Apple trying to steal customers from Windows with Boot Camp by letting people try superior Mac OS X

“I am experiencing the computer equivalent of an out-of-body experience. In front of me is Apple’s sleek new MacBook Pro laptop computer. And on the screen is a familiar sight in an unfamiliar setting: the rolling green hill and the blue sky spotted with clouds (and dotted with icons) that is the unmistakable Windows XP desktop. It’s like Pepsi in a Coke bottle, DeLay as a Democrat, Johnny Damon in a Yankee uniform (oops, forget that last one). Though it had previously been possible to run Windows on a Macintosh via pokey simulation software, this time Windows runs “native” (i.e., directly, just like with Dell and the rest) on the Intel chips that Apple has been switching to this year. Depending on how I start it up, this MacBook can retain the identity of a Mac running the Tiger OS, or become a Windows box in Mac clothing. It’s making me dizzy,” Steven Levy writes for Newsweek. “Even more disorienting, the software utility that allows me to go into the twilight zone of “it’s a Mac, it’s not a Mac” was created by Apple itself, the anti-Windows company.”

“Apple may be sending a not so subtle message that a direct comparison of the competing systems will leave no doubts concerning which is superior—or safer. When describing the precautions one must take when using Windows, Apple’s attitude is similar to a hotel concierge providing an insistent guest with directions to a nightclub in a thoroughly disreputable neighborhood. ‘When you load Windows you’re taking on the risk that entails,’ Apple senior VP Phil Schiller warns, citing the epidemiological woes of the Microsoft world. ‘There are a lot more security threats than the Mac has ever seen.’ Microsoft’s response to Boot Camp is telling. You would think there would be celebrating in Redmond—after all, customers who try it must bring their own $199 full-install version of Windows XP to the party. But aside from a welcome statement attributed to a Windows apparatchik, Microsoft execs are refusing to go on the record about this historic development—an indication that this disruptive development may be anything but welcome,” Levy writes. “Ultimately, Apple isn’t about supporting Windows—it’s about trying to steal customers from Windows.”

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Related articles:
Analyst: Apple’s Boot Camp may bring ‘significant benefits’ beginning in 2006 holiday quarter – April 07, 2006
Apple reseller: Boot Camp could sway a ‘huge percentage’ of PC users to go to the Mac – April 07, 2006
The Motley Fool: Apple ‘may be the next Dell’ – April 07, 2006
Macs that run Windows will calm potential switchers’ irrational fears – April 06, 2006
Analyst: Apple’s Boot Camp all about selling more Mac hardware – April 06, 2006
Analyst: With Boot Camp, Apple has removed another barrier to switching – April 06, 2006
Analyst: Apple Boot Camp could be an opportunity for Mac market share gains – April 06, 2006
Enderle: Apple’s Boot Camp allowing Windows on Mac ‘could change PC landscape as we know it’ – April 06, 2006
How to run Microsoft Windows XP on an Intel-based Macintosh with Boot Camp – April 05, 2006
Apple’s ‘Boot Camp’ a watershed, could dramatically expand Mac market share – April 05, 2006
Apple’s ‘Boot Camp’ is bad news for Windows-only PC box assemblers – April 05, 2006
Reuters: Apple’s new ‘Boot Camp’ could draw millions of new Mac buyers – April 05, 2006

65 Comments

  1. First post? Maybe?

    Finally someone gets what Apple is trying to do. Finally someone understands the genius that is Apple. Not like those other “journalists” that say this is the beginning of the end for the Mac OS.

    MDN Magc Word: “Stop”. Stop using Windows!

  2. When the iPod was first Mac-only, it was a boutique product with a limited market. The original goal was to help drive Mac sales, and it failed.

    Now that it works just as well on Windows, it’s closing in on 50 million units.

    The lesson: Respect Windows users as legitimate customers and sell to them directly rather than telling htem they’re stupid and fruitlessly trying to switch them. That’s where the money is.

    Even Steve refers to 5% market share as a “glass ceiling.” And that’s exactly the share the iPod would have, had it stayed Mac-only.

    Apple wants access to the other 95% of the market. The OS and the hardware are becoming decoupled. Now that Apple know’s what its like to have double-digit share in a product category, they want the same for their hardware.

    OS X will always be a single-digit OS, and Apple is broadening its reach to something beyind that constraint.

  3. But seriously folks®

    What was Billy thinking to leave MSFT to ‘The Sales Guy’?

    The Steve was just choppin’ at the bit when that happened. Now AAPL is going to get revenge in a massive way.

    Yes, as I and a few others predicted, Intel Macs do WinBlows. The next release will of course be a virtual, proper solution so WinBlows can’t throw a spanner in the hole®.

    Rock on Steve!
    ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”raspberry” style=”border:0;” />

  4. “OS X will always be a single-digit OS, and Apple is broadening its reach to something beyind that constraint.”

    You just contradicted yourself all within the same sentence. This Windows on a Mac thing isn’t intended as a long term solution for people. The idea is to WEEN them off Windows.

    I think you are totally wrong. I could easily see 10% marketshare within the next 3-4 years.

  5. You just contradicted yourself all within the same sentence.

    No I didn’t, so let me clarify for you.

    OS X will always be a single-digit OS.

    But if you decouple the hardware from the OS, then the OS no longer has to be a single-digit player in the market.

    10% share for OS X in a few years…well, maybe in a best-case scenario, but I doubt that does it for Steve. His sights are set higher, and Macs that can only run OS X won’t take him there.

  6. “Regular” PCs are much cheaper, people will continue to buy them. You either stay with Windows or switch to a Mac, Joe A. Citizen will not spend the extra money on a Mac and dual boot. It’s not going to happen. This will fail. A few Mac fantics will do it but that’s it. I love my Macs but I have NO interest in doing Windows on a Mac. NONE.

    People can already try Macs in stores or at friends houses. They don’t need to buy them. This won’t help Mac sales much at all. It’s rediculous to think otherwise…

  7. We’ve all seen the AAPL stock value shoot up on news of Boot Camp. What I would like to see is a sales chart to see what effect the news had on actual Mac sales this week. I just coincidentally purchased a new MacBook Pro last Wednesday and got home to discover the news of Boot Camp. The timing of the release is interesting in that it coincides with decent stocks of new Macs and MacBook Pros being available. I had been looking at a new laptop to replace my 12″ G4 800MHz PowerBook (still quite nice by the way) over the past 6 weeks and it has only been in the last week that the Apple stores had every model in stock. Before it was, “we’ll be getting a new shipment in this week…” Perhaps Apple is expecting a nice spike of hardware sales with this announcement and delayed Boot Camp just long enough for the products to fill the pipeline.

  8. am experiencing the computer equivalent of an out-of-body experience. In front of me is Apple’s sleek new MacBook Pro laptop computer

    —

    You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink…

    Windows users realizing OS X is going to take a miracle

  9. I don’t believe for even a single heartbeat that the Mac OS is forever fated to be a single digit OS. Here’s the core of why:
    The need to implement the legacy compatibility for Windows is the single biggest reason they will remain unsecure. OS X made a substantially clean break from OS 9.

    There will always be MAC only applications that due to the tight integration of the app and the OS..and an intelligent sense of design…it will draw people to the OS. Have you seriously tried to make something with Windows Moviemaker? They are prepping a Garage Band style app in Redmond…but you can bet it will be overdone (or on the other side, stupidly simplistic like their BOB experiment a few years ago).

    I suspect that with fast (or even FASTER) hardware, a better OS (safer too), and unique to the OS apps that OS X will grow in the next 3 years to well above 10%. There is simply no good reason why not.

  10. Actually, Apple probably wants the top 10% of the Wintel market.

    In the USA, that’s about 9.5% of the world – so my theory is that Apple probably wants about 15% of the US market by the close of 2008.

    If you want to tie that into numbers, one would imagine that it would require Apple to sell around 7.5 million units in the USA up from the 2.5 million they shipped in 2005. If they could pull of a less extreme version of the same trick in the rest of the world, they could be looking at around 12 million CPUs for the calendar year 2008 or – to give you an idea of scale – roughly what Lenovo shipped globally in 2005.

    The difference is that Apple’s 12 million CPUs will probably generate around $14.5 billion in sales and around $3.3 billion in gross profit, whereas Lenovo will – by that time – be involved in a death match with Dell chasing the lowest bid for every contract.

  11. Who it is that will mostly be using Boot Camp is us. The existing Mac owners. We are the ones with the Macs, afterall. A few switchers will be in evidence, but not highly visible to the masses, initially. Just look at the longevity of the press coverage regarding Boot Camp. It lasted a few days and now it’s quiet. Mostly the average PC user simply won’t care because they don’t have a Mac and they already have do have Windows. As more Macs are sold over the years however, that will change.

    But the groundwork is now solid for significant long term growth. This is no feet-of-clay proposition.

  12. “No I didn’t, so let me clarify for you.”

    No, if you are saying that the only way that OSX gets over 10% market share is if people buy Macs FOR windows then you are wrong. Your theory is that Windows will be a primary solution for Macs going forward. That isn’t the strategy. Removing OSX from the equation remvoes the advantage of even having a Mac in the first place (pretty boxes are nice but arent a decisive advantage). Windows on a Mac is just a temporary solution to ween people off windows and get them familiar with OSX.

    OSX could easily become a 10% share within a few years once people realize they have a choice, and removing fears by allowing Windows to run on a Mac they will see that.

  13. “Just look at the longevity of the press coverage regarding Boot Camp. It lasted a few days and now it’s quiet.”

    Yes and the very market that you say Apple is going for are the very ones that have heard this news and it is now positioned squarely in the back of their mind, and they will think of it when it comes time to buy a new computer. The ones Apple wants are the smart buyers who will appreciate a better product but were afraid to take the leap without a safety net. This is their safety net.

    The smart buyers have gotten a huge amount of info in the past week about this. Just because the press has died down a bit don’t think that it hasnt already made a huge impact on people who actually read and are knowledgable.

  14. It seems that Apple needs to incorpoate fully functional virtualization into Leopard then advertise a “safe computing” strategy of using OS X for all the virus-attracting apps like e-mail, web browser, etc. and only use other OSs for very specialized apps. I have a Mac-using friend who intends to do just that – he will use Windows for a CAD app and the Mac for everything else. Once the world realizes how “safe computing” with OS X works, the purchase of Mac hardware will be a no-brainer. Lets hope Apple gives us full virtualization and not a reboot solution.

  15. Boot Camp is actually quite impressive. It is not the end all but I am still amazed at how Apple is able to crank out these beautiful applications. What was the last beautiful application released by M$… anyone? If they actually can pull of true virtualization in Leopard and support Windows and Linux on the same machine, I would bow and do homage to Apple (I do that anyway but you know what I mean).

  16. I think those people that think things like:

    – Only Mac users will be interested in this.

    – Only hard-core Mac users will use this.

    – Most Windows owners have no interest in the Mac or OS X.

    … are seriously underestimating a couple of important factors:

    1) Couples who disagree on platform choice, and who up til now have been relegated to PC’s because they “play games” or “use Access, which I need for work”… Now, one person can have the Mac, and the other can have their windows, and it’s all happyland.

    2) People who have been interested in Mac OS, but have been unwilling to “lose their investment” in software (i.e. games and Office) by buying an incompatible Mac. Problem solved.

    3) People who have been interested in the Mac hardware, but don’t want to dive headfirst into unfamiliar (OS) waters. Now they have a great safety net.

    4) People who would buy a Mac out of preference, but have to use Windows at work, and can’t justify an ADDITIONAL computer just to run the Mac OS at home. Problem solved. One computer for both needs.

    I think there are a lot of people in these 4 categories, and I think as they think about their next computer (say, when that Dell blows its power supply or needs to be de-infested for the umpteenth time) they will think seriously about the Mac. Especially if Leopard does the virtualization thing.

    I can EASILY see Mac sales moving into the 10% range in a year or two. And Steve Jobs definitely will be smiling at the move he’s made to Intel and with this new direction.

    And the posts above are right – the integration of iLife, Address Book, Mail, and even the Dictionary in the OS – once Windows people start to see these things, and use them firsthand – I personally demonstrated the address book / Mail / iCal connectivity to a friend last week, and he was impressed with how slick and easy it all was.

    Oh, and – –

    First Boast! “I AM SO GREAT!” (quoting Bart Simpson, circa Season 1)

  17. Agreed. Many of the ‘smart’ buyers will indeed now purchase a Mac. And I would also agree that there are indeed enough of them to make a difference. But until now at least, it seems pretty clear that simply being ‘smart’ hasn’t exactly ruled the day when it came to making decisions about computer purchasing.

    Regardless .. we do agree.

  18. don’t forget the ducation market, now they have no excuse, Apple gets both slices of the cake, one less excuse from schools & universities running Mac’s to run to MS.
    I think it’s big and I think Apple wants the cream of the PC market.

  19. Frankly, I’m not certain what the technical limitations of multi-core processing may be; however, I see two Mac designs that would be compelling,

    1. Macs running both Windows and OS X applications simultaneously with “Fast User Switching” would be a major advantage where exclusively Mac and PC users cohabitate.
    2. Running both Windows and OS X applications simultaneously on side-by-side displays for person required to use certain Windows apps and wanting OS X to be their primary operating system.

    Is the promise of Darwine consistent with point 2?

  20. They’re not stealing anything…

    Microsoft left its door open to everyone, even hackers, so that more and more people could use windows, and now they’re just really upset to see that Apple had come over too.

    (anyone catch the reference)

  21. A lot of you seem to think that this will help OSX but in reality it will probably only make a significant impact on hardware sales.

    And whoever says Apple is the anti-Microsoft and crap like that obviously doesn’t know the two are in cahoots. In case you were sleeping, or maybe not born yet, Gates bought into Apple a while back so I highly doubt he despises it and Apple is ‘super smart’ for trying to deviously take customers.

    Now that all windows people could use macs, what more incentive does it give companies to develop software for it? They just figure that no one NEEDS Mac software anymore, they could just dualboot.

    Something like Firefox needs to happen to OSX, a program that starts out small and then word of mouth makes it spread and get better and soon it’s on all platforms and OS’s. If that could happen for some office platforms or some games then I’m sure there would be a lot of people who would rather use OSX. Until it’s compatible with file formats at peoples work and can play all the games people want it will always be a runner-up.

    BTW-I’m typing on a AMD 3800×2-Nvidia6800-3GBram OSX install right now. Unfortunately I need to use all the other programs and games on my Windows so this is just pretty to look at. Gotta reboot now ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”hmmm” style=”border:0;” />

  22. mark “I hope this isn’t another OS/2 scenario where the superior OS lost…”

    Back in the mid-90s Microsoft told the hardware companies that they would lose their cheap OEM Windows licenses if they also shipped OS/2 on their machines. The hardware people, who needed Windows for sales, understandably caved. This time Apple has all the advantages. Apple is both the hardware manufacturer and alternative OS supplier, and they don’t even sell licenses of Windows, let alone get OEM pricing. Who can Microsoft threaten? Even if they did, they would hear the noise of people in Cupertino laughing up all the way up to Redmond.

    drew “Now that all windows people could use macs, what more incentive does it give companies to develop software for it? They just figure that no one NEEDS Mac software anymore, they could just dualboot.”

    Your argument relies on Apple supplying Windows by default on all new Macs, which isn’t going to happen as it will push Mac prices up. Even with the current “low” numbers of Mac OS X users all the important developers code Mac products. I don’t see why software companies would abandon OS X if it’s installed base goes up dramatically, even if most of the newcomers can dual-boot into Windows.

  23. AGAIN with this MS bought into Apple nonsense!

    Drew, MS bought 150 million dollars of non-voting stock in Apple when SJ first came back to the company. This was part of a very quiet deal to make sure Apple was still visible in the business market (at the time there was talk of Office on Mac going away), and also included the agreement that Apple not sue MS for directly lifting code from QT for use in it’s media software. Apparently MS jumped at this because Apple had sold evidence of the theft.

    MS sold their stock as soon as it was legally possible and made a nice profit to boot.

    Apple and MS are not in “cahoots”, they do some business through the MacBU, but I am sure Apple would like nothing better than to see MS relegated to the status of a supplier of applications.

  24. drew notes:

    A lot of you seem to think that this will help OSX but in reality it will probably only make a significant impact on hardware sales.

    Balony.

    (Nearly) every Dell or HP, etc. hardware sold usually results in a sale/placement of only ONE OS — MS Windows OS (Linux is a distant second, loaded from the factory.)

    EVERY CoreDuo Mac hardware sold is a guaranteed sale/placement of OSX OS, AND the potential for additional sales of Windows OS (and Linux via third-party virtualization or Apple-provided methodology.)

    In other words, the mere sale of a Dell, etc hardeware does NOT result in getting OSX in front of the user — sale of an Apple Mac CoreDuo hardware DOES.

    And whoever says Apple is the anti-Microsoft and crap like that obviously doesn’t know the two are in cahoots. In case you were sleeping, or maybe not born yet, Gates bought into Apple a while back so I highly doubt he despises it and Apple is ‘super smart’ for trying to deviously take customers.

    Uh, drew — check your facts — Microsoft sold their Apple stock position a couple/three years ago.

    Niffy

  25. Why do reporters assume Apple is anti-Windows? I know I am, but consider the following:-

    Apple has always considered its OS superior to Windows and encouraged switchers, but has never been anti-other OS (but they DO put Windows down in comparisons):

    • Apple sold a PPC 6100 DOS-compatible and a Centris DOS-compatible both with a real Intel 486 in them running real Windows 3.1
    • Apple never spoke against any version of Linux or the open source community (but made Darwin open source)
    • Apple never stopped Connectix Virtual Game Station (PlayStation One emulator) or Virtual PC working but even sells Virtual PC on its store
    • Apple regularly offers hardware bundles with Office (can you imagine MS offering Windows with bundled iTunes or ClarisWorks)
    • Apple produced many of its applications for Windows e.g. ClarisWorks, iTunes
    • Apple had poster ads showing MacOS, Unix and Windows on the same monitor as a selling point.
    • Apple wrote their MacOS to run under Unix (called A/UX)
    • Apple sold IBM AIX (spelling?) boxes as Apple servers for a while
    • QuickTime supports many MS formats

    Microsoft has consistently made remarks against their own competitive developers (Google, Netscape, Novell) and the open source community, plus tried to crush the internet. They have not encouraged support for other OS’s in their OS and have forced hardware manufacturers to never consider other OS’s.

    We should never confuse superiority with anti-competitiveness.

  26. ishufflemy feet….what drugs are you taking? Are they good?

    Of course this will work…it will work better with the completion of Windows virtualization in Mac OS X Leopard. Like I said months ago, it will be as OS 9 Classic has…ability to boot up in that OS or you can just run concurrently inside OS X without looking at the oh-so-attractive hills and fields. Just launch a Win App and it opens like any other OS X program.

    Keep in mind, there are millions like me….sole mac users in their office. I unfortunately need Windows on the business front for client side installs and Active X apps. Can’t get around it with the Mac other than using VPC which sucks, or MS Remote Desktop to take control of a free Windows box. I was going to be forced to buy a Dull but now I can get the MacBook Pro because of the XP compatibility.

    Plus this will allow Apple to grab huge marketshare (more if they actually come out with a competitively priced gaming machine!)

    And for all you WinBlows. WinSucks, WinPoop people out there, be nice! Windows is brilliant. I don’t understand why you would say those things! I mean, hey, without Windows, you would never really know how awesome and superior Mac OS X is!!!

  27. I have absolutely no doubts that Mac OS X is seeing a strong resurgence and will see rapidly increasing market share as a result of a number of factors.

    In no particular order:

    1) iPod;

    2) Sexy QUALITY hardware, even at the low end;

    3) People are fed up with the complexity and unreliability of Windows, particularly at the more technically minded end, but still the whole spectrum of users;

    4) Malware which plagues the Windows platform;

    5) As word filters out, the ability to run multiple operating systems and the choice of dual/multi boot and running high speed virtual machines within OS X;

    6) Incredible quality of Apple’s bundled and nicely integrated software and professional software lines compared to the clunky opposition;

    7) Microsoft’s stumbling mess which is Vista. Also their inability to focus on their core competencies (if they actually have any) and obsessive need to be all things to all people and control every conceivable market and hardware platform. They have their fingers in too many pies;

    8) Mac OS X.

    I know many a Windows user who has switched, is about to switch or was waiting for point 5 to switch.

    There are still people who don’t appreciate that you get what you pay for or can’t afford a name brand computer so buy the corner shop slapped together mongrel special. But even still, when you can buy a second hand Quicksilver + LCD monitor for $600-700 AU, which still has plenty of grunt and room to grow (upgradable to the max) compared to a new P4 system, why would you bother with anything else if you’re on a budget? It’s precisely this last argument that has swayed some very grateful friends.

    It has been a great time to be a Mac user these past couple of years, and the party is only just getting started.

    The tide is definitely turning.

  28. blucaso has it right.

    Government, education, and even corporate users can now check off the “standard” box when ordering Macs. And consumers will definitely like the ability to save their previous investment. Given that the Vista previews don’t reveal anything much beyond what Tiger already has (and Leopard could have), many will be buying Mac hardware this Christmas instead of getting an “XP-only, Vista-maybe” box. The Vista delay, I believe, made Boot Camp even more of a must-do thing.

    And I think virtualization is coming in Leopard. Once people feel more comfortable running Windows as the base OS on Mac hardware, Apple will offer them the next step – run Mac OS X with Windows in a virtual box. And ta da, without noticing, they’ve switched OSes. And when they try Leopard on a regular basis, that Windows virtual box will become more and more marginalized to just one or two apps. They’ll be using Safari, Dashboard, iLife, and all the other little Apple apps instead of IE, Outlook, etc.

    And that explains why there is no movement on Virtual PC. Apple must be noncommital about not pursuing virtualization, leaving MS in a bind.

    Apple is after everyone’s desktop; no doubt about it. MS execs are just beginning to realize it and to think what they will do next.

  29. my daughter has a violin teacher who used a Mac to run his violin business until it got too big and complex. then he hired an accountant who made him switch to a Windows PC. he never seemed as happy using Windows as he was using his Mac.

    well, now, he told me he’s going back and buying an Intel Mac. and he’ll run Windows in Boot Camp. and he says, if virtualization comes, all the better. he’s a happy camper.

    i’m sure this story is being repeated many times over among one-person and small businesses.

  30. From: Mark – “I hope this isn’t another OS/2 scenario where the superior OS lost…”

    Oh, for the love of {$DEITY} please don’t even joke about that!

    I think I still have my Warp 4 somewhere…

  31. 80-90% of all PC sales in the Western world are replacement sales, not sales to first-time computer users. That means that lots and lots of people (and companies) already have Windows XP legally (not to mention the millions who have it through piracy).

    So replacing their current PC with a Mac doesn’t incur any additional cost if they still want to run Windows. And compared to name-brand PCs, the Mac has a only a slight premium, which many will consider worth it to be able to run the iLife apps, enjoy the great design of the Mac boxes, and be able to avoid being targeted by malware. No more hiring repair services to fix PCs (wipe hard drives), or buying new hard drives, or worrying about installing a million virus/malware checkers. That’s worth something.

  32. Yep…
    Gentlemen, start your engines!

    Heheeheheeh.

    As the NASCAR guys says at the start of the race, “Boogedy, boogedy, boogedy! Let’s go racin’!”

    This is the first lap of the race folks!

  33. This bullcrap about MS or Bill Gates owning Apple has got to stop. If I ever win the lotttery Im taking out full pages ads in every newspaper in the country to post the facts.

    My buddy goes to the local burger joint to get his kid a happy meal and overhears redneck #1 talking to redneck #2 about the iPod and how smart Bill Gates is for coming up with it. My friend interjects that Apple makes the iPod not Microsoft, and that Bill Gates has nothing to do with it.

    Redneck #1 jumps out of his chair and swears emphatically that my friend is wrong and that Bill Gates does indeed own Apple.

    To which my friend, who has an Apple employee number, decided it was useless to talk to this idiot and just backed out of the conversation.

  34. Apple wants the living room.

    They aren’t looking to grow market share by switching existing windows customers. They’re looking to create new markets. I’d bet this is part of the evolution of media device.

    How dual booting (and/or virtualization) fits in is not exactly clear yet. But it removes barriers to the uninitiated consumer from considering buying a MAC -not as a PC replacement- but as their new media device.

    Certainly all their games and crappy PC software will run on it … and that is both important and comforting to people unfamilar with MACs. Its a key component to competing with MS media center for the living room.

  35. I’m not on any drugs but thans for asking! Actually that’s not correct, I’m on Paxil, 10mg.

    I stand by my original comments. Apple will not gain any significant sales due to boot camp.

    Apple only needs to advertize more and get OS X in the face of consumers and boot Camp is NOT the way to do it. They have to push OS X. Pushing Windows is COUNTER PRODUCTIVE.

    Why buy a Mac to run WINDOWS ON????? They (Joe A. Citizen) can already run Windows on their cheaper PC. 95% of the market are Windows brainwashed, they will not switch just by trying a Mac that can run Windows.

  36. What was Billy thinking to leave MSFT to ‘The Sales Guy’?

    “The Sales Guy”! Eureka!!

    Pixar needs to do a tongue-in-cheek feature about MS. It’d be the story of a couple of college geeks who started with nothing, had a computing crown jewel given to them, became obscenely rich through lousy knock-offs, and then lost it all through through their own cluelessness. Kind like “Triumph of the Nerds”, only this time Apple won.

    How fitting if “The Sales Guy” was released before Vista…

  37. Damn, from Pixar’s web site:

    It is Pixar’s policy to create all stories and ideas in house. We do not look at unsolicited story submissions.

    “The Sales Guy” would have to be animated too. Hard to think of anyone in Hollywood freaky enough to play Ballmer. Maybe he’d do a cameo?

  38. Goodness, things get out of hand fast. I didn’t say anything about Gates ‘operating’ any aspect of Apple or owning more than some stocks of Apple. I was trying to say that if I ‘despised’ another company I sure wouldn’t buy a bunch of their stock and support them in any way. Sure it could’ve been a bit of a legal deal for stealing code or whatever, but I just don’t think the assumptions that “Jobs hates Gates and Gates is trying to steal every customer with sleazy business practices.” are true.

    And I’m not saying the dual boot Mac idea is bad, I just think it could be bad if it only helps sell their hardware. OSX comes preinstalled right? So right there the main thing people are buying is the hardware. Now if they get hooked and buy a bunch of other software then that’s a bonus but that’s also my other point…a lot of the software is good and yes there are the Adobe products, and other professional applications but it will be hard for people who have used Windows for a long time and suddenly find themselves somewhat limited in software.

    I just really think spreading OSX onto other platforms would be the better move instead of XP leaking into the last of the exclusive PC hardware. If people could go out and buy OSX and install it on their main pc I think a ton of them would realize it is awesome and would switch for everything but games and a few apps.

    I myself could probably deal with the limited software as long as I could still reboot and play games and all that jazz. So that would be a bonus.

  39. I’ve been ignoring the endless and tiresome headlines regarding Boot Camp. But MDN’s headline on this thread deserves a response.

    If someone buys an Intel Mac (an Apple product) to use Boot Camp (an Apple product), then Apple has already “stolen” a customer (the customer bought an Apple product) and the headline’s “by letting people try” part is complete nonsense.

    Apple would be trying to steal Windows customers if Apple allowed OSX to be installed on something other than Apple hardware. That would be “try before you buy.”

    Trying after you buy isn’t all that clever.

    Pesky little thing, logic. It demands that writers be concise.

  40. I just bought my first Mac….

    Dual boot made it possible. When I was a kid I grew up on the Apple IIe. At some point I wondered over to the dark side and have remained lost in Wintel for almost 2 decades. I have been fascinated with Macs since OSX was released and have tried various systems at stores, friends, etc. I have enjoyed the ‘freedom’ of choice by sticking with PCs but over the past two years have been tearing my hair out with all the ‘choices’. Windows is a mess BECAUSE people want too many choices. Microsoft has catered to too many people who HAVE to have the choice to run everything from MS-DOS days up to Half Life 2 and to do it on any of millions of hardware configurations. I’m sureprised that Windows runs at all.

    With the release of Boot Camp I ordered an iMac 20″ fully loaded. Yes, it will be a dual boot system until I get the hang of OSX and find appropriate solutions to replace existing programs but as the weeks and months go by I’m sure I will use XP less and less.

    Isn’t this EXACTLY what Apple is counting on? It worked on me…..

  41. Hey informed, you haven’t been computing long have you? Do you think people tried an Apple 1 before they bought one? Do you think most people tried an Apple II before they bought one? Do you think most people spent much time trying an original Mac before they bought one?

    How long do you think most people used an iPod before they deciced they had to have one? How long did you test drive your last car before you bought it?

    I’m not saying your wrong. But consumerism has little to do with logic.

  42. I just had a friend tell me he will never buy a “PC” again. He has a G4 Mac Mini but he was still forced to use a “PC” for work. He couldn’t decide what to buy for his next computer. Apple just made his decision a no-brainer.

    You doubters watch the freaking sales. Narrow-minded pansies. When the average consumer comes to the realization they can run both OS’s; fast switching or VM(this may not be for months after Leopard) Apple may have supply problems.

  43. tHE dUDE

    There is already a solution for running virtual machines in OS X on Intel Macs made by Parallels – no need to wait, the beta version is available now and it’s free.

    So if you need to do Windows only games or apps which need GPU grunt, use Boot Camp. For everything, use Parallels!

    MW ‘trouble’ – for MS, definitely

  44. dogfriend:
    He could just reprise his role in Young Frankenstine and he would be 90% of the way there.

    Of course! It’d be perfect!

    Young Frankenstein: “Puttin’ on the Ritz”.

    The Sales Guy: “I…love…this…company!”.

    Hollywood is screaming for ideas. Someone’s gotta do this!

  45. scenario:

    Windows loyalists buys mac or uses mac at work or school with the intent of using only windows. Windows gets bogged down with spyware. Viruses eat up productivity. Fighting pop-up ads and spyware, user gets frustrated and out of curiosity reboots into OS X. Notices a speedier experience, absence of pop-ups, spyware. Wonders what software is installed to block these things. Discovers that the mac shipped with no need of extra software to protect it. Processor concentrates on production, not on fighting malware. Person gets more work done. Stability. Security. Ease of use. Discovers iLife. Begins to like interface. Relegates windows to occasional use. Purchases mac versions of necessary software, erases windows’ partition. Never looks back.

  46. Yeah, that’s right. But I think an even bigger thing is that it removes some prejudice against Mac in many IT shops, now that Apple hardware can run Windows just like any other PC.

    Many, or even most, IT shops don’t even consider Apple hardware for desktops and servers. Why? Their excuse is something like “Mac doesn’t run Windows” or “Mac isn’t mainstream and I don’t want to risk my job on something on the fringe”, “Mac doesn’t do IT”, or whatever. Boot Camp goes a long way in removing that prejudice. And Boot Camp does it without sacrificing quality and “art museum quality” polish.

    If Boot Camp is good, then virtualization is even better (the rumored running both Windows and OS X at the same time, which is technically feasible, as Intel technology supports it).

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