“One part of last week’s column on Apple’s Boot Camp that slipped past many readers was the idea that Apple would actually start shipping OEM versions of Windows Vista with at least some of its computers. I believe that will be the case and, if so, it is a big deal, and could lead to Apple becoming the biggest vendor of Windows computers to business, which I think is a hoot,” Robert X. Cringely writes for PBS. John Dvorak’s idea “that Apple will drop OS X for Windows [is] not at all what I think will happen. Apple isn’t going to throw away its clearest point of differentiation and greatest technical advantage just to become another Windows OEM. That would make them little better than Sony and Sony can out-manufacture Apple any day. Where Dvorak is wrong is he believes Microsoft’s version of the story — that Apple will abandon OS X, at least for business, replacing it with Windows Vista. After all, isn’t that what this Boot Camp stuff is all about, enabling the choice of OSX or Windows? Not really.”
“The version of Boot Camp that will ship with OS X 10.5 will likely be very different from the version people are playing with today. The actual shipping version, I predict, will have full OS virtualization so that both operating systems can run side-by-side and a user can cut and paste data from one to the other. Apple may have already developed this capability, or maybe they’ll license or buy it from outside. Parallel Workstation 2.1 sure looks nice from Parallels, Inc. Maybe Apple should buy the whole company,” Cringely writes. “If Apple’s intent is to do virtualization, then why bother with this dual boot version of Boot Camp? My best guess is to throw off Microsoft until it is too late.”
“Don’t be surprised, either, to see that OS X 10.5 has a new kernel, finally giving up Mach and a big piece of its NeXTstep heritage. I write this for one thing — because OS X has kernel problems and needs some help, especially with swap space. I say it also because of the departure of Avie Tevanian, Apple’s chief software technology officer, and the guy who hung onto Mach for so long,” Cringely writes. “I have no insider knowledge here, but it isn’t hard to imagine an instance where Avie’s favored position with Steve Jobs was finally undermined by someone pointing out just these problems, so Avie had to go. That’s the way it is with Steve, who sees his people as either part of the solution or part of the problem.”
“So where Dvorak sees an Apple repudiation of OS X for Windows Vista, I see an Apple business strategy that combines OS X and Vista. Nearly all of Apple’s own applications, like iLife and iWork, will still be OS X-only, as will be thousands of native OS X apps, so there will be many opportunities to lure Vista users into the light,” Cringely writes. “Given Microsoft’s difficulties with data security and its long history of troubled OS introductions, there is the very real possibility that the Apple version of Vista will be by far the most stable. For awhile it might be the ONLY stable version. So Apple could, in a way, be Microsoft’s savior.”
Full article here.
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Related articles:
Cringely predicts Apple Boot Camp for non-Apple PCs to allow Mac OS X to run on generic x86 boxes – April 07, 2006
Dvorak: Will Apple ditch Mac OS X for Microsoft’s Windows? – February 16, 2006
Kernal (sic) Panic!!! Don’t tell me your Mac has never crashed because of it.
Not since 10.0!
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At least rediculous when the option is a Vista-only $599 Dull.
It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out.
$599 might buy you a Vista Dull that boots to the desktop. But to do anything, aren’t you going to need 3+ghz, multi-cores, a few gigs of ram, and a top-end video card? If Dell can deliver those in a complete system for $599, yikes. But I’m thinking that Vista will be such a hog, PC makes will either have to spec up & raise prices, or have loss leaders.
Then again, by the time vista ships, those might be standard specs for a low-end system anyway. We will see.
>rediculous.
Is that a word?
>
> rediculous.
> Is that a word?
Nope. It’s a wird.
Teflon:
I have not experienced a kernel panic since OS X 10.0.
Apple running on cheap commodity hardware booting Windows XP. How INNOVATIVE!
Apple’s new motto; “Think.. Me too.”
Cringely writes. “Given Microsoft’s difficulties with data security and its long history of troubled OS introductions, there is the very real possibility that the Apple version of Vista will be by far the most stable..”
A turd is still a turd, no matter whose hand is it’s in!
The wholesale replacement of the Mach Kernel could be for real, would be welcome, but is unlikely. Re-inventing the wheel is difficult and expensive to do unless you want to license other people’s patents. Anyone who has used OS X knows that anything that hangs the finder is a dead-end and brings up the SRBBOD (Spinning Rainbow Beach Ball of Death). Network interrupts come to mind among others.
OS X is better than Windows in most things, but if far from perfect. Universal games running on OS X still lag behind Windows XP on Apple’s own Intel CPU hardware, which ought to tell you that there is work to be done. Even if you do not do games it is an issue. High end games make demands on the graphics software and hardware in a manner similar to many Pro media apps.
Note to Apple- Multi-Thread the Finder. PLEASE.
I use XP daily. I use no AV software on one of my Machines. I wipe the HD clean and reinstall the updated OS, programs and data files from a secure source daily with one click on an icon. It takes about 5 minutes to do the whole process. The machine is just behind a hardware firewall but it is connected to the internet 24/7. I do not have any stability or security problems with that machine.
Having Vista or XP running in Virtualization on OS X would work the same way. It would give the Windows OS great stability with that fresh copy every time it is used and, being in virtualization, it would have the same security as OS X has.
If true, and I think it is true, this is going to be very big.
My 2002 Dual 1GHz G4 has been running OS 10.3 since it came out. This machine was a little flakey under 10.2 (which it came with) but since upgrading to 10.3, it has NEVER KERNAL PANIC’D. Never!
This machine runs from 6AM until 10:45PM every day, 350 days a year, rock solid and reliable. I keep the machine clean because I do a lot of pro work (Photoshop, Final Cut Pro HD, ProTools, Waves plugins, various soft synths) on it and don’t want it glommed up. It’s on the internet everyday also and I’ve had no problems with that. I have not reinstalled my software in well over a year. It just keeps going and going….
The only software I’ve ever had on this machine that gave me any trouble at all is MICROSOFT OFFICE FOR MAC. About half the time, when I started any of the MS apps, it would hang or flake out. The last time I reinstalled (due to a failed original Seagate disk drive) I left out MS Office and have never had another problem since.
MS is the Virus! Truer words were never spoken.
If everyone all of a sudden loves and wants to run XP, what happens when Microsoft releases it’s own ‘Boot Camp” and allows OSX to run on PC’s? End of Apple’s computer division? Hey If Apple do it, Microsoft do it, all be it a little later. A £399 HP running XP or £2000 Mac running XP. Hhmm! Tough choice!
I am still waiting to see a kernal panic and have used 10.3 and 10.4 scince they came out
sounds to me like you have a hardware problem if you get kernal panics regularly
CG5Addict said:
>>Sorry Teflon…. Never had a Kernal Panic. Just always keep on top of my routine maintenance.
It’s kernel, not kernal. But anyway, “routine maintenance” or a lack of it, has no impact on kernel panics. “Routine maintenance” is deleting/rotating large log files, deleting temporary files and repairing permissions. None of these cause kernel panics – which are generally due to improper memory access (caused by bad drivers, other poorly written software, etc). Suggest you learn more about MacOS before spouting forth.
Ever notice how there is no Apple news here anymore?
Just Windows.
Not even iPod news anymore.
There must be serious delays or problems in Apple land.
OK, OK this place has an audience that is hard, HARD to please. “Ridiculous” Now, are you satisfied? Sheez!!
You can’t be serious. You must be a troll.
It’s not even a fair comparison, because MS is a software company.
Please, do not use the interwebs again.
I love Windows news about running on Apple computers!!! Soon we will all be one big happy computer family with OSX and Windows on all computers!
Peace and harmony for all!
“Kernal Panic!!! Don’t tell me your Mac has never crashed because of it.”
Never, ever, ever, had one! Two Macs – a Powerbook and a Cube (hence the name) and neither have ever had one from 10.2-present(10.4.5 – sorry, haven’t updated yet).
Cringley actually presents a coherent argument here (a first for him), albeit an unlikely one. Apple will keep Boot Camp (or whatever it’s called in Leopard), in some form FOREVER! (my prediction) However, they are not about to start selling Vista, XP, or doing major support for either. Boot Camp is, as MDN says, simply a (in)security blanket for fence-sitting switchers, and a REALLY smart marketing strategy!
Go for it Apple and ship new Macs with OSX and Windows. Dell & HP operate with no creativity and slim margins — they won’t know how to respond. They will start yelling to MS to get Vista out the door. The fireworks will be great to watch.
I thought a Windows experience involved a sledgehammer and a shot of Vodka…
RE:
You can’t be serious. You must be a troll.
It’s not even a fair comparison, because MS is a software company.
Please, do not use the interwebs again.
I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that name calling was apparent on this website. I am aware that Microsoft is a software company. Thank you. I am sure that you are aware that Microsoft runs on at least 95% on the world’s computer hardware. PC’s. If Boot Camp is so great that it is going to compel Windows computer hardware users to switch to Mac hardware in my opinion I think that they will release their own version of Boot Camp that will protect their partnerships with these computer manufacturers. Back to my interwbs I go!
I think Microsoft will be busy enough trying to develop workable versions of Vista to be concerned with their own “version” of Boot Camp. By the time MS releases a commercial version of Vista it is likely Apple will have offered a Mac capable of running Windows and OS X simultaneously and with seamless operation.
I posted this before, but I’ll post it here again:
What the Windows XP Start-UP chime sounds like after you have installed XP on a Mac
OK, so now for Round II. Apple will introduce the mobile phone we’ve all been waiting for. And it will be Mac only. If you’re a PC user, you will HAVE to get a Mac to use it.
—
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH you are a friggin MORON..
no way. no way. no way. a CELL PHONE that is limited to a 30 milllion userbase?!
dude.
AHAHHAHAHAHA NEVER.
I honestly don’t know what a kernel panic is since I have never had one.
Can someone post a link showing what a kernel panic looks like?