“Are humans just naturally driven to want what they cannot have?” David Berlind asks in his ZDNet blog.
“Apple may be resisting the OS licensing model that has traditionally worked so well for Microsoft and perhaps that resistance is finally paying off as Macs nibble away (albeit very very slowly and from a distant blip in Microsoft’s rear view mirror) at the market share of Windows-based PCs. Apple goes to great lengths… to tightly control the relationship between its software [and] its hardware,” Berlind writes.
“But none of this seems to be phasing the tenacious mice (the hackers) who are managing to keep the Apple cat on its toes. Most recently, under the headline $399 Ultraportable Apple Laptop, Gizmodo has coverage of how OS X has been hacked to run on the Asus EEE PC. Based on the buzz around the Net, Hackintosh How-To author Adam Pash is already a folk hero in certain circles. But if a Hackintosh isn’t your speed, then maybe the Torrenttosh is. There’s apparently a pre-hacked version of OS X floating around on Bittorrent that takes most of the hacking out of Hackintosh,” Berlind writes.
“Perhaps its time for Apple to reconsider its Apple-hardware-only policy and once again look into licensing OS X. Clearly… there are no technical barriers. And, compared to selling hardware, selling bits is like printing money. There’s no question the demand is there… Apple could, if it wants, roll the program out on a limited basis. For example, it could pick one or two other hardware partners… and work exclusively through them in a way that those vendors shoulder the lion’s share of supporting users.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Note: “iPod success paves the way for Mac OS X on X86. People have argued for years for and against the release of Mac OS X on Intel (and AMD) commodity hardware, but Apple derives such a large portion of its revenue from hardware that doing so could potentially damage the company beyond repair. But, what if Apple replaces that lost Mac hardware revenue with iPod revenue? Steve Jobs would then be free to drop what amounts to a hydrogen bomb on Microsoft. Mac OS X that runs on ‘regular’ off-the-shelf x86 hardware. Or partner with a Sony, for example – to insure quality.” – SteveJack, MacDailyNews, March 04, 2004 (yes, 2004)
God.. this again?
I still say no. Too many variables with the crappy hardware many of these people would run it on. Keep it a quality experience by leaving it on Mac hardware only.
Second!
{d’oh}
Sorry, Chrissy, beat you!
Generic containers built to run licensed OSs are the realm of desktops, and that is the past. The future will belong to purpose-built devices with purpose-built OS variants to run them. No one seems to get this yet.
No! No! No! Apple should never ever allow their OS to be mounted on crappy hardware no matter what company.
The reason that they are in such a sorry state is because they have taken thier customers for cash cows Sony et al.
That has to stop! & not because Apple provides the means, but because those sorry SOB’s have finally realised & learned the lesson.
Crabapple.
Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thou shalt not use my name in vain! He! he! heeee!!!!!!!
HERE we go again.
Dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea, dumb idea….
Enough said?
HP doesn’t even care if the webcams work in Vista, so how would buggy drivers make Mac OS X look?
Tight hardware and OS integration is why I switched to Macs. Less hassle.
Keep it solely on Apple machines. Anyone who appreciates quality will want it in both the hardware and the software. Apple can supply all those people with what they want. Can you imagine all the debating about how some sh__ box is just as good as an Apple; it even runs the same programs? I do not want to suffer through it. The Apple model works. Stick too it.
YOu definitely wouldn’t partner with sony to ensure quality. The reason why the closed hardware is the way to go is because as your computer spreads out into satellites, ie media server, phone etc. in order to elegantly distribute the right data to the right places, ie music to speakers, contacts to and from phone, video to tv, it needs to be thought through from the top down. Apple is creating a family of hardware that will make up the digital home. Other company’s will follow suit, there will be a Dell home, and a sony home, etc. Apple just happens to be positioned to be first, even ahead to MS.
I don’t think people want to buy a Dell with OS X, but what they want is to install OS X onto their existing hardware. I don’t think Apple is going to want to support that mess.
Wait. If controlling the h/w and s/w makes Apple better than the commodity box makers, then we make Apple better still by allowing anyone to control the h/w? Say what? This is asinine and will destroy Apple’s quality.
As long as a Zune will work on my Mac……..wait…..did I just say that?
A Macintosh is the combination of software AND hardware. Apple may not be able to stop the hacks, but this is small group that won’t effect the broad universe of consumers. Keep the Mac pure. No licensing!
What if Apple were able to make up the lost hardware sales with OS sales? The margins on selling software are like 100%.
Umm, don’t mess with success? It’s the quality stemmng from Apple’s marrying its OS to its hardware that has made the company a success. If you start licensing the OS to other manufacturers, thus begins the QC issues and the threat of a downhill slide. Ain’t worth it.
Licensing would be a desperate move for a fledgling company, not that of a rising star that is enjoying obscene profits. Silliness.
The old modicum “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” comes to mind, cliched as it is. Of course there are things Apple can do better and improve upon. But this is not one of those sort of things. It is a complete 180 degree change. Of course, since Apple is often full of surprises, a change like this wouldn’t be the first of its kind. It would, however, be rather different a 180 degree change from some of its past ones.
How ’bout Ferrari start putting engines in Fords? They’ll have greater distribution and finally be able to catch up with GM and Toyota.
The OSX in anything discussion is moot. Didn’t Steve Jobs say not too long ago that Apple won’t ship junk? Allowing someone else to ship junk doesn’t get around issue of believing in quality. By opening the platform to to all comers Apple tarnishes it’s hard won image as a superior product. I doubt it will happen.
I believe that Apple has is planning on selling OS X for other computers someday but that this day depends on a certain target value of mac computer market share.
Mark
It makes no business sense to license OS X. There’s a higher margin on hardware than software, so there is no reason for Apple to license the software and run the risk of losing hardware sales. It would be like dropping a ten-dollar bill while bending over to pick up pennies.
Of course, the problems that would arise from supporting OS X to run on Dells, and HPs, and Hamilton-Beach toasters would ruin Apple’s stock-in-trade: the perception of high quality and exemplary service.
It is possible, however, that Apple may have to license OS X to protect its turf–just as it had to pre-release Leopard’s Bootcamp to protect its hardware business.
No. Period. End of story.
Moving to Intel chips is one thing, to open Pandora’s Box of mix and match kit hardware crap, it’s Windows all over again.
May be Apple should partner with BFG Technologies to make sure people can buy a guaranteed video card that works under Mac OS X.