“Posturing is important in the tech world, where ‘coopertition’ — cooperating with your competition — is just as important and widely practiced as competition itself. That may explain why Apple suddenly is vocal about a Mac that runs Windows and Microsoft is silent about the same subject,” David Radin writes for The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Apple will be very happy. Hewlett Packard, Dell, Gateway and other PC manufacturers will be unhappy as they lose market share to Apple’s dual operating system PCs. And most of us will think Microsoft will be happy because it will be selling more Windows licenses.”
“But will Microsoft really be happy with a short-term gain that becomes a larger loss in the long term? I can’t see why they would be. Sure, they’ll sell more Windows licenses as well as Office licenses for both operating systems. But they’ll be beginning a slippery slide into a competitive environment,” Radin writes. “Imagine a Windows user who, having heard for years about the Mac, decides to make his next Windows computer a Mac. At first he only plays with Mac OS while he uses Windows for his normal work. But as he plays, he gets used to the Mac OS until sooner-or-later he becomes comfortable with it — comfortable enough to start using it for his normal work. Apple’s market share grows. Software developers start to see a better market for software running on Mac OS — and Microsoft loses its advantage of having the most important business applications in its huge catalog.”
Radin writes, “It could spell the end of monopoly power for the Redmond, Wash.-based giant — and give Apple more clout. If I were Microsoft, I’d keep quiet too. It’s against Microsoft’s best interest to create an official Windows for Mac or support it.”
Full article here.
Exactly. In fact, Radin sounds just like our own SteveJack wrote back on April 5th upon Apple’s release of Boot Camp, “Millions of Windows-only users will now get to see for themselves what they’ve been missing. We all know what happens when people really try a Mac. They want to use the Mac and they dislike using Windows more and more. Eventually, they figure out ways to use Windows as little as possible or stop using it altogether. As Mac market share gains come, and they will come, software developers will notice; so will Wall Street. Today, Apple dropped a hydrogen bomb on the Windows hegemony. Nothing will ever be the same. Immediately affected will be the box assemblers like Dell, HP, Sony, Toshiba, Lenovo, etc. Eventually, Microsoft itself will feel the pain as people naturally gravitate to booting into Mac OS X and realizing that Windows is dreck and they can do without it. Today, Apple changed the world, yet again. Hang on, it’s going to be a wild ride!” Full article here.
What has Microsoft said of Boot Camp so far? All we’ve heard from Microsoft was the brief, disingenuous statement, “‘Windows is a great operating system. We’re pleased that Apple customers are excited about running it, and that Apple is responding to meet the demand.” The MacDailyNews translation of what Microsoft really meant: “Windows is obviously not a great operating system. We’re upset that customers will now get to compare Windows to Mac OS X because we know that we lose whenever that happens. Damn that Steve Jobs!”
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Related articles:
Apple Mac resellers preinstalling Boot Camp and Microsoft’s Windows XP – April 22, 2006
Apple implementing Windows API directly in Mac OS X Leopard? (Windows apps on Mac without Windows) – April 21, 2006
Apple ready to take back market share; may debut Windows virtualization in Mac OS X Leopard – April 21, 2006
Wall Street optimistic about Apple’s Intel-based Macs – April 20, 2006
Apple Computer’s earnings report prompts relief rally – April 20, 2006
Apple shares rise on growth expectations – April 20, 2006
Needham: Apple Mac sales could surge due to Boot Camp, newfound ability to run Windows apps – April 20, 2006
Thurrott: Microsoft collapsing under its own weight, Gates has driven Windows Vista into the ground – April 20, 2006
Apple figures suggest that 2006 may be very big year, thanks to Windows users switching to Mac – April 20, 2006
Microsoft ‘pleased’ with Apple’s Boot Camp; Woz says ‘It’s a great thing for Apple’ – 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
Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ ultimate goal: ‘to take back the computer business from Microsoft’ – June 16, 2005
It’s similar to using web browsers. You were raised on using Internet Explorer on your Mac. You used it in preference to Netscape. You used it for years. Then you began to use other browsers such as Safari, Camino and Firefox. You then used Internet Explorer less and less. Your long-term allegience to Internet Explorer vanishes almost overnight. Then you wonder what you ever saw in using Internet Explorer in the first place.
This is precisely what I think will happen.
who pays for windows? no one i know, unless it came with their machine lol, i thinks they wont be selling too many more licences.
Microsoft ought to be worrying more what will happen if Macs start running Windows software without requiring Windows.
And whatever Apple implement into OSX, you can bet the Linux crowd will be swift on the uptake with something similar.
Everything for Microsoft is now pinned on Vista. If that doesn’t get a swift takeoff, the rivals marketshare will climb very quickly.
andy: You make a good point. But now 3rd-parties are selling Macs with Windows XP pre-installed, in many cases for not much more than the OS X-only Mac.
Loving the momentum. Can’t wait until August!!!!!
LordRobin, that doesn’t really matter. If you’re a Windows user and you consider buying a Mac, you go straight to Apple, not to third-party Mac makers. You go to either the store or their website.
Besides, I have no doubt that within the next few months Apple will shut down the production and the selling of those.
The greatest offensive launched since Operation Overlord. That would be D-Day 06 June 1944 for those who are ignorant of history.
They’ve been Coopertinoed, torpedoed by the competition.
Cheers,
Tim.
EdgeleyExile™ 50:
Correct, mi amigo, running Windows apps on a Mac without Windows is Microsoft’s greatest fear. Nothing could be more disturbing than being made obsolete or irrelevant, and having little time and few resources to overturn the situation.
The greatest fear for many Mac users will be the loss of the aesthetics of the Mac interface. If the only programs available for Mac aficionados begin to look as ugly and feel as stodgy as those on a PC, there will be groans and mumblings of discontent. I hope that Apple and others recognize that the “Mac style” is a much a part of the Mac world as the Apple icon and the “Think Different” motto.
Microsoft’s silence is deafening regarding Apple’s Macs that can run Windows, too
Wrong, Microsoft did issue a statement that they were glad about the news millions more are joining their inferior OS.
Andrew,
Read the full MacDailyNews Take. Here, I’ll help you:
What has Microsoft said of Boot Camp so far? All we’ve heard from Microsoft was the brief, disingenuous statement, “‘Windows is a great operating system. We’re pleased that Apple customers are excited about running it, and that Apple is responding to meet the demand.” The MacDailyNews translation of what Microsoft really meant: “Windows is obviously not a great operating system. We’re upset that customers will now get to compare Windows to Mac OS X because we know that we lose whenever that happens. Damn that Steve Jobs!”
“Then you wonder what you ever saw in using Internet Explorer in the first place.” — spinaltap
I never saw any reason to use Internet Exploder, nor anuthing else from Microslop.
MW: common. Internet Exploder is dead common, mate!
If you take 100 people who never used a computer before and sat them in front of a dual boot Mac with OS X and XP I’ll tell you this from experience:
1: About 85% of them couldn’t tell which OS looked better.
2: About 95% of them couldn’t tell you which one operated eaiser.
3: About 99% of them would stick with the OS that they needed to learn to make money from.
4: About 99% would find out over time which one was more reliable and secure but will still stick to the one that makes them a income regardless.
Now if Mac OS X could run PC apps without Windows that would change things dramatically in Apple’s favor.
Oh boy, Leopard will drop in the market like a bomb. Just wait for what Apple is planning to include as regards running Windows, Windows apps or virtualization…
“It’s against Microsoft’s best interest to create an official Windows for Mac or support it.”
Firstly, OS X is the Mac “Windows”. No intelligent and self-respecting Mac user will “switch” to the “Rot from Redmond”. The longer PC users experience OS X on their Intel Macs the less likely they will return to the swill of Windows. Next to crack, alcohol, and nicotine, OS X is the most life-altering product known plus it has none of the sequelae of the aforementioned drugs.
Secondly, Microsoft will never gladly relinquish its role as the world’s monopoly OS developer to become a third party programmer for the growing number of MacIntel users. This would be tacit declaration of the failure of Microsoft and the irrelevance of Windows. Microsoft may attempt to alter its software to make it incompatible or less functional with Macs, but will suffer scorn and derision for this. None the less, embarrassment is temporary, death is permanent.
Andrew:
Of course! What did you expect Microsoft to say, “Well, folks, we were completely stunned and amazed by this turn of events and our days are numbered. No one here at Microsoft even dreamed this would happen and we haven’t a clue what to do next except put on smilely faces and boast confidently like the French at Agincourt,”
I’ve got to admit, I’ve got M$ Office on all of my Macs but I’ve stopped using them. Mac Mail is perfect and why use Word when you can use Pages instead? Keynote is way better than PP in terms of looks and usability. To be fair, M$ Office for Mac is heads and shoulders above Office XP, something that still befuddles me…
Like the old saying, once you go Mac you never go back!
Andrew:
Don’t forget the 100% who are tired of pop-up ads, spyware, and other malware who will dump one OS for the pristine environment of the other.
As you said, if there is no appreciable difference between Windows and OS X and if Macs can run Windows apps sans Windows, there is no particular advantage of Windows. Don’t think for a moment that Apple is content with the status quo. Apple is lean and hungry, Microsoft is bloated and disoriented.
With Microsoft’s monopoly position as it is and as it’s likely to remain for quite some time, they’ll continue to make money. The way shortsightedness and the desire for instant profit is a foundation of US corporate culture and as long as THIS quarter is profitable, nothing else matters.
Microsoft will eventually wither and die… the sooner the better… but not THIS quarter.
iWork Needs a spreadsheet app before it can truly compete with Office. Pages is better than Word, Keynote beats the pants off of Powerpoint, but it can’t compete with Excel.
Why should Microsoft give a flying toss that an additional 4% of the computer market can now run their OS. Really? This is only important to Mac users, noone else.
Reality Check:
Microsoft is 100% scared shitless that a significant percentage PC users replacing their old boxes in 2006 and 2007 will purchase MacIntels, experience the undiscovered world of OS , and begin to “Think Different”.
This is all part of the entire Intel shift strategy. People couldn’t get past the hardware differences when Apple used PPC, so Apple said ok, we are going to level the playing field and make this an OS to OS battle, not hardware to hardware battle. Windows cannot compete with MacOSX on features, stablility and ease of use. Lets go head to head.
This of course is in addition to the other parts of the strategy known as “Embrace and Extinguish” and “Classic for Windows users”.
Apple may only have 4%, but if I remember correctly what became MS was started by two guys sitting around in a Harvard dorm room. The POTENTIAL of this is what should concern the Doze crowd.
Yeah right, whatever.