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 was just about to let you know about this. I think your theory on Mac going to windows may just be true!
Well I figure that Alex and Leo will be dancing.
It also shows that any time Uncle Steve (I call him uncle just like Uncle Bill ….. when they die maybe they will leave me something) really really denies something … it is probably in the works.
You said it… Perhaps you’re able to see in the future after all! 🙂
The ‘feature’ that Apple is adding to Lepoard in the form of Boot Camp does make one wonder. If I’m able to use a windows-based environment at the speed of a traditional ‘native’ windows machine on a really stylish piece of hardware then what kind of edge is Apple trying to cultivate with the next generation OS? The very fact that I can buy a Windows compatible program at half the cost of its apple counterpart (and have many more programs to choose from when compared to those you get with OS X) is more than enough for me to want to install Windows on my machine for day-to-day tasks such as email, web browsing and low system drain programs. The question is, will I bother to switch back to OS X (espeically if it requires a re-boot of my machine which will of course hamper creativity and compatability) when I want that mac experience? Perhaps not.
I’ll hand it to ya, Dvorak. I think perhaps you’re right on this one and Apple will eventually drop the OS…
Great idea on Apple’s part.
Now, Dell, if they’re smart, should release software on to boot OS-X on their machines.
Whichever, but I’m starting to think I want my next computer to run both OS-X and Windows, and as of right now, the Mac is the only choice.
Great- that’s all we need- the security of Microsoft on the mac… But this will provide a bridge for all those died in the blue pc users to start using a better operating system.
Well, it’s just like before. I guess it could be useful; but, personally, I can’t find a reason for it.
I’m not a gamer. I stopped using Office when I switched to OpenOffice. I turn my old XP machine on every month or so to do all the security updates — and turn it back off.
I’ll read about the experiments with some modicum of interest — but, it’s what runs with OS X that I find interesting, nowadays.
Ref #1 Why in the world would Apple dump their OSX alltogether to run Windows. If they do, they are now no different from Dell, Gateway, ect except your hardware is more expensive. This dual boot, seems to be the way to go. If you need windows, you can run it if you want. Want the trouble free computing that is mac, then you can have that too. Sorry, I don’t see Apple dumping OSX.
Reflecting on this, I’ll bet Uncle Steve not only let Uncle Bill know he was working on this — there probably was some mutual handshaking along the way.
C’mon, John. Give us the dirt!
#7, it’s hard for some people to believe, but many people just believe that the Apple design philosophy is unique, and that their hardware looks great. I think that many people would pay more for Mac hardware (regardless of OS) just because of that, for the same reason that people who can’t drive very well buy BMWs.
I say that it’s hard for some people to believe, because we’ve all seen those photos of people’s PCs that look “just like Macs”, but really look nothing like them other than in a very abstract sense. If you can’t see a difference between Dell and Apple when they are both running Windows, you ae one of those people 🙂
here’s a more interesting timeline (although the conclusions are strictly mine)
24 Oct 03, Apple and Intel discuss a switch for Mac from PPC to X86
(Microsoft begins to sweat)
6 June 05 Apple announces Mac will switch to Intel CPUs
(Microsoft worries, surprisingly, Mac sales don’t slow)
22 Feb 06 Microsoft releases Vista build 5308 and calls it “Feature complete.)
28 Feb 06 First X86 Mac Mini released, Apple claims it won’t support multiple OSes.
16 Mar 06 Hackers announce they’ve loaded XP on a Mac.
21 March 06 Microsoft announces Vista will be delayed ’til 07
5 April 06 Apple announces Boot Camp, will boot XP on Mac hardware; to be officially supported on OSX 1.5 Leopard.
I think that the Big 3 PC makers (Dell, HP and Gateway) saw the ability of Macs to run XP and got scared. Microsoft agreed with them that with the Mac’s superior hardware/software integration that they were in trouble. If people can dual-boot OSX and XP, they would see how much better Macs are and move away from the WinTel paradigm and go to the MacIntel camp.
To prevent that, Microsoft decided to delay the shipment of Vista until they could guarantee that Apple’s dual-boot approach doesn’t work. Leopard is due end of this year (last quarter 06), Vista is delayed until first quarter 07. Coincidence? Remember Microsoft’s reputed motto “DOS ain’t done until Lotus won’t run?”
Well, now it will be, “Windows on Mac? Are you on Crack?”
G
There should be a little concern in this. It is true that you can get Windows applications cheaper and their is usually more choice. If one finds themselves doing so much in the XP side, they may not use the OS X side enough to find out what makes it so great. It would go horribly wrong if software developers stopped developing software to run on the Mac OS. The Mac OS was one of the big reasons why I switched and if I lost that… I would have just another PC (in my eyes).
I was so surprised to read your sample office conversation and how it ended positively for the Mac OS!
Here I’ve been running around all morning screaming the sky is falling… Dvorak was right… the Mac OS is dead!
But if you think Apple is betting on Windows being a trojan horse for the Mac, then maybe there’s hope after all… Or perhaps you’re just being sarcastic. I’m depressed again. Maybe a ride in the space elevator will cheer me up. 🙂
10.5 will be the first officially released version of mac os x that runs on intel processors. it won’t be long after that that dell and other PC makers release a utility that does what boot camp does. 10 bucks Apple won’t fight as much. in the long run it benafits all PC & Apple to allow duel boot because then, all the end user has to decide is what type of box they want on their desk Dell, or Apple
I personally would prefer to have Windows running within Mac OS. Having to reboot is a drag. There are a couple of programs that I need to run in Windows. Being able to run them on my Mac would be really sweet. The one fly in the ointment is having to spend money to buy Windows, that just feels wrong. I am stuck using XP at work and frankly being paid to use Windows is the only reason I use Windows on a daily basis. I am not going to pay nearly $300 of my hard earned cash to get Windows XP Pro on my Mac. That is so not going to happen. I can borrow a PC and save that money to buy Leopard and other stuff.
So it seems that John Dvorak can sit back and laugh now. All the time we thought he was mentally insane about this. And what do we find out?
Well he might be right. This might be the first phase of Apple getting rid of OSX and selling Windows boxes
If it’s easier, more people are going to use it.
The average user wants to turn it on and write something, listen to something or whatever. People don’t want to sit there and adjust it or fight with it to play a CD or look at the web.
This is NOT going to hurt OS X. As long as Windows SUCKS then people will continue wanting to run OS X *whenever* they can avoid Windows.
So until there’s as much malware infesting OS X, as long as Windows uses a stupid registry to screw your system up, as long as Microsoft continues to write crappy code, OS X will be a more desirable OS to work in.
The day Apple gets rid of Mac OS X is the day Apple commits corporate suicide. BootCamp is a reason to buy more Macs, not an indication that Apple is switching to Windows. If Apple computers run Windows like other PCs then there is little reason to buy Apple PCs. Design is not enough to sell PCs. The Sony Vaios are nice enough but Dell sells a lot more and their PCs look like crap. I still don’t buy Dvorak’s hallucinations. I’ll believe it when I see it and I am willing to bet I won’t as long as Steve Jobs is running Apple.
Damn you, Dvorak! Right again!
John, the screenshot is somewhat misleading: Bootcamp only lets you dual boot into Windows. It’s not like “Virtual PC” where you can run a PC session in a window: you actually have to reboot between XP and OS X.
Dammit, Dvorak was right! Everyone thought he was spouting nonsense when he said the Windows on Macs thing but he was right!!
Cool!! I am ready to buy a Mac mini now. I just need a decent video card in there to play Windows games. Nothing crazy that would raise the price by $1000. Just a descent ATI/NVIDIA card.
So when can i get linux on my mac too?
Apple does not have the infrastructure to support 90% of the world’s PC’s. They barely have stock for the 2.5% that they do sell too. And besides, one thing people never mention is that Mac hardware is just as craptacular as any other. It may be bound nice, but a 70 year old dolled up is still a 70 year old! Difference between the PC 70 year old and the Apple one, is that when your old lady pisses you off, you can switch to another old lady. With Apple, you just have to ask for more… No matter how many problems she gives you!
This is the biggest news for us Windows users who have to use it for work since…I don’t even know what.
I just now ordered a new Mac Book Pro 2.16 GHz with a 7200 RPM drive and I am thrilled to be giving both of my current Sony Vaio laptops to my nephews.
You can be sure that from network admins like me to the kid answering the phones at the front desk, given a choice we will GLADLY be in the MacOS most of the time, returning to Windows only when forced to by work…
which will also start changing over after the boss sees my new Mac Book Pro and Tiger.
I think this is a much bigger deal and more brilliant move for Apple than anyone is grasping right now. But I don’t think the Mac OS is going away by a long shot.
OK John, I need another tip. Google on the podcast was right (around 500), looks like Windoz on the Mac is right. Time for another stock tip (I already own Apple).
The official statement is at http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2006/apr/05bootcamp.html
Bootcamp at present is a public Beta, free download. The final version will be part of Leopard, OS X 10.5 as Jose noted above.
I see this as only the first step to an “integrated” work environment. With the hardware virtualization technology built into the Intel chips, it will be easy to run XP in a “window” of OSX. Oh and that window could be any OS that runs natively on Intel hardware. Personally, I’d like to boot win98 for the stack of old kids games that barely work in XP! Dual boot is only the teaser. I can see Leopard (OS X 10.5) actively searching for the windows partition so it can set up the virtual environment automatically. Then booting XP (or any OS) is a click away.
Oh boy! I can’t wait to listen to the next mac cast. I think that the apple elites may have to eat some crow. I’m scraping my clams together to get a new iBook or MacBook or whatever they will call the new intel based iBook.
Am I missing somehing? What’s to stop a Window’s user from running a universal version of OS/X ? can that be far behind?
I have both OS’s and my Windows/XP computer will soon have Linux on it… or, OS/x Universal if it will run…
My ‘other’ ThinkPad runs FreeBSD…
Apple Computer is now the ultimate power in the Universe…
Let the mayhem begin!