All those hackers who got Windows running on their Intel-based Macs can relax now that Apple has released Boot Camp which provides that capabililty.
So, is this how it will go in businesses across the country? I bet Apple does.
February – “We don’t do Macs. Windows only.”
March – “Windows runs faster on those new Intel Macs than on my pc?”
April – “Since we can run Windows on a Mac, let’s buy one and check it out.”
May – “It is faster! And this OS X stuff is interesting.”
June – “I just created some widgets that will really be useful for everyone. Since we have to replace all our pc’s anyway, let’s only get Macs.”
2007 – “Vista’s released? So? We don’t do Windows. Mac only.”
Apple Computer on Wednesday unveiled new software that allows Intel-based Macs to run Microsoft’s Windows XP. Apple shares rose nearly 7 percent in early trading.
The computer maker said its new Boot Camp software is available as a download beginning Wednesday. It allows users with a Microsoft Windows XP installation disc to install Windows XP on an Intel-based Mac computer.
“Apple has no desire or plan to sell or support Windows, but many customers have expressed their interest to run Windows on Apple’s superior hardware now that we use Intel processors,” Philip Schiller, Apple senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, said in a statement.
Boot Camp makes it easier to install Windows software on an Intel-based Mac, with a step-by-step guide. It also lets users choose to use either Mac OS X software, or the Windows software when they restart their computer.
Users can download the new Boot Camp software from Apple’s website. A final version of Boot Camp will be available as a feature in the upcoming Mac OS X version 10.5 “Leopard.”
Apple shares gained $4.07, or 6.7 percent, to $65.24 in early trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market, while Microsoft shares rose 23 cents to $27.87 and shares of Intel Corp. rose 9 cents to $19.39.
I have kept a “dual boot” (one at a time mind you) iBook running Linux and OSX…I play in Linux, but have no real reason to use it for anything that I’d really be serious about…I expect I’d get Windoze running to do the same…but, in the end, if you have OSX, there’s not much reason to have anything else unless it is all that someone ELSE has and you need to work with them…It would be nice to run a bunch of the Windoze apps that I’ve had to work with around work or that my son likes (downloading little games and such)…but there are plenty of OSX apps to do what I need doing….I guess I understand why people sometimes need to run Windoze (or Linux) to play with others who ONLY run those OS, but I think we’re talking about “mass markets” of people…the general public…and for looking at pictures, listening to songs, or watching movies…and typing…well, what is there in Windoze that isn’t better done on a Mac? This will allow people to do those things (music, video, etc) on a Mac now that they can run whatever ball-and-chain application was keeping them on a PC…so far, though, I don’t really know of any great examples of those ball-and-chains in the general population…more myth and habit than a real barrier….which, of course, brings us back to that cost-of-a-mac-vs-pc thing…bummer.
As always, I am right.
This is a great move on Apple’s part, since it will increase their hardware sales and software sales, digging waaaaay into Windows.
Dvorak is wrong, wrong, wrong… things are going the opposite direction.
Why allow a Windows boot? So I can buy a Mac, and transition to it. I can run my current version of Photoshop at a fantastic speed on my Intel-Mac-Duo without waiting for a universal binary edition before buying a new system or even spending $600 to buy a Mac version. I can run my special ‘PC only’ utilities that are essential to my work. And I can also work in the “Windows with training wheels” environment of Mac OSX is I choose to do so.
As usaual I see lots of ‘OSX envy’ by the financially trapped Microsoft users here. But what you don’t see is the net effect on you poor souls. Add up all that lost employee downtime, expensive security requirements, poor performance, and service call expenses, and Windows run computers in businesses are very, very, expensive compared to Macs.
Mac’s plan IS NOT to move to Windows… that’s a laugh….. but rather to entice “Windows’ companies” …
1st – to switch to Mac hardware to save on repairs (gain reliability),
2nd – to get a taste of what a responsible and knowledgeable organization can offer because they MAKE the hardware that the OS runs on
3rd – Offer alternative trial / intro priced applications that run on the handily available, and way better Mac OSX
4th – wait until the user gets hooked on the better OS and better software, increasing business acceptance, and net time / cost savings
5th- dump Windows OS from Mac when the switchover wave achieves critical momentum.
Hey, It’s not exact of course, but you get the drift don’t you?
This is not an overnight strategy. Apple knows better than that. Why do you think Microsoft delayed Vista again? Hahaha. They have to figure out a way to stop it running on a Mac. DUH! They will be in big doo-doo if they don’t. heck, they are in big doo-doo now.
Check, Microsoft. Your move.
A lot of people are thinking of this as a way to phase out OS X, but I think it’s quite the opposite. I just bought a MacBook Pro today because I can run Windows, but I really like OS X. This let’s me do both. If enough people feel this way, you get to a point where everything you need is on OS X and you finally let Windows go.
DVORAK, YOU DA MAN! Said it once and I’ll gladly say it again. 🙂 I knew your prediction on this would come true, as outrageous as it sounded and despite the death threats on your life.
The Apple-cult crack me up though. Now that the hardware runs Windows, they’re predicting Apple will take over the world now. Garner Group reports Apple had a 2.2% market share in 2005. It is actually down from when Jobs took over; they had a 4.6% share in 1996, the year before he came back. I suppose a contributing factor to this is that industry growth was faster than Apple’s growth, so it looks like it’s going backwards.
I like Apple too, heck we had 2 Apple ][‘s when I was in junior high in 1980. But I won’t be converting until they get more than the puny number of games & apps currently available. All the legit Mac apps seem to come from only the big 3 – Microsoft, Adobe, and Apple. Most everyone I know blows big bucks on PC parts (CPU upgrades, $500 vid cards, +20″ LCDs, etc) to play PC games. There’s jack squat on the Mac. Most of the older readers here dismiss the gaming influence on the industry, but PC games along with Xbox and Playstation have grown bigger than the movie industry. Apple doesn’t even show up to the party! (I wish they would) I believe this will hold them back until they wake up and realize there’s more to software than iTunes and Photoshop.
Despite this, these will be great computers to recommend for your tech-handicapped parents and grandparents. And users who aren’t into the upgrading/tweaking/hobby aspect of computers. Real plug, play, and fogetaboutit. Trading documents, photos, and other files back and forth will be a non-issue now. I know that’s what I’ll be recommending…
I’m not expecting the sea change that’s being discussed here. The world won’t be suddenly turning to Macs overnight. Maybe a lot of us techies will, but I doubt that the $287B Microsoft is going to be overtaken by the $57B Apple in the near future. And I sure don’t understand the partisanship. I run a Mac and a WinXP machine. Seems to me that they both have their quirks.
To all the people who are saying that you’ll have to reboot to get into Windows, read this. Apple will eventually include a built-in emulator for OSX. So even if you have to boot now, it appears that quite soon you’ll be able to run Windows directly from OSX.
I’ve got XP running on my MacBook Pro right now. From the way Apple made the changes, it looks like one could install a Vista beta or Server 2003 as well.
Will be trying EQ2 on the MacBook Pro tonight.
I think some of the folks who are confident about Windoze stuff being cheaper than OS X packages simply haven’t priced software in a while. I admit I had the same misconception until I bought a Mini to experiment with.
Half the software I owned came with a Mac version so I didn’t need to replace it. The few other pieces that didn’t have a switchover version available — I went out into the marketplace prepared to pay a little more for something that ran in OS X.
I got a pleasant surprise. Every single package I bought — was less expensive than the Windows counterparts. I even checked prices on stuff I don’t need — and the OS X price is generally the same or lower. I think folks are a year or two behind the times.
the great prophet Dvorak, Hallowed be thy name. 🙂
John – this certainly brings you closer to being right about your prediction!! Based on new information (including this announcement) have you updated your theory or sticking with the original?
I’m going to have to start taking notes when you talk on the Twit podcast from now 🙂
As long as people stop using Windows, I’m happy. I may be a Linux nut, but the most important thing (in my opinion) is to get everyone onto UNIX-based OSes with X11 compatibility so that cross-platform programmers like me endure less pain.
This is the beginning of the end for the Mac OS. Pure and simple. It is all about software (like the web is all about content and services). Elementary Game Theory will tell you that Microsoft will win. There simply are the applications.
This also puts Adobe’s “prevaricating” development plans for MAJOR applications on the new Mac Platform in context – they don’t need to! Just run it on XP on the Mac.
Yes the Mac looks nice – but it is just a bunch of hardware – and for 98% of the population, that is not a consideration when purchasing a laptop. It is the three critical apects called “Price, Price and Price”.
Look at most corporates and you will see Dell, Acer, IBM/Lenovo. Low cost, high volume, standardised laptops. There is no room for “custom” or “elegant” Laptops except in industries where aesthetics matter (design & advertising).
The Mac will remain a niche hardware platform and the OS will die.
Why does everyone keep saying, “Dvorak was right.” I think John’s very insightful and all that, but I’m pretty sure he said that Apple was going to ditch OSX and switch to Windows, not modify OSX to allow a Windows boot option….
While hardware design is a part of the Mac experience (ie. “Macs use an ultra-modern industry standard technology called EFI to handle booting. Sadly, Windows XP, and even the upcoming Vista, are stuck in the 1980’s with old-fashioned BIOS. But with Boot Camp, the Mac can operate smoothly in both centuries.”), what really makes a Mac experience is the OS. If OSX could run on a Dell (shudder!) it would still be a Mac experience (albeit on a lower quality machine).
Whether Jobs wants to admit it or not, Apple is (and always has been) a software company that just happens to have a killer profit margin on their hardware division (for a reason known as “attention to detail”).
Looks like Dvorak is right! except its about a year too early!
Happy days are here again, the skies above are clear again! So let’s sing a song of cheer again, happy days are here again!
If the camel’s head is in the tent, where’s it’s toe?
Woo Hoo! I’m buyin’ a Mac and getting rid of my PC hardware (except my server p’haps).
I think it’s great that Apple actually listens to their customers by giving them what they want. Many companies have thrown that idea out the window.
I think everyone is missing another possibility. I think apple is looking way down the road to OS X 11. Where any application written for any platfrom will run on OS X with out windows or linux installed.
Jobs doesn’t want Windows on Macs, I think he has much bigger plans.
“elementary game theory” says the iPod should have flopped. Keep your day job, Simon.
The Sun will come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar.
So when do will your compadres on TWiT be dining on that fresh plate of crow?
SORRY GUYS, but poor John has got it backwarde this time. A direct quote from his colomn…
“To preserve the Mac’s slick cachet, there is no reason an executive software layer couldn’t be fitted onto Windows to keep the Mac look and feel.”
So if John was right, why is it that the “executive software layer” is on the Mac OS and not on Windoze.? Hmmmm?
And where is Vista? Why, it’s been trumped 5 times and counting.
Just one question – mby I haven’t spent enough time in electronics stores, but where could I buy OS X to run it on my Dell?
I’m thinking this may be one (but only one ) factor in the delay of Vista.
Just suppose Bill sees in his future all this additional revenue from all the apple adicts buying a FULL COPY of Windows only to find out that Vista “Breaks” this capablity.
I have no trouble believing Bill would put a Whoa Nellie on the Vista release in order to give developers time to recode and test Vista on the Mac platform.
No doubt Steve gave Bill a “heads up” on this. It doesn’t take too much imagination to extrapolate this influenced the anouncement of the VISTA delay 2 weeks ago.
So John, do you consider this a “I told you so” development or not? Because if I read you correctly the last time, you meant that Apple would ditch OS X completely right?
Anyway, I’ve got to hand it to you. First the switch to Intel, now this deal with Windows. You may not be totally right on the second prediction, but I’d sure like you to name my son still!
This was posted by one of the contributing editors before I could get to the story. Now he gets all the comment numbers. (We compete for that offline). Believe me I’m chuckling about this, but not gloating. I think the following is happening. Apple is testing the waters here and still waiting for the Vista bomb. You’ll note that Jobs has said nothing. You can be sure that if sales pop because of this Apple will fast-track a total switch-over. But they still need to wait for Vista before anything is final. I
As for gloating I’ve noticed fecently in th blogosphere that many of my supporters have done the gloating for me. That’s good enough for me.
Wouldn’t it make more sense for Apple to concentrate on the user interface of the operating system rather than the deep technical layer?
That’s what I’d do, it’s the easy UI everyone admires so we could have the same interface on Mac OS, Windows, Linux, UNIX, Solaris whatever. Microsoft would then be marginalised into the technical layer where they would have to compete against Free Linux for instance.
How much would I pay for a Microsoft kernel then?
Depends if it was reliable and could run games.
This is great. You can finally do real work on a Mac. Boring old business stuff is untimately important. Now Macs can be used to make money. That’s what computers are for. Make money. Money is necessary to get the necessities of life – a big SUV and a big house and building big roads to drive your big SUV on. To hell with creative stuff – make money make moeny, make money. Relaxation is turning the computer to go outside and drive your big SUV on big roads.
If this can finally kill any Mac OS and maybe even Linux that will be good. Variety is bad. Every UI should look exactly the same with no customizations possible. How much productivity is lost when you sit down at a different computer and have to find everything? Anything that has the potential to remove variety is good. Once you remove variety we can be more productive and focus on making money.