[Ti] Virtual PC question

[Chris Olson]

On Dec 21, 2005, at 1:09 PM, Mikael Byström wrote:

> Really? This sound like one strong idea to get a MacIntel machine  
> when they are available.

If you like Windows software, complete with its poorly designed  
menus, lack of full drag n drop support, etc., I suppose it seems nice.

Personally, I prefer the Mac API.

> And Microsoft not controlling Windows software usage on Mac OS X is  
> a very good thing IMHO.

No, because it means the whole world becomes a software monoculture.   
Just like what has happened with linux, major software titles won't  
support the Mac because it's a waste of time.  They can make one  
version of the software that runs on Windows. (and linux/Mac in  
Crossover).  In the end, just like with Linux, if the software you  
use runs on Windows, you may as well switch to Windows so it's  
supported.  The only ones that use Linux with Crossover are the  
Platform Evangelists.

There's another issue with Crossover or WINE; licensing.  WINE/ 
Crossover use DLL's (Dynamically Linked Libraries) from the Windows  
operating system.  Microsoft owns copyright to those DLL's.  They  
haven't done anything about it because it's just a bunch of hackers  
and the market share is very small.  But Microsoft can pull the plug  
on WINE/Crossover anytime they please because it's using stolen  
components from the Windows operating system.

If it were Apple in Microsoft's position, my guess is that their  
legal team would've already been all over the WINE project like white  
on rice.  Apple makes Microsoft look like a Patron Saint when it  
comes to legal matters.
-- 
Chris

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