Hey guys, I've been thinking of this lately but it's something no one can do on his own. When Apple switched to Intel architechture, I realized macs became just overpriced pc's with a nice OS. So I've been thinking of making Apple come up with a new strategy and realize that we NEED MacOSX to become a normal OS. The way I see it, Apple should distribute MacOSX as a normal x86 os and keep selling macs as superior computers for those who prefer so. So why do I need your help? Because I want Apple to listen, and I'd like to write a letter to them, and make some noise posting it on our front page, making it appear on Wired and every tech news site out there so they listen. So what I propose here is a brainstorming session about arguments and ideas to write that letter. Also, as you can already guess, I'm not a native English speaker

So these are my reasons why Apple should go x86:

• We are living proof that there is a market for the OS.
• With Vista being such a dissapointment and Linux becoming more and more accesible, a new contender will be nothing but a healthy addition to both the market and the competition, not to mention that this would hurt MS monopoly badly. Also, this would give global economy a nice little boost.
• We are already doing QA as well as R&D, so we've proved that this is more than possible.
• Afraid of piracy? No problem, that's what makes everybody think of MS when talking about OSes. Almost everybody was born and raised using Windows, and that's what keep Windows being the OS of choice, and I can't remember the last time MS was on the verge of bankrupcy due to piracy.
• Apple already has a huge niche on the market: With the iPhone, the iPod, the iTunes store and the Apple Stores around the world, the addition of MacOSX to the product line-up will do nothing but help establish Apple as a brand (Not that it already hasn't).

Apple has always make us do whatever they want. Now it's time for them to listen. It's time for them to do the switch. So what do you think guys?

The reason why Mac OS X is so stable is because it is specifically built to run on Apple's hardware. Window$, which is capable of running on a wider variety of hardware suffers from a host of problems because of this.

I do not believe Apple will want to allow their OS to run on generic hardware. Just imagine if Apple had to bundle all the drivers possible onto an install CD! An OS X install CD can be used on any (modern) Macintosh computer and be fully functional right out of the box. Try doing that with a Window$ installation. After installing the base OS, you then have to scour to find your driver installation disks or download your drivers somewhere online.

The trade off of opening the OS is stability. I believe that opening OS X would result in a support nightmare for Apple. Just imagine all of the driver errors and kernel panics!

I would rather have a stable and reliable operating system that works on specific hardware rather than a sloppy and unreliable operating system that works on any PC.

This is just my opinion and I am sure there are people who think differently.

Apple makes all of it's money on hardware. You can beseech them all you like, they're not going to release OS X for general PC's.

Rakuun: So they can't create a certification department where hardware vendors subbmit their drivers for certification and QA?

Synaesthesia: That's why I said they could keep selling apple computers for those who prefer so. Last time I checked, Dell, Compaq and other computer vendors also make their living out of hardware sells. Does Apple relies on solely hardware sells? What about Final Cut and the iTunes Store? The way I see it, they can profit from BOTH hardware AND software sells.

It won't happen while Steve is anywhere near the helm of Apple. If you have read his bio and seen the recent documentary about the company you know how ideologically ill disposed he is toward PCs other than Apple. Someone younger and more vigorous would be bigging up the whole Apple experience and pointing out the true meaning of value for money in terms of aesthetics, build quality, after sales, productivity on a supremely fast and stable software platform (Leopard).

Yes, but they make a HUGE profit on their hardware, unlike Dell, Compaq and other computer vendors.

I'm talking like 30% at least. Heck they earn more than Dell, with way less units.

If Apple open up OSX then they would have to stop selling PCs with a 200% markup.

I think that Apple should make OS X available to not only Mac users, but instead they won't provide any drivers for anything other than what they have, instead, you install your own drivers (Like we do anyway) and Presto! Apple makes millions of dollars, makes Microsoft angry, starts a war, and theres no need for coders to make hacked versions of Leopard, instead it would be a more driver coding community, but anyway.. I doubt anyone has the intelligence to ever suggest this again XD