Welcome to the Treehouse Community
Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.
Looking to learn something new?
Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.
Start your free trial
Michelle Wallace
2,376 PointsI don't currently own a mac to code swift. If I got a second hand g4 or g5 would the software would still work ok?
I appreciate it might be slower but my budget is somewhat tight.
3 Answers
Ben Griffith
5,808 PointsUnfortunately not. Swift requires XCode 6, which in turn requires "a Mac running OS X version 10.9.3 or later or 10.10. "
Since the G4 / G5 both use power pc, the highest version of OS X that they can run in 10.5.
Hope this helps, even if it is bad news!
Ameya Thakur
60 PointsYou can also get away with using the ghetto solution and running OS X in a virtual machine on your windows computer. It wont be as fast as a real mac or a hackintosh but it works just fine.
Noah Schill
10,020 PointsThey dropped support for PowerPC processors in Mac OS 10.5. Programming in swift requires Mac OS 10.10. You can try installing Mac OS X 10 in VirtualBox, Parallels or VMWare, or you can partition your hard drive and cross-boot Mac OS X. You could also find another PC and convert it into a Hackintosh. If you need any help, the forums should help, and a search on Google can yield plenty of helpful resources regarding the matter. Hope this helps xD
Michelle Wallace
2,376 PointsMichelle Wallace
2,376 PointsThanks Ben! Very helpful. Just found some at a good price... gutted but pleased I didn't buy useless kit. Thanks again!! Now it's time for apple to try to part me from yet more money.
Nathan F.
30,773 PointsNathan F.
30,773 PointsIf you're looking for something cheaper to code on than a shiny new Macbook Air/Pro or iMac, you might consider looking at a used Mac Mini. They're reasonably priced, so long as you already have a spare monitor/keyboard available.
Michelle Wallace
2,376 PointsMichelle Wallace
2,376 PointsThanks Nathan. I had found those macs for much less than the mini. Just going to need to keep my eyes peeled I think but looks like otherwise it shall be a mac mini thanks for the heads up.