Apple should sell OSx86

[Dreamboy]

I've been using PC's for many years and always liked those Mac's but I never tryed one of them. The information that I got about Macs until now was looking at Apple web site and seing some MacOS X screnshoots.

 

I always thinked that OS X looked very cool. Now finally I've made my dream come true and I've been able to try it and test it without having to spend hundreds or thousands of $$$. It's amazing and I love it!!!

 

Piracy is illegal but some times is great for a company. I remember a seminar where a good know 3D software company claimed that he was very proud of being the most piraced 3D software in the World. This many seem wierd but has a good explanation. A boy learning to use the program will never pay tousands of $ to play with it. But it will get a pirated copy and learn to use it. On some time the boy will (or not) be a good 3D artist and work on a company that will buy the software. This build a big userbase without harm for the company.

 

Ok! I wanted to explain my own experience before I show my point of view...

 

I will never buy a Mac computer becouse I can't afford to buy 2 computers and I will still need Windows XP for many tasks. But I definitelly will buy Mac OS X for my PC if all my hardware and applications work and I have support from Apple.

 

I'm sure there are MILLIONS of people thinking like me and wishing to buy Mac OS for his PC's. Apple will keep selling hardware to people that want a cool looking Mac and current customers that only use Mac. But it will have potentially millions of new customers with PC's that are anxious to buy his OS and change from Windows.

 

Microsoft should be very affraid about Mac OS X running on PC's not Apple.

[blahsucks]

You know, you could probably dualboot an Intel Mac with Windows XP...

 

Just throwing an idea around here.

[SneakerElph]

yeah, probably. dunno how though.

[Dreamboy]

You know, you could probably dualboot an Intel Mac with Windows XP...

 

Just throwing an idea around here.

 

This is another possibility that didn't though about. It will be also great, and a good sollution. But many current PC users prefers to build his own computers with his own configurations and the hardwater they need.

 

 

Another interesting thing on having OS X running on a PC is that many people had the possibility to try it. I've never used a Mac if it wasn't for this. Now I'm even thinking on buying a Mac Mini as it liked a lot to me. If you think of it... This is free publiticy for Apple.

[MLS]

many current PC users prefers to build his own computers with his own configurations and the hardwater they need.

 

You mean, the 1% of geeks who actually know what those components inside the machine actually are? It's fun to do, but it doesn't save you much money anymore, and pretty much every computer profile can be bought already built.

 

 

Now I'm even thinking on buying a Mac Mini as it liked a lot to me

You really should, especially since they gave it a good RAM upgrade a few months ago.

[donniedarko]

1% geek ?

it's clear that if people knows all the cheap hardware in a g5

they won't buy it

i don't even speak about the lack of dvd burner and ram and video card ram

and USB 1 <<

[Metrogirl]

1% geek ?

it's clear that if people knows all the cheap hardware in a g5

they won't buy it

i don't even speak about the lack of dvd burner and ram and video card ram

and USB 1

 

 

Today's G5 is a machine built with high quality components. The DVD Burner is supplied by Sony, but it's actually a rebadged Lite-On 1693S, one of the best and fastest DVD drives around - which incidentally can be made region-free with a utility originally supplied by Lite-On themselves. It's Lite-On's top drive at the moment and the same as I use in my XP machine.

 

The video card has whatever RAM you wish to pay for. The standard card is 128MB and 256MB cards are available at a premium. Not cheap but Apple actually offer the 6800 upgrade for around the same price you'd pay from some internet suppliers.

 

Memory is sourced from Samsung and has a CASL of 2.5 or 3 which isn't bad. Samsung is a prime supplier to PC and dedicated systems manufacturers with an outstanding reputation in the marketplace.

 

The processor - well, the G5 is pure IBM and it's capable, well-designed and certainly not cheap. And they give you two of them in the present lineup. And those ports ARE USB2 and the Firewire comes in 400 and 800 flavours.

 

Hard drives are SATA150 Maxtor, with twice the normal data buffer size (16MB aot 8MB in normal consumer models). Add this to the fact that the 7-layer motherboard supports two separate channels and uses other IBM chips in the design and you're looking at a machine which is well-specified.

 

Take a look inside a G5 and you'll see quality. Solid aluminium chassis, multiple silent fans, custom cabling and everything is neatly routed and tied away. Compare that with a store-brand PC which comes with a flimsy case, cables everywhere and the cheapest components available. I once had an "Advent" (PC-World, UK) which worked, but it was an horrendous mish-mash of unbranded bits and pieces, the slowest drive you can imagine and cables loose inside a case which would collapse if you sat on it.

 

There is no doubt that the G5 is over-engineered and you're paying for that. They could cut down on quality and it would still work. However they have a reputation for rock-solid reliability and if you have the money that's not a bad thing. The Advent I bought years ago worked, and did so for a long time, though I replaced practically every part over time. The G5 works too, and I'll probably never replace anything.

 

I'm not evangelical over the Mac, it has its faults and I prefer to use the PC for some things. I don't really go a bundle on the loop-handled case and perforations design but that's under the desk so it doesn't matter. I made a long springy lever so I can press the eject button on the DVD drive. I use an IBM keyboard and mouse because I think the Apple keyboard and one-button mouse are quite horrid.

 

I get frustrated with the fact that some mainstream developers still treat the Mac versions of software as second-class citizens. But if I had to use just one of my two computers I'd keep the Mac. I really like OSX and I'm a Unix girl at heart.

 

Remember that top-end Mac users are often people who don't want to use a computer at all. It's just the necessary interface between the creative idea and the finished product, be it a magazine or a piece of music. They need it to work and deliver, not need tinkering and upgrading.

 

I don't need all that over-engineering and I want to be able to upgrade parts for better performance when I can. If I can run OSX on an Intel base and choose my components I will do that - I can't afford to shell out for another Mac when future bloatware demands a faster machine.

 

I was surprised to read the post which asserted that only 1% of computer users know about the insides of their machines. And therefore those knowledgeable users are geeks. I don't think that statistic is correct. I know how my computer works, and I'm a girl, whatever that means. I don't believe I'm a geek. Geeks don't cook, sew or paint (as far as I know).

[bofors]

it's clear that if people knows all the cheap hardware in a g5

they won't buy it

i don't even speak about the lack of dvd burner and ram and video card ram

and USB 1 <<

 

What are you talking about? None of this is remotely true. If you want to complain about Apple hardware, try starting with the selection of video cards and the one year warrenty.

[MACALEX]

version 1

 

You'll see Apple boxes (like Gucci design) with intel CPU's inside, specially designed for Apple, this piece of art will able to run WindowsXP/Vista. Apple will cut prices (15-25%) on their computers and will considerably increase market share.

 

version 2

 

Apple will become a software vendor and would sale their MacOS X, Server X and Pro software products and iPods and probably next year release own cell phone and etc.

 

version 3

 

Microsoft would buy Apple Computer Inc. (the end of the story) next operation system name would be Box X.

[m4ff3w]

Apple will not sell OSX for installation on non-Apple machines. Apple will not prohibit users from installing secondary or tertiary OSs, and multibooting, infact, they will likely incourage this.

[MACALEX]

Apple will not sell OSX for installation on non-Apple machines. Apple will not prohibit users from installing secondary or tertiary OSs, and multibooting, infact, they will likely incourage this.

Nobody really know what else in Jobs brain for sure. :-D

[intradink]

IMHO shrinkwrapping osx86 is inevitable. Even if Mr Jobs isn't keen, shareholders will force the issue.

 

This site has shown that hardware support isn't an obstacle, just requires a little resource and time. So the question shareholders would ask is, why limit your market when there is no barrier to enter it? The additional cost of entering is negligable, and the potential revenue is huge.

 

People will still buy badged macs because of the design and quality. Think vaio over dell - both still sell millions of units

[m4ff3w]

Nobody really know what else in Jobs brain for sure. :-D

 

http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser...&RS=20050246554

 

If the session has expired, search for Published Applications, 20050246554.

 

20. A method comprising: receiving a system call, wherein the system call is formatted for requesting a service from a first operating system, wherein the system call is included in a first object code block, wherein the first object code block is a run-time translation of a second object code block; determining which system call services of a second operating system are needed for providing the service; determining whether system call services for servicing the system call have been disabled, wherein the determining is based on a tamper-resistance policy; servicing the system call, if the system call services for servicing the system call have not been disabled.

 

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the tamper-resistance policy disables system call services that access system resources.

 

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the first operating system is selected from the set consisting of Mac OS X, Linux, and Microsoft Windows.

 

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the second operating system is selected from the set consisting of Mac OS X, Linux, and Microsoft Windows.

[light3]

apple is a hardware company... they like to do everything by themselves, the software is made for their hardware. It'll be hard to see able selling oSX individually.

 

Jobs really believes in building his own stuff so there will be no 'conflicts' of hardware/software

[BadHead]

blahsucks said "You know, you could probably dualboot an Intel Mac with Windows XP..." Well, you probably could on a Power PC, as they use off the shelf hardware - nvidia graphics, etc. But I doubt you could with either of the laptops or an iMac or Mini Mac as they use proprietry hardware. There is always VMWare or Virtual PC.

[blahsucks]

blahsucks said "You know, you could probably dualboot an Intel Mac with Windows XP..." Well, you probably could on a Power PC, as they use off the shelf hardware - nvidia graphics, etc. But I doubt you could with either of the laptops or an iMac or Mini Mac as they use proprietry hardware. There is always VMWare or Virtual PC.

 

That's completely untrue. You may not be able to open those Macs, but they have the same components as any other Shuttle form factor PC/all-in-one or notebook. Look on Apple's site or another Mac site.

[Danman]

The question isn't 'should they sell' its 'when they sell' do you think it can be patched to work on normal PC hardware.

 

They will deffinately have to sell the os x intel version espically when a new version is relased (e.g. 10.5) as legit hardware owners will want it.

 

And it looks like it may not be that long if intel kit is sold in January.

[cyrana]

I think this should be one of those thread topics that just gets insta-closed. It'd be nice, but it isn't really feasible or financially smart for them. (this topic comes up constantly)

[Danman]

I agree, I was just stating the fact that you can buy OS X for PPC at the moment and so you will be able to buy x86 version.

 

Its just whether it can be hacked to work on non-apple hardware.

[bjr1028]

You know, you could probably dualboot an Intel Mac with Windows XP...

 

Just throwing an idea around here.

 

There's also hardware virtualization coming from both AMD & Intel. If you have enough RAM, you could run OSX and Windows simultaneously and switch between them at press of a button.

[MikeBee]

Definitely more than 1% of people know how to put quality components into a PC. And we're not all geeks too.

 

Agreed, Apple will most likely market OSX for x86 and PowerPC. Has anyone compared performance figures between top line PowerPC OSX performance and top line x86 OSX? I'd be suprised if the PowerPC didn't beat the x86 by a considerable margin and this is why Apple will continue to sell hardware, along with the fact that users know that they are buying quality.

 

Take the iPod for example, there are plenty of other media players about, but people buy the Apple hardware at a premium because it's a good quality piece of kit. Apple are applying this to their computer hardware.

 

And for dual booting OSx86 and WinXP. My Dell D600 does this admirably and so will future versions of OSx86 because there will always be people prepared to crack the protection to use what I consider to be the best OS at the moment for free.

 

Just my piece.

[bjr1028]

Definitely more than 1% of people know how to put quality components into a PC. And we're not all geeks too.

 

Agreed, Apple will most likely market OSX for x86 and PowerPC. Has anyone compared performance figures between top line PowerPC OSX performance and top line x86 OSX? I'd be suprised if the PowerPC didn't beat the x86 by a considerable margin and this is why Apple will continue to sell hardware, along with the fact that users know that they are buying quality.

 

Take the iPod for example, there are plenty of other media players about, but people buy the Apple hardware at a premium because it's a good quality piece of kit. Apple are applying this to their computer hardware.

 

And for dual booting OSx86 and WinXP. My Dell D600 does this admirably and so will future versions of OSx86 because there will always be people prepared to crack the protection to use what I consider to be the best OS at the moment for free.

 

Just my piece.

 

For all but the really high end pro apps which are specifically designed for the G5 and Altivec, the x86 Macs are going to be considerably faster.

[pflatline]

I agree, I was just stating the fact that you can buy OS X for PPC at the moment and so you will be able to buy x86 version.

 

Its just whether it can be hacked to work on non-apple hardware.

 

 

Perhaps. Apple may decide to change their distribution of OSX becuase of this. They may also add some additional copy protection,or take additional steps to protect it,like a custom bios. They may not have gotten around to these yet. I hope they dont because I like hacking their product,but if it was me doing making this,I certainly would do something like that.

[bjr1028]

Apple isn't going to use bios, they're using EFI.

[Tomovich]

First, what does EFI mean?

 

Second, don't you think that if Apple would sell their OS that the hardware department will lose money and finally will be closed?