With the announcement that Apple will switch from PowerPC to Intel processors in Macs, many have wondered if the new Apple Macintel machines would allow users to run Windows. Probably more have wondered the reverse, if Apple would allow for Mac OS X to run on any old box assembler’s PC. CNET’s Ina Fried reports:
After Jobs’ presentation, Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller addressed the issue of running Windows on Macs, saying there are no plans to sell or support Windows on an Intel-based Mac. “That doesn’t preclude someone from running it on a Mac. They probably will,” he said. “We won’t do anything to preclude that.” However, Schiller said the company does not plan to let people run Mac OS X on other computer makers’ hardware. “We will not allow running Mac OS X on anything other than an Apple Mac,” he said.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Oh, so one could buy a Mac and run both Windows and Mac OS X or buy a Dell and only be able to run Windows. Muahahahahah! So, can anyone explain why would anyone in their right mind would buy a Dell or any other Wintel box assembler’s kit again? This is shaping up to become a “license Mac OS X or die” problem for the Dells of the world. But, what if Steve Jobs doesn’t feel like licensing Mac OS X? Checkmate. Is it too early to suggest that Michael Dell shut down the company and give the money back to shareholders?
Wait until Wall Street figures this one out.
As we wrote in a MacDailyNews Take on May 9, 2005: “The war isn’t over until there’s a surrender. Apple’s still here and the Mac platform is growing and advancing, not shrinking and retreating. As long as Apple makes Macs, as Yogi said, ‘It ain’t over ’til it’s over.’ PCs are turned over every few years; all it would take is for the average user to choose a Mac for their next computer and things would quickly change drastically. With Windows in disarray and Longhorn looking more like Stillborn, right now is Apple’s best time to strike and strike hard.”
Related articles:
Windows users who try Apple’s Mac OS X Tiger might not want to go back – June 07, 2005
Microsoft and Dell must have a lot of bricks lying around today – June 07, 2005
Apple about to resurrect its Switch campaign? Are the ‘OS wars’ really over? – May 09, 2005
Apple Macs are less expensive, more secure, longer-lasting than Windows PCs – April 21, 2005
Switching from Windows to Mac? Save money by asking to ‘crossgrade’ your software – April 12, 2005
Apple Macs are far easier, cost less to manage than Windows boxes – March 02, 2005
Michael Dell owes Apple an apology; Apple up 176 percent vs. Dell’s 13 percent in past 12 months – January 15, 2005
and thas a low bu/ram speed and only a sinlge core!!
If only Apple started selling MacIntels today! With a voucher for a free Mac OS X’tel on 666.
I haven’t seen it first hand but one of the developers I know reported seeing some sort of program Apple was working on that was similiar to a fast user switch that allowed a client to seemlessly move between the two OS with minimal boot/restart time…
It’s clearly a golden opportunity for Apple, unless they get greedy on pricing. Keep the sticker price no more than 10-15% higher than a comparably equipped Dell and they go from niche player to 800-pound gorilla. The market is theirs to lose. Again. Steve, please learn from the “$10,000 Lisa” fiasco. Hopefully this Leopard will change its spots.
Apple will remain a niche player on Intel so long as their prices are premium and the general populace are ignorant of the Mac advantage.
They will only become a true OS force if they licence to HP, Sony etc (under strict controls) and let the other PC makers do their marketing.
That said, it sounds like Apple and Intel are cooking up some disruptive technologies that will make as big an impact as the iPod.
Yeah… But if I can pay a little bit more and have a machine that runs both operating systems… Damn that is a bargan…
But my actual thought is that there will be a way to run Windows software in OSX WITHOUT windows installed…
Using mach kernel mklinux developers use to (or may be still do) run two version of linux on a machine to test the new version of mklinux. When new version of mklinux crashes, switch to stable version to figure out what went wrong, so Apple probably has the capability to let user switch between two or more OS.
Some of reasons to buy Dell over Macintel is, Dell does have better extended warrenty/insurance. Apple should consider offering similar warrenty/insurance.
Dell price will be lower than Apple’s. Apple won’t and should not compete in price against Dell.
Look for Intel Ads in due time targeting the Mac.
paraphrasing Intel CEO “what best could you offer yourself than what the best could offer you? Get an MP 64-bit powered Mac and run whatever you like at the speed you deserve” – Intel Inside logo + Apple Logo.
Daily, multiple times. For months.
>MDN wrote: PCs are turned over every few years
That’s because PCs get faster than Macs… and at a faster rate of getting faster. 😀
I do agree though, if Windows does run on Mactel then it’d make more sense to buy a Mactel even for Windows ops… IF:
– it is 100% compatible
– the price premium Apple generally likes to charge as a boutique seller isn’t too high
– the machines are available (Apple supply problems aren’t always other companies’ fault)
– the non-Mactel boxes don’t offer a better value.
I can’t see into the future like some claim to, so I can’t say that without a doubt, the Mactel boxes will be better than non-Mac Intel boxes.
😀
>MDN wrote: PCs are turned over every few years
That’s because PCs get faster than Macs… and at a faster rate of getting faster. 😀
I do agree though, if Windows does run on Mactel then it’d make more sense to buy a Mactel even for Windows ops… IF:
– it is 100% compatible
– the price premium Apple generally likes to charge as a boutique seller isn’t too high
– the machines are available (Apple supply problems aren’t always other companies’ fault)
– the non-Mactel boxes don’t offer a better value.
I can’t see into the future like some claim to, so I can’t say that without a doubt, the Mactel boxes will be better than non-Mac Intel boxes.
😀
>MDN wrote: PCs are turned over every few years
That’s because PCs get faster than Macs… and at a faster rate of getting faster. 😀
I do agree though, if Windows does run on Mactel then it’d make more sense to buy a Mactel even for Windows ops… IF:
– it is 100% compatible
– the price premium Apple generally likes to charge as a boutique seller isn’t too high
– the machines are available (Apple supply problems aren’t always other companies’ fault)
– the non-Mactel boxes don’t offer a better value.
I can’t see into the future like some claim to, so I can’t say that without a doubt, the Mactel boxes will be better than non-Mac Intel boxes.
😀
Does this mean, as Macs, we will have to mess with that crappy BIOS thingy and stuff like that? Also, will you simply have to hold down th “W” key or choose the proper partition in the Start Up preferences to boot in Windows? Personally, you won’t ever see me do that!
There is too much speculation about a Mac with some sort of chip from Intel for what little information we know at least a year away from product launch. For all we know, Intel’s final chip design could be significantly different from their current line of chips and NOT be compatible with other operating systems.
MDN, the press, and the whole Mac community needs to take a deep breath and count to X. We are acting just like those who are eagerly waiting for Longhorn.
Peace.
“They will only become a true OS force if they licence to HP, Sony etc (under strict controls) and let the other PC makers do their marketing”
Aint gonna happen.
The “closed” environment that Apple offers is an advantage. It’s why Macs run so much better and we have to put up with so much less crap than Windows users.
Steve isnt going to turn Apple into a commodity product. Not gonna happen. As for it being more expensive. Again stupid shortsightedness. I gladly pay a premium for not having to constantly worry about incompatibilites and viruses and spyware. Those things have costs too. It’s not just what you pay for at the register. Oh, lets not forget iLife and all the other great apps bundled with Macs. Find something as good on the PC side that’s included and then maybe we’ll talk.
MDN word; Today. As in, there’s no reason not to buy a Mac TODAY.
Mac&PCGuy;: “That’s because PCs get faster than Macs… and at a faster rate of getting faster”
I guess that killed the alliance with IBM. The G5 3.0 GHz should have been there a couple of Decembers ago and I should be running a Powerbook G5 by now. Sad but true. IBM had issues from the beginning, starting with not producing enough G5 to satisfy demand. Now not producing new G5s period.
After all the bruhaha I am very pleased Apple will have a supplier that will not leave it dry. There is a lot more to a computer than the CPU, but you get no computer without one :-}
I trust Apple — if SJ says they needed to make this paradigm shift in technology to maintain parity with AMD and Intel-based systems of the future that will run Windows, I accept this. I don’t like it that we customers have to endure yet another technology transition, but I accept it.
However, I am very disappointed that Apple is once again not in a position to exploit its three-to-five year lead on Windows and the next major Longhorn release. It is likely that this lead will be lost (or at least halved) and that Mac sales will stagnate for at least one year, perhaps two.
This is yet another golden opportunity that has been lost. Now that SJ has addressed Mac developers about the transition, he also needs to speak directly to loyal Apple customers about why we should fund yet another transition, and what we can do to help make it successful. I’d really like to see him have this heart-to-heart with the Mac faithful — a downloadable QuickTime video for us the rest of us would do.
Geo: that would be great and very beneficial too.
>who are eagerly waiting for Longhorn.
I’d love to see Longhorn. I’d say I’m a computer enthusiast more than anything… right now I prefer running with Macs.
Other than your putting-Macs-on-a-pedestal rhetoric, I agree with your post.
Peace right back to you, brutha.
😀
>who are eagerly waiting for Longhorn.
I’d love to see Longhorn. I’d say I’m a computer enthusiast more than anything… right now I prefer running with Macs.
Other than your putting-Macs-on-a-pedestal rhetoric, I agree with your post.
Peace right back to you, brutha.
😀
>who are eagerly waiting for Longhorn.
I’d love to see Longhorn. I’d say I’m a computer enthusiast more than anything… right now I prefer running with Macs.
Other than your putting-Macs-on-a-pedestal rhetoric, I agree with your post.
Peace right back to you, brutha.
😀
MDN Magic Word: Island
Like in Apple is no longer an Island!
Hrm, soon the only way to distinguish youself as a “true” Mac fan will be to not have Windows installed as well…
“Aint gonna happen. The “closed” environment that Apple offers is an advantage”
That’s why I said “strict controls”. Mac clones would have to be identical to real Macs in every way for licensing to work. (Like the Apple iPod by HP)
as today it is by not having Microsoft products installed. What is a Mac running just Microsoft software anyway? YUCK