[X4U] Apple's move to Intel chips

[Richard Gilmore]

Perhaps this is secretly Apple's desire? By "letting" OSX out through the
cracks and hacks they are giving an influential segment of underground users
a chance to test drive the system for basically free. And if they like it,
it could lead to greater market penetration of the OS. I figure it's in the
interest of Apple long term to have as many people as possible exposed to
OSX and familiar with it. I believe OSX is a superior product and can stand
up to competition with XP, KDE or whatever and win. My experience with Linux
on very crappy P2 is that it's surprisingly stable. My guess is OSX on some
similar setup will be too. Good enough to impress some people and make a few
converts. OSX anywhere on anything is not Windows everywhere on everything.

Also I think if you're Steve Jobs there has to come a time when you put your
chips (no pun intended) on the table and squarely duke it out on a level
playing field. He feels the OS is mature enough and good enough to withstand
the rabid scrutiny and open competition of the marketplace. He's 50
something, just survived cancer, he knows nothing is eternal and you have to
take your shot. The move to Intel will silence all the critics who say Macs
are second rate computers and we can't compare them with Windows, Linux
etc...It's Apples vs Apples now so to speak. If you have a dual booting
Mac/(XP) and you get to drive both at your leisure which one will you
choose? Jobs thinks in the end you'll choose OSX and Apple. You have to
believe in your product. Not everyone will choose Mac, of course, but there
are those who will, enough that it could tip market share Apple's way.

May the force be with you

Richard


On 9/6/05 9:42 AM, "Stroller" <MacMonster at myrealbox.com> wrote:

> 
> On Jun 8, 2005, at 3:17 pm, T.L. Miller wrote:
>> On 6/8/05, at 3:57 PM, Oskar Lissheim-Boethius, <avocade at gmail.com>
>> said:
>> 
>>> Yes, but notice the word _allow_. Does this mean that there are no
>>> special, secret components that will _prohibit_ you to run OS X on
>>> your
>>> beige-box, and that Apple simply won't _license_ OS X to PC-
>>> manufacturers? Crackers rejoice... :(
>> 
>> A primary reason Apple's OSes have been so stable is that they only run
>> on their hardware. Install on various and sundry Dells, eMachines, HPs,
>> etc. and that stability would be history.
> 
> Yes, but I don't think this will actually prohibit the use of OS X on
> Dells & eMachines. I don't expect Apple's installer to work, or for OS
> X to be licensed for them, so running OS X on Dells & eMachines won't
> appeal to the majority of consumers.
> 
> My theory is that some determined hacking will allow OS X to run on
> these systems - I don't see how Apple could stop it - and that the
> first person to manage it will document the process and gain kudos on
> Slashdot.
> 
> Loads of kiddies will download a pirate version of OS X, follow the
> instructions and install it on their old PC, with the result that:
> - they consider OS X to be loads less stable than everyone's been
> claiming for years
> &/or
> - they like OS X but get pissed off enough with the hardware
> compatibility issues to actually go out & buy a Mac.
> 
> This will only have the barest of trickle-down effects to the majority
> of the computer-using population:
> - "I hear those Macintels aren't so stable"
> &/or
> - "I hear lots of people are switching to Macs these days"
> 
> Stroller.
> 
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