“Clearly, Boot Camp is cool… but it’s a trial balloon: Apple is wading into the Windows ocean, one step at a time. Boot Camp does one big thing: it lets you reboot your Intel Mac into the Windows environment,” Gavin Shearer writes for gavinshearer.com. “If you wanted to be a bit snarky, you could even say that Apple’s announcement is ho-hum, because Boot Camp does nothing fundamentally different than the hack ‘narf’ and ‘blanka’ published about two weeks ago (and received about $13K for their trouble). The difference, of course, is that this isn’t a solution from two guys named ‘narf’ and ‘blanka’. This is, instead, from Apple, which changes things substantially.”
“Where is this going? Well, Apple candidly admits that Boot Camp is a prelude of Things To Come: “To make this choice simply irresistible, Apple will include technology in the next major release of Mac OS X, Leopard, that lets you install and run the Windows XP operating system on your Mac. Called Boot Camp (for now), you can download a public beta today.” Of course, the final form of ‘letting you install and run the Windows XP operating system on your Mac’ is yet to be announced. My bet is that the reboot-to-use-Windows strategy is just a temporary solution, one that gives guys like Keith and Will the ability to buy a new iMac and still play their PC games. But rebooting sucks, and so it’s not a good solution for the mass market. Virtualization is what’s needed, but Leopard – and its inevitable support for virtualization – isn’t out yet. So for today, you reboot. Tomorrow, it’ll be, well, more Apple-like,” Shearer writes.
“Boot Camp is basically nine months of free marketing for Apple. Between now and January (when Leopard finally comes out) the public is going to hear nothing except ‘Macs can run Windows!’ from the popular press, the blogosphere, and their geek friends. And guess what? By the time Christmas rolls around, a lot of those people who are in the market for a new PC are (finally) going to consider an Apple computer instead of one from HP, Dell, Toshiba or Sony,” Shearer writes. “So if I’m a consumer, and I see a Sony laptop for $2000 that runs Windows alongside an Apple laptop for $2000 that runs Windows and Mac OS X, well, which is the better value? The Mac is. No question. It’s the no-compromise choice. In one fell swoop, Apple has just captured all of the value of its rival PC makers, while continuing to provide the same great stuff (iLife, OS X) that comes with their own machines. If I were Sony, or Toshiba, or HP, I’d be freaking out right now.”
Full article here.
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Ed Bott on Apple’s new Boot Camp: virtualization would be better – April 06, 2006
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different calculations if you factor in the cost of windows…. not that i know 1 person that has actually bought it unless it came with there machine
Windows “Classic” mode. I didn’t think it was possible, but considering NeXT could do it and Apple did it with Mac OS 9… I think it’s possible.
I really hope Leopard has a virtualization solution. I do not want my precious Mac to be jeopordized with all the Windows infestations out there, nor do I fancy rebooting. Cutting and pasting, and dropping stuff from one OS to the other is what I’m waiting for. I’ll buy software to do it if Apple doesn’t come out with one.
Dashboard layer with windows. My wish.
“tomorrow…it will be “more Apple-like”.
TRANSLATION: Apple will make it elegant, as usual.
Just watch.
Do yourselves a favor and bookmark Shearer’s blog. He’s a Mac fanatic and Microsoft employee, and I put him right up there with John Gruber of Daring Fireball when it comes to insightful comments. The guy’s also extremely funny.
You know, if I were “Sony, or Toshiba, or Dell, or HP”, I’d just go de ‘Leno route’: You know, admit that you suck, that you’re tired of trying, and you’re calling it quits in 2008.
I POOP on de Dells and Leno’s of de world.
I bought XP home to use it on my MBP.
I would love it if the next version of OS X could run windows programs natively within OS X.
I DON”T WANT VIRTUALIZATION!!
I want to run Windows apps, including Vista apps, in Mac OS X at native speeds.
FSCKING DO IT APPLE!!!
You don’t need VPC anymore and you don’t need to sell that worthless OfficeMac POS in apple Stores neither.
Get with the program, kick M$ in the nutz!!
Shearer writes. “So if I’m a consumer, and I see a Sony laptop for $2000 that runs Windows alongside an Apple laptop for $2000 that runs Windows and Mac OS X, well, which is the better value?
Which store is it where someone can see a Sony alongside a Mac?
When I’m not playing World of Warcrack I’ve been thinking about Boot Camp. From my perspective it’s the biggest mistake Apple has ever made.
Bottom line is that it will likely marginalize the Mac OS even more than it already has.
Right about the time a measurable portion of the computer using public was beginning to see that Windows was nothing but trouble, (what with MS actually coming out and saying you can’t fix it, just re-install), along comes Apple to legitimize and bless it as an option on the Mac.
There are lots of people out there who have always coveted a Mac, but don’t buy it just because they need to run Windows. These people will now buy Macs because they can run Windows. They won’t enven experiment with OS X.
Developers, who’ve always had issues with developing for multiple platforms, now have a built in excuse. “Just run Windows on your Mac.”
Website developers who create stupid sites that require Windows will also lean on Boot Camp as the solution to their ineptitude, further pushing the idea that WINDOWS IS THE STANDARD.
Sure Microsoft supports it, because you have to purchase a copy of Windows for your Mac.
I already have clients asking me about this. I have attorneys that want to know if they purchase new Machines then want to migrate to Windows, will the new Macs allow this?
Real estate people are asking me similar questions.
People are starting to compare Apple to Dell as a box maker, one that just makes prettier boxes.
Allowing Windows to boot on the Mac is insane. OS X’s spread will not only suffer, it will be reversed and when it comes down to it, I never bought a Mac because of the box, I bought it because of the OS.
If I find I’m being forced more often into Windows, as I think this move will make happen, I won’t spend $3000 on a Mac laptop or desktop when I can get the same thing, I.E. a fricking Windows machine, from every other manufacturer for next to nothing.
If OS X falls by the wayside, as I think this could very well make happen, I will finally be one of those considering a class action law suit against Apple.
Boot Camp sucks.
I’ll bet that the resellers are banging on Apple’s door for stock during 2006…
Ummm…. dude calm down. It WOULD run natively in virtualization inside OS X BECAUSE IT’S AN INTEL CHIP INSIDE. Wow…. take your meds, OK?
> Which store is it where someone can see a Sony alongside a Mac?
Bestbuy?
Thelonious, I must respectfull disagree with you.
First, the whole Boot Camp thing has been EXCELLENT FREE PUBLICITY. The Mac is back in the public eye, just when everyone had virtually forgotten that Apple made anything but iPods. (As I think SteveJack wrote, I too am so sick of overhearing mall shoppers say “Let’s go to the iPod store!”)
Second, people want to try OS X. A lot of people. Even anti-Mac people are curious. Proof? I was just talking to a buddy of mine via Skype. He’s been a PC user all his life. He’s been very anti-Apple because of the iTunes Music Store and its “world domination” and “closed DRM”. I’ve been round the debate with him about this stuff.
So today, he asks about my opinion on an Apple laptop through the refurbs. Are they good quality, how much, and what options would I recommend. I was floored! I asked him what he wanted to do with the laptop. He said “Sound, audio stuff. I need a new toy to play with”
He then asked what software was included. So I gave him a one line synopsis of each item – from the iLife components, to Mail, Quicken, etc.
After 10 or 11 items, he simply replied:
“Is that all? (sarcasm)”
“So why isn’t Apple dominating the world?”
And I told him the answer, honestly. People are afraid OS X is “too different” and they need a safety net with Windows and their Windows software and their Windows games. Now he isn’t interested in games, but he’s very interested in audio. And the Garageband component alone is enough to pique his interest in spending $800 or $900 on a “new toy” from a company he purportedly dislikes. And this would be for a PPC iBook that won’t even boot Windows.
*****
People DO want to try OS X. But many of them want a safety net.
It’s gonna work this time. I really think the combination is magical. Steve really is a genius sometimes.
theloniousMac, a class action lawsuit is a bit harsh, particularly at this point. So what if a bunch of people come and buy a Mac and put Windows on it. Do you really think everyone one of those people is going to strip off OS X and only put Windows on it? This is Apple’s way of letting people try out OS X. If they don’t like it, even after comparing them, then oh well. Many others will like OS X better. A die hard MS fan in my lab came up to me yesterday and said: “So, uh, I’m thinking about getting a MacBook.” He’s made fun of Apple for years. He said he’ll put Windows on it because SolidWorks doesn’t run on the Mac, but he said he’ll give OS X a try and see which one he likes better.
There are so many people that are debating getting a Mac and Boot Camp will give them a no risk opportunity to try it. If even half of these people use OS X more than half the time, the number of people using OS X and any instant will increase and that is good for the Mac community since there will be more users which will lead to more developers writing apps for the Mac.
This isn’t forcing me to move to Windows – it’s allowing more people to try OS X. There will be several companies that will state: “Just run Windows on your Mac.” But, these are the same companies that currently say they aren’t going to support Mac’s anyway. They are just going to change their reasons. As the market share increases, that will change. It is a very bold move by Apple – it could backfire, but I’m pretty sure they have weighed the risks and found it to be worth it. Only time will tell though….
IMPORTANT NOTE..
Morty is MacDude! Just found out yesterday that MacDude is a former Apple employee who was fired… This explains a lot about MacDude..
Continue to ignore him… He is just trolling…
If Windows users buy a Mac just to run Windows – well, who cares. Microsoft has been making money off Mac OS X users with their Office suite, now it’s time for Apple to make money off of Windows users with their hardware.
The ONLY concern I have is if developers stop developing for OS X and just say, “Boot to Windows.”
But, that is a risk Apple had to take. And as long as Apple keeps coming out with great Applications and features along with OS X, then that will likely not be a problem. The minute Apple ports any of their great applications (besides iTunes) to Windows, then we can kiss it all good-bye. We should NEVER see iLife for Windows and we should never see any of their studio apps for Windows. Period. Never.
If you see the screen shots of Vista booted on an iMac, it’s frightening how similar the whole thing looks to OS X (Microsoft ripping Apple off again).
My guess is Jobs knows the two OS’s will dramatically converge in appearance with the release of Vista. So he’s playing it to Apple’s advantage. If OS X doesn’t look that different to Vista and Windows users have to adapt to the new Vista appearance anyway, then why not give OS X a go? This impulse will be cazupled when everyone discovers Vista is a pretty-looking pile of buggy crap.
I think Apple will scrap the Macintosh/Mac name with the release of Leopard and the availability of true universal binaries (ie one app runs on any OS). ‘Mac’ and ‘Macintosh’ has long been a real albatross for Apple, and the many shock changes the company have sprung over the past few years all point towards a final letting go of this historic brand. An ‘iMac’ is now just as much a Windows PC as it is an Apple Mac, and BootCamp is the first step towards getting both current Windows AND Mac users used to the coming reality that future Apple PCs will be (and already are) platform independent. By dumping all ‘Mac/Macintosh” naming conventions, Apple will be free of the historical negative associations and cult status the brand attracts. The playing field will then be truly levelled and Apple are 100% confident ‘Apple OS X’ will blow Vista out of the water.
> Which store is it where someone can see a Sony alongside a Mac?
CompUSA.
http://getkickedoffaplanewearingthis.blogspot.com/
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re: twenty benson
why would apple drop the mac name within the same year that steve jobs said the company WANTS “mac” in the names of their products, ie macbook pro?
anyhow, boot camp is a great idea, and if i hadn’t wanted an intel mac already, it would have been the arm twist i needed, because i do (unfortunately) still need windows for a few apps and games.
and who let the monkey out of his cage?
I can’t wait until Microsoft unveil their version of ‘Boot Camp’ to run OS-X on a HP, Dell or other PC boxes.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you ‘Concentration Camp’ – with all the functionality and ease-of-use of a Nazi death camp…
I hope you guys are right. For me, this doesn’t bode well. The whole reason Windows dominates the world is because it’s insidious. It’s everywhere and it’s simple for the average person to just accept what appears to be good enough.
I see people with Macs, having to go into Windows, and now the ease with which they can do so will once again override the vast benefits of OS X.
Personally I’ve invested a great deal in developing and cultivating OS X expertise. It’s how I make my living, as a Mac consultant.
I see clients that are annoyed with all the little incompatibilities all the time. “Why can’t I use this website?” etc.
Apple has shot itself in the foot this time.
OS X is doomed.