Windows on Macs provokes a stir

[{DOU}cHiCkEn]

Here is the link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4883482.stm

Story from the link copy & pasted below:


Apple's release of software that lets its Intel-based machines run Windows XP has set the hi-tech world buzzing.

The release of the Boot Camp software has prompted mixed reactions from computer industry pundits and bloggers.

The popular Boing Boing blog said comments by readers ranged from "appalled" to "awesome".

On the Flickr photo-sharing site, some keen Mac users posted screenshots of what happens when they installed Boot Camp and got Windows running.

Share surge

The news definitely impressed the financial markets and Apple shares leapt 9.8% in trading after the announcement.

The release of Boot Camp is significant because it could convince far more people to buy Apple computers rather than plump for a PC.

"Apple has removed another barrier to switching," said Joe Wilcox, a Jupiter Research analyst.

By making XP run on Apple hardware, users will be able to get access to all those Windows programs they were previously denied.

Why putting Windows on the Apple Mac is 'a bold move'
Apple has a very small share of the world desktop computer market, less than 5%, and far fewer developers make programs for its machines than for Windows.

However, the main switchers initially may not be businesses but consumers who are keen to keep playing all the games made for PCs. Though there still remain some technical questions, particularly over video cards, about how straight-forward this will be.

Some people may also be keen to switch because, as commentators point out, there are also far fewer security problems with the OS X e-mail and web browsing programs.

Mac owners, though, must still contend with the spam and phishing e-mails that plague everyone.

Cost counting

Ted Schadler from Forrester Research said that the Windows version of the iTunes online music store gave a huge boost to the market for iPods. He said Apple's move was "smart" and could open up a huge part of the computer-using market that would otherwise never consider using Macs.

If Boot Camp does convince a lot of people to buy Apple machines, it could mean increased fortunes for the company.

Each additional percentage point of PC market share that Apple could win would give it an extra $2bn (£1.14bn) in revenue, estimated Chris Shope from broker JP Morgan.

For its part Apple believes that each switcher would soon see the benefits of using OS X over Windows.

"Most of them will switch and find they never need to run Windows," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing.

Analysts point out that using an Intel-based Mac could be an expensive option.

Joe Wilcox from Jupiter noted that Macintosh machines tend to be more expensive than PCs and users will have to buy a copy of Windows to run on the machine.

"Consumers would pay a premium, as much as $200 for Windows XP Home, as installation would require full version, not the upgrade," said Mr Wilcox.

The trial version of Boot Camp released by Apple only lets owners use one operating system at a time. Switching from one to the other is, currently, a process that takes a while to complete.

Many expect that once the dual start-up software is built in to the next version of OS X, expected in late 2006 or early 2007, the switch between the operating systems will be much smoother.

At that time Intel-based Macs may also support Vista - the next version of Microsoft's operating system. By the end of 2007, all Apple's computers are expected to be Intel-based.

However, there were some that remained stubbornly unimpressed. For instance one caustic comment on the Slashdot website read: "You get the stability of Windows with the value-of-money of Apple hardware. Sign me up."

[Tommy]

However, there were some that remained stubbornly unimpressed. For instance one caustic comment on the Slashdot website read: "You get the stability of Windows with the value-of-money of Apple hardware. Sign me up."

Lol. I RARELY have an application crash, and in the 5 years I have been using OS X, the OS itself has not once ever bombed. The person who is suggesting that windows is more stable has obviously never used a Mac.

T

[Tommy]

Yeah, I did say that applications rarely crash, not never crash. Unfortunately MicroSoft makes software for the Mac too...

T

[{DOU}cHiCkEn]

However, there were some that remained stubbornly unimpressed. For instance one caustic comment on the Slashdot website read: "You get the stability of Windows with the value-of-money of Apple hardware. Sign me up."

Lol. I RARELY have an application crash, and in the 5 years I have been using OS X, the OS itself has not once ever bombed. The person who is suggesting that windows is more stable has obviously never used a Mac.

T

Re-read the statement: "Someone stubbornly unimpressed" meaning he is being sarcastic! He means that Windows is unstable and Apple is expensive = a crappy deal all round. lol

[escapedturkey]

First Intel, and now Windows can run on the Mac.

Sounds like Apple is giving up on the war with Windows and admitting that people need Windows more than OS X.

We'll probably see a Mac Vista, a modified version of Windows Vista, on Apple computers in a year.

*Waves GoodBye To MAC OS"

[{DOU}cHiCkEn]

First Intel, and now Windows can run on the Mac.

Sounds like Apple is giving up on the war with Windows and admitting that people need Windows more than OS X.

We'll probably see a Mac Vista, a modified version of Windows Vista, on Apple computers in a year.

*Waves GoodBye To MAC OS"

I think it's a necessary evil if the want to sell more computers. Which you know is why they put in the Intel chip......now the Windows. Give it time and they will sell the whole company. It's clearly all greed.

[escapedturkey]

We'll know it's officially over when we see Ipods boot up with a Windows logo screen.

[GRouND ZeRo]

We'll know it's officially over when we see Ipods boot up with a Windows logo screen.

NAH... Wait till AMD, INTEL and IBM face off in ROBOT WARS!!!

[{DOU}The Jargonaut]

First Intel, and now Windows can run on the Mac.

Sounds like Apple is giving up on the war with Windows and admitting that people need Windows more than OS X.

We'll probably see a Mac Vista, a modified version of Windows Vista, on Apple computers in a year.

*Waves GoodBye To MAC OS"

I think it is just the opposite. Jobs is doing this as a test of sorts. I would almost bet you real money that the next HUGE SURPRISE from Apple will be...
OSXI. Compatible with ALL PCs.
Then let's see if the Microsoft Monopoly will continue.

Think about it.
Jobs ain't a wimp. He has been fighting against Gates since day one. Gates always had an advantage.
Skip ahead to now. Jobs buys Pixar. Jobs is setting on a HUGE Ipod cash cow, and his company is stronger than it has EVER been before...
Time to break out the big guns.
He will wait until Vista is almost ready to launch. Then BAM! Drop the OSXI bomb that will resonate around the world.
Apple kept the XP on Mac secret under their hat. Hit us with it out of nowhere and just LOOK at all of the free publicity Apple is getting.
Imagine now the THEROMNUCLEAR bomb that OSXI on PC would be.

I think I will buy some stock in Apple. Even if it is high, I would bet it would go higher.
And one more thing... If this turns out to be true, I will be the first in line to get OSXI.
Hell, even if it is just a pipe dream, I may just get a Mac. I am liking Jobs more and more.

*EDIT*
You know, I was looking to purchase a notebook here in the near future. That just might be my second MacIntosh.

[{DOU}The Jargonaut]

One final word:
Does it really surprise you that Windows is poorly coded? Think about this:

The people that coded Windows came up with this... If you want to turn your computer off, what is the first thing you do??

Hmmm?

Yep. To turn off your computer, you have to hit the Start button....

[escapedturkey]

Not sure about how that would sale. Though it may be a good promotion for people to download Linux or BSD, once they realize OSX is BSD based and they can get it for free.

[{DOU}The Jargonaut]

I have tried Linux. I am a power user, and while it was good for a strictly bare bones computer, 99% of "real world" computer users would be totally lost.
I could not find the nessesary drivers for all of the hardware on my system, and I do not have a clue how to write my own. Linux is great for a free OS, but let's be real here. If it were that great, then Microsoft and Apple would not be selling OSes.
Turkey, I believe that you know Linux pretty well. What distro would you suggest for a novice? I have tried Fedora Core and Knoppix. I prefered Knoppix.
Also, is there a central online repository for drivers anywhere?

[escapedturkey]

I only recommend Linux for server use. End user use is a nightmare.

[GRouND ZeRo]

I would like to get into linux myself... Know of any GOOD versions of linux for an AMD 64 CPU???

Fedora Core 3 perhaps???

[QwazyWabbit]

Fedora Core is up to 5 now. I believe they have 64 bit support for it now. Check the web site.