The possibility of Mac OS X on PCs
Intel would be loving the speculation going around in the market. They are the biggest benefactors in the Apple’s switch to Intel. And Dell have somewhat conveyed indirectly to Steve Jobs that they would be more than happy to deliver their Mac OS X on their range of Dell Computers. However, there might be more than few problems for Apple if they indeed decide to open up their Operating System to Dell and maybe other PC Manufacturers.
The Personal Computer platform is so varied that it is a mess for the software developers to deliver products, which are compatible with all the hardware available in the market. Nobody knows it better than Microsoft itself. They sell because their products end up being the most supporting software around. Even the most ancient hardware is somehow manageable to be workable in the latest releases from the software giant.
In comparison, Apple has kept the hardware support for their platform so limited that for them to deliver a copy of Mac OS X for PC platform that supports most hardware available in the market would be very complicated. In fact, they would have to demand a very specific hardware scope from the manufacturers, which would in the end nullify the advantages of using Mac OS X on PC Platform.
Even worse is the possibility that any copy released for the Dell Platform would be somehow hacked and ported to other PC platforms. Such a situation would be catastrophic for the Apple Company as the revenues from the software market is very crucial for their profitability. People generally tend to buy Apple Computers for the software quality delivered by the company and they would lose that advantage by porting Mac OS X to PC for Dell Computers.
In any situation, it is Apple who knows the situation better than anyone does and we shall see what is in their mind for the future of the Macintosh Computers.
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June 18th, 2005 at 7:11 am
Ya know, Dell computers suck anyway, I don’t know why Apple would even want to do such a thing as demean themselves to sink to the level of Dell.
June 18th, 2005 at 7:49 am
Is loading the MAC OS onto an Intel machine somewhat akin to putting lipstick on a pig?
June 18th, 2005 at 9:04 am
The thrust of this article is hilarious. Sure, it’s possible to run ancient hardware on a Wintel machine, but running it in a stable manner without compromising system performance and stability is a BIG ask. That is the reason why Mac owners buy Macs, and why they don’t particularly mind that they can’t use a prototype, mid 90’s webcam on an iBook made in 2003. The fact is the hardware that does work on a Mac, all things being equal, usually works painlessly. That is the Apple advantage. OS X is just the cream on top.
June 18th, 2005 at 1:31 pm
I think that if Apple ever allows Mac OS X to be used on Dells or other generic PeeCees, they will not sell it that way directly or support other machines than their own. That way, they can collect all the money from sales of Mac OS, but none of the headaches from supporting OEm hardware.
June 18th, 2005 at 1:54 pm
IBM let others make PCs and charged the companies to do this. Apple did not and as it was expensive most people chose PCs. Same thing over again. Allowing it to happen would sell more of OSX but apple would probably charge more for OSX for PC.
June 18th, 2005 at 3:06 pm
“IBM let others make PCs and charged the companies to do this.”
Uh… No.
The companies that developed PC clones used no IBM technology and reverse-engineered the BIOS. IBM makes no money from PC clones. They tried to, later on, with the PS/2 and the MicroChannel architecture, but they were soundly ignored by most of the PC industry.
June 19th, 2005 at 6:25 am
Dell is a remarkable company – their supply chain and direct marketing is far superior to anything out there. True, they sell lots of junk – but 90% of IT is junk and they are just meeting the market (and apple hasn’t).
They have only had ONE choice in OSes – MS.
Apple is great at what they do – design great OSes and supporting software and great HW platforms. But they haven’t been good at selling to enterprises nor have they been great at lowering costs.
Dell & Apple = A Revolution
June 19th, 2005 at 10:00 am
�IBM let others make PCs and charged the companies to do this.�
LOL!
Go read a little computer history before you say anything else about Apple, you’re just repeating falsities/myths spread by others.
Adam, I’ll bet that you are under 20…Kids these days think they know it all because they were “born with the web”.
September 29th, 2005 at 6:42 am
yes Dell sucks… but Job’s is an A-hole too… IMHO