“Apple’s decision to move its Macintosh computing platform to Intel processors has opened up a world of possibilities, none more obvious than the release this week of a beta software wizard called Boot Camp. This elegant little application allows Intel-based Mac users to repartition their hard drive, install Windows XP, and dual boot between XP and Mac OS X 10.4 “Tiger” (see my review). A future version of Boot Camp will be included with Mac OS X 10.5 ‘Leopard,’ due sometime in 2007. That version, presumably, will support Windows Vista as well,” Paul Thurrott writes for Paul Thurrott’s SuperSite for Windows.
MacDailyNews Note: Leopard is actually due late 2006/early 2007. Think Macworld Expo in January 2007 at the latest (although we have a gut feeling it’ll be sooner). This isn’t Microsoft we’re talking about here: Leopard won’t slip because Apple knows how to ship.
Thurrott continues, “One might wonder why Apple would create such a thing. After all, with barely 2 percent of the market for computer operating systems, should Apple be trying to win market share for Mac OS X and not offer a way for Mac users to run Windows? Not exactly. Unlike Microsoft, Apple doesn’t actually make a lot of money directly from sales of its OS. Instead, Apple makes most of its money–even now, in the heady days of iPod supremacy–by selling computer hardware. So one might think of Boot Camp as a win-win. Apple wins because a much wider audience of users can now consider its Mac systems, secure in the knowledge that they can run Windows if they want to. Microsoft wins because these users will still be using–and paying for–Windows. And best of all, we as users win, too, because now we can have the best of both worlds: the elegance of Apple hardware coupled with Windows, the operating system that runs all those applications we want to run.”
“Some Mac users don’t see it that way. They’d like you to believe that Mac OS X is all anyone would ever need, and they’re actually quite a bit distressed that anyone would want to run Windows on a Mac. Get a life: This software will open up the world of Apple to a much wider audience and if OS X is as great as they think it is, surely some of those people will start spending time with OS X instead of Windows. I can’t really see the issue there,” Thurrott writes. “While Boot Camp isn’t perfect, it’s still a semi-miraculous solution that lets you dual boot between Mac OS X and Windows XP on an Intel-based Mac. That, folks, is what’s known as the best of both worlds in these parts, and I’m personally very excited at the prospect of, or at the opportunity to, purchase Apple notebooks and desktops in the future. There’s precious little chance I’d ever want to switch to Mac OS X, but I do need to maintain OS X systems for testing purposes. Life would surely be a lot simpler for me if I could run both Windows and OS X on the same hardware. I suspect the same is true for many other people as well. Rejoice.”
Thurrott, destined to be the last Windows user on Earth (why would he ever want to switch to Mac OS X when almost every one of his websites’ revolves around the use of Windows?), installs and tests Boot Camp Public Beta on a base Apple Mac mini in the full article here.
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Related articles:
Apple’s Boot Camp is first step towards Mac OS X Leopard’s inevitable support for virtualization – April 11, 2006
Video of Parallels running Windows XP on Mac OS X showing real time clock – April 11, 2006
VMware plans Mac version of virtualization software – April 09, 2006
Video of Parallels running Windows XP on Mac OS X – April 07, 2006
Parallels releases first virtualization solution for Intel-powered Apple Intel-based Macs – April 06, 2006
Ed Bott on Apple’s new Boot Camp: virtualization would be better – April 06, 2006
Dude, you got a Dell? What are you, stupid? Only Apple Macs run both Mac OS X and Windows! – April 05, 2006
Apple introduces Boot Camp: public beta software enables Intel-based Macs to run Windows XP – April 05, 2006
Parallels to intro virtualization software for Intel-based Macs – April 04, 2006
Apple Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard likely to feature Windows support, drivers for Intel Macs – March 28, 2006
RUMOR: Apple’s Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard to include VMWare-like ‘Chameleon’ virtualization software – March 24, 2006
Microsoft Vista fumble could lead to score for Apple Mac; Mac OS X Leopard may beat Vista to market – March 23, 2006
Using virtualization to run Windows and Linux apps plus Mac OS X could double Apple’s market share – February 11, 2006
Intel’s Virtualization Technology runs multiple operating systems simultaneously – February 08, 2006
Will future Intel-based Apple Macs offer multiple OS worlds via virtualization? – November 16, 2005
Intel’s built-in virtualization tech could be one way to run Windows on Intel-based Apple Macs – June 16, 2005
Intel-based Macs running both Mac OS X and Windows will be good for Apple – June 10, 2005
Why buy a Dell when Apple’s Intel-based computers will run both Mac OS X and Windows? – June 08, 2005
Apple to unleash Leopard on Microsoft’s Windows Longhorn; Mac OS X 10.5 due late 2006 – early 2007 – June 07, 2005
Morty:
Don’t let the Mossberg headline in your link go to your head. Mossberg is on record as stating that OS X is far superior to XP. He is the highest paid employee of the Wall Street Journal and is considered by many people as the dean of US tech writers. Better pick another writer to quote if you’re implying in a sly way that an Apple is only good for running “Windows”-Mossberg would not agree with you.
Injo : thanks for the link – that’s one of the funniest takes on an apple ad ever.
MW : ‘return’ : return of the BSOD
Couple of things.
1. Morty is MacDude. Interesting thing I found out about MacDude is that he is a former Apple employee and was fired… This bit of info explains a lot about MacDude’s ill will towards anything Apple..
2. I am the one who gave MDN the heads up on this article several days ago… Where is my thanks/credit? MIKE KRAEMER.. That’s me.
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MK: Dude!
Injo,
That’s hilarious! It really shows the bi-polar antics of Apple. Dull little boxes, it’s ok to have dull boxes running windows as long as the money for the box goes to Apple and not Dull?
They say one thing and do another, they used to call that lying, now they just call it good business.
The lock up at the end is a nice touch also. Welcome to the future of Apple hardware!
injo: Fücking Brilliant!
ROTFLMFAO
Unless you totally have no sense of humor, it’s funny!
Interesting thing I found out about MacDude is that he is a former Apple employee and was fired… This bit of info explains a lot about MacDude’s ill will towards anything Apple..
Wow that explains a lot, maybe that’s why he knows so much about Apple.
He left a post with a link to his website a few articles back.
Why do I get the feeling that Leopard will ship with virtualized Windows Vista before Windows Vista actually ships?
Running Windows XP on my MacBook Pro right now (office required software needed).
Doesn´t bootcamp kill off any remaining PowerPC mac sales?
You can´t run bootcamp on a POWER PC correct? Why would anyone give up this flexibility and potential use by buying a POwerPC chipped Mac?
“Thurrott: Apple’s elegant Boot Camp opens up a world of possibilities”
Yeah, for viruses,worms,trojans,malware,etc…..
It’ll be a blast seeing all the problems boot camp will bring! I can’t wait to start reading the horror stories! I’ll be using my new Macbook sans Windows when it comes out too!
YAY!
U actually caught a virus or malware the same day that I loaded XP on my MacBook Pro.. Warning do not use Xp on the Internet … bad thing may happen.
Great thing about Boot Camp .. you can delete XP!!
Nobody:
I use a PowerMac and hate laptops. I work as a consultant and do most of my work at home, but needed another laptop, so last week I bought a 12 PowerBook (one of the last I suppose).
Given the fact I own about $20,000 of PowerPC software, I didn’t think I had any option. Stoked thought that my 2 year old Dual 2.0 is still just as fast as new iMacs and will do for some years yet!