few DIP switches and temp gauges onto the optical drive bay, similar to the asus OC panels. PowerPC CPUs also do not come with IHSes, which is very, very, nice.