Ever since Apple machines started using intel processors, hackers have been working away to try and get Windows running on them. They did get to do that eventually.
But well it seems they didn’t really have to go through the whole fuss; Apple has launched a new piece of software called Boot Camp, which will allow people to dual boot Windows XP and OSX on their intel based Macs.
The software even includes Mac specific drivers for networking, graphics, audio, Airport wireless, and bluetooth (amongst other things).
Apple stock rose 8% to the news, and everyone is all excited about this news.
Personally, I think this is a smart move by Apple, opening up their machines to the masses who use Microsoft’s Windows and are tied into it for some reason or another.
Now those people will be able to make the switch and keep Windows for the few cases where they really need it.
Maybe it’s still early to predict, but this just might push up Apple’s market share a bit.
I also agree with Ahmad who thinks this could solve the problem of the unavailability of Microsoft Office for Apple’s OS, which is hampering adoption of the platform.
Anyway, this doesn’t mean Apple has gone all soft on Microsoft; in fact, their boot camp page takes a couple of cracks at Microsoft, like the following which is quite funny:
“Macs use an ultra-modern industry standard technology called EFI to handle booting. Sadly, Windows XP, and even the upcoming Vista, are stuck in the 1980s with old-fashioned BIOS. But with Boot Camp, the Mac can operate smoothly in both centuries.”
it’s known fact in ‘computer science’ that adapters are doomed at the end and native is the way to go.
with this move, apple as a brand will get diluted among the XPs, the VISTAs, and microsoft plethora of products. Now we’ll start also hearing more and more about viruses hitting macs.
Stock up 8%?? i should probably short sell soon
:-)))
On a side note, allowing XP or other OS to run on their platform won’t change their bottom line much, coz their pricing policy is still outrageous due to their market monopoly…
I was once shopping for an Emac for my wife, and the price difference from one dealer to another was 10$+another 10$ as a gift certificate ?!?!?
the only deal i got was from a bidding war on ebay.
I think you’re wrong “napo”. This will give people who work in Windows-centric organizations an argument to get a Mac. I know what it’s like and I can now more easily argue with my boss that I should get a Mac.
“coz their pricing policy is still outrageous due to their market monopoly…”
Monopoly, how do you figure that?