Bootcamp - Macs do Windows, too

[Joe Gronlund]

I highly doubt that any Mac users out there will take the time or the money to purchase Windows XP.

Thats true, i know i wouldnt if i was a MAX OSx user..

[Cromulent]

The thing is a lot of Mac users need to have two computers to get everything done that they want, games on the PC and work related things on the Mac. With this they can ditch the PC and stick to just duel booting with the Mac.

[MrNase]

Thats true, i know i wouldnt if i was a MAX OSx user..

I would if I really needed to.

Cromulent pointed it out.. Some people need (better: needed ) a system running Mac OS and a system running Windows to get all their work done and why don't just have one system for everything?

I own a licensed copy of Adobe Photoshop CS1 which I got from a good friend after he bought some special package including CS2 but the thing is, Adobe doesn't convert my license into an 'Apple' license without cost so that I'll stick to my Windows computer when I need to edit images.

To be honest: I was sceptical myself when I heard about Apple's plans but now I am quite happy with it. This is much better than what other people did to their Intel Macs (see all those fancy tutorials about how to install XP on a Mac) because this way Apple still can control what is done with their hardware.

[cirisme]

If anything, this is going to hurt Apple. When people buy a PC, they use the operating system that they purchased. For Mac users to use XP, they have to purchase XP, which only gets them one step closer to becoming familiar with Windows XP. I highly doubt that any Mac users out there will take the time or the money to purchase Windows XP.

So you're saying:

• Mac users would have to purchase XP
• Most Mac users won't likely take the money to buy XP
• Apple is hurt.

I don't follow. Please correct me where I'm wrong.

[steven s]

If anything, this is going to hurt Apple. When people buy a PC, they use the operating system that they purchased. For Mac users to use XP, they have to purchase XP, which only gets them one step closer to becoming familiar with Windows XP. I highly doubt that any Mac users out there will take the time or the money to purchase Windows XP.

I was going to pickup a cheap laptop just so I could run a couple PC only programs and email when on the road. Now I will wait for a Mac laptop and throw XP on there. Using a PC at work during the day, the last thing I want to use at home and for fun is windows. This means another Mac for me where it would have been a $500 Dell before bootcamp. Truly a win win for both sides. I buy another Mac and XP. Everyone is happy.

[Scott MacVicar]

I know many people who have both a Mac and a PC, they'll most likely drop the PC when the new powermacs come out. He literally only uses his PC for games.

Imap for email and a remote samba server for all his documents so the PC will go bye bye.

I'll most likely do the same.

If anything the fact it can now dual boot will be more appealing, why get a PC and be limited to Windows when I can get a Mac and tri boot OSX, Linux and XP.

[tgillespie]

So you're saying:

• Mac users would have to purchase XP
• Most Mac users won't likely take the money to buy XP
• Apple is hurt.

I don't follow. Please correct me where I'm wrong.

1. If a mac user wants to install Windows on his Mac, he will need a license of Windows.
2. When the general consumer goes to buy a computer, they want it to work right out of the box. The idea of purchasing another operating system and then installing it on top of their already expensive Mac isn't going to sound very appealing. When buying a computer, they are going to focus on several buying factors. Such as internet, email, games, and office suites. Windows and Mac are both functional for these tasks, except for possibly gaming on the Mac side. I'm not debating Windows vs Mac.
3. The way I see Apple being hurt by this is when Mac users buy a copy of Windows to play PC games, it might start a transition. As of now, I can't really think of anything you can do on a Mac that you can't do on a PC that the average consumer would need.

I was going to pickup a cheap laptop just so I could run a couple PC only programs and email when on the road. Now I will wait for a Mac laptop and throw XP on there. Using a PC at work during the day, the last thing I want to use at home and for fun is windows. This means another Mac for me where it would have been a $500 Dell before bootcamp. Truly a win win for both sides. I buy another Mac and XP. Everyone is happy.

Just out of curiosity, what PC programs are these? The extra cash you spend in buying Apple hardware will probably make up the difference of $500. I'm not trying to argue Windows vs. Mac, just curious as to why people need a dual boot machine for general computer usage?

I know many people who have both a Mac and a PC, they'll most likely drop the PC when the new powermacs come out. He literally only uses his PC for games.

Imap for email and a remote samba server for all his documents so the PC will go bye bye.

I'll most likely do the same.

If anything the fact it can now dual boot will be more appealing, why get a PC and be limited to Windows when I can get a Mac and tri boot OSX, Linux and XP.

I can count on one hand how many people I know that own both a PC and Mac that use both regularly. The few that do are techno geeks, which make up a very small market share. I'm not slamming bootcamp, but I just don't see it as doing all that much for Apple other than exciting a few enthusiasts.

Again, I am not starting a Windows vs Mac debate. I am interested to why and what people will be downloading it for. I'm not looking for "To boot Windows... DUH" or "Mac owns, Windows sucks.... Windows rocks, Mac blows" comments.

[chrispadfield]

The way I see Apple being hurt by this is when Mac users buy a copy of Windows to play PC games, it might start a transition. As of now, I can't really think of anything you can do on a Mac that you can't do on a PC that the average consumer would need.

This might make sense if it wastn't that almost everyone has used a Windows PC before. People purchasing Apple computers either are doing so because they want to use MacOS or because they are completly computer illiterate and someone else has made the purchasing decision for them (in which case dual booting is never something they are going to be doing anyway).

Most people buying Macs are converts. Being able to continue using Windows for the things they need to is a major advantage.

The one disadvantage I can see in regards to games is this ability reduces the need for games makers to make their games run on Macs. They can now just tell people to dual boot instead.

I am not sure what I will do. Mac hardware seems to be incredibly overpriced - probably get a decent PC and a mini mac for the same price as a high specced Mac. Will see when Vista comes out which will be about what I buy a new computer.

[cirisme]

The way I see Apple being hurt by this is when Mac users buy a copy of Windows to play PC games, it might start a transition.

But this contradicts what you said before when you said that you doubted many Mac users would bother with having to buy Windows.

Not the least bit interested in an agrument, I just really do not understand how your logic gets from point A to point B.

[steven s]

Just out of curiosity, what PC programs are these? The extra cash you spend in buying Apple hardware will probably make up the difference of $500. I'm not trying to argue Windows vs. Mac, just curious as to why people need a dual boot machine for general computer usage?

There are a couple automotive programs I would like to use. My only laptop is a Mac 1400cs. Macheads know how old it is. All it is good for is to retrieve email at this point. It's too slow for anything else. Now I can justify a new laptop to use at home and on the road. A new laptop would replace my two old iMacs at home as well. I also have some automotive CDs that only run on windows. Now I wouldn't have to wait for my wife to get off her PC to use them. I've been using Macs since the mid 80s. Started out on a Lisa. I'm not gonna switch now.

[Floris]

Universal Bootcamp would be nice, one for running XP on a Mac, and one for running Mac on a PC

I can't wait to buy a PowerMac in the future with 2x Quad Core Intels and 4GB RAM and 1TB HD space and dual boot between a 64bit vista and 64bit mac os x and have three of those nice 27" hd lcd screens from Dell

If I start saving money now, I might buy that in 2010

[cirisme]

Floris,

I see how you are, you're hoping for a good deal when all that's out of date in 2010

[Erwin]

OT: Can you run OS X on an xBox 360?

[Chousho]

I wonder if any of the antivirus programs on Apple will quarantine Windows.

Log:
5 tracking cookies deleted
3 Trojans quarantied
1 Windows OS deleted

[Faruk]

I wonder when MS will be releasing official software that lets me run OSX

Will never happen.

For one, it isn't in Microsoft's best interest at all to do that. They can only hurt themselves by letting people use OS X.

For another, Apple will never license OS X. Apple isn't a software-only company like MS, it's a hardware company. Apple's hardware accounts for about 90% of their revenue. License the OS, -the- big reason people buy Macs in the first place, and Apple sabotages themselves.

Here, read John Gruber's take on it, including part two. :-)