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Apple should keep OSX on real Macs. Period.

Jul 08, 09 - 07:54 am Comment from: Scott

They aren't going to make a 64-bit version and at the same time claim that current OS's are outdated? I had higher hopes for you Google....

Jul 08, 09 - 07:54 am Comment from: Connor MacBook

Competition is good. But I'll stick with OS X (desktop and mobile).

Jul 08, 09 - 07:55 am Comment from: pastrychef

I hope they put the menu bar on the top of the screen.

I think MDN's take is a bit harsh. I look forward to seeing what the Google Chrome OS does. Competition is good for everyone, even Apple. And from the little bit I've read, I expect it will probably be just a thin OS, not the kind of thing people will run Photoshop (or other big apps) on. Thus, no threat to a full-blown OS like OS X.

Jul 08, 09 - 07:58 am Comment from: TowerTone

2010? I guess it needs a little more polish...

Jul 08, 09 - 07:59 am Comment from: Macintosher

I will stick to my near-zero boot time iPod touch for the web, and a simple and secure (plus capable) Mac with OS X for all else. Sorry Google.

Jul 08, 09 - 08:00 am Comment from: macaholic

Rebranding/renaming of the old thin client idea. Meh!

Jul 08, 09 - 08:02 am Comment from: MacD

Goodbye to privacy

Another blow to M$! There goes their netbook plans!

Jul 08, 09 - 08:12 am Comment from: ElderNorm

This is what Microsoft has been afraid of. A large company with big resources that can provide a better "Windows" than windows. It will run on PC machines and has a huge market out there.

And since they do not need to make all the hardware, they can start small with say "netbooks" and work with companies like Dell and Hp who will take the losses in Hardware costs.

Sounds like a win - win to me...... er...... except for Microsoft.

Of course, this will keep M$ eyes off the real threat.... Apple...

Just a thought.
en

Does RIM license their Blackberry OS to other phone makers? No.

Does Sony license their Playstation OS to other game console makers? No.

Why, then, should apple license Mac OS X to even "select" PC assemblers? What is the point of diluting the Mac brand in such a fashion?

Apple would not be able to support third-party hardware at their official store locations, which would naturally result in anger at Apple ("how dare you not support hardware you didn't make, when it was sold with your OS on it!").

Remember "iPod+HP"? The HP-manufactured iPods accounted for less than 10% of all iPods sold, and those iPods likewise could not be supported by Apple at their official store locations. Third-party PC hardware with Apple's OS would suffer the same fate.

Jul 08, 09 - 08:17 am Comment from: Ferf Muckmeyer

No need to worry about licensing OS X to PC manufacturers of "Apple-Certified Hardware" when Mac's growth rate is YOY 25% now and the most PC manufacturers can muster up is a meager 2-3%. Everyone I know that was on the fence about buying a Mac has bought one or will do so in the next month or so.

This whole Chrome thing is overblown. The only thing I see it doing, perhaps, is possibly taking more market share from MS. But not from Apple, I assure you.

fm

It is time for Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, to resign as a board member of Apple.

Can you say the word "conflict of interest"?

WMD

Why is Eric Schmidt even allowed on Apple's campus let alone in the board room?

Jul 08, 09 - 08:20 am Comment from: iSteve

This will help people break free of Windows/Office. Once they've done that they will consider a Mac. This is a good thing for those not fortunate/smart enough to own a Mac.

…oops, that previous post should have been prefaced to clarify that it was aimed at MDN's last Take there.

Responding to the actual news story, I think this is great news. Yet another direction from which Microsoft will have to defend itself, and with Google involved you know Ballmer will become totally obsessed about it while ignoring other important things – that's how he's been running Microsoft so far, after all. The increased competition should be good for everyone (well, except Microsoft).

Jul 08, 09 - 08:22 am Comment from: Wha

Competition always makes products better. It's good to have Microsoft & Apple on their toes. Of both the them, I think Microsoft is (or should be) most sweaty.

Jul 08, 09 - 08:27 am Comment from: Harvey

There's not even a threat to Microsoft. ChromeOS puts all files in the cloud and most applications run in a browser. Just what nobody needs.

Jul 08, 09 - 08:27 am Comment from: LTD*

Apple and Google (already allies to some degree) are working on this together.

Google goes after MS bottom-end while Apple takes care of the Premium-end of the market.

Brilliant.

Way to catch the back end of a dying wave Google.

Jul 08, 09 - 08:32 am Comment from: Rob

Wait a minute.
So it is not a new system, it's another flavor of Linux.
Linux kernel with new window server, right? So it's really just a GUI change.

Why must MDN attack every little thing that is not Apple? The message here is "We have no need for your new ideas and products, because we already have the greatest achievement man will ever reach."

That sounds a lot like a much-mocked Bill Gates idea of the early 80s.

Embrace Apple because their products are Insanely Great. If someone comes along with an insanely greater product, embrace THEM.

It's time to start hoping for great things from EVERYONE, not just from Apple.

Apple doesn't need to license OSX. They are better off making the whole widget for the best computer experience. Licensing OSX would indeed be a nightmare that Apple just doesn't need to deal with and shouldn't. They have the lead why bring that down by licensing there superior OS to shoddy PC hardware manufacturers.
Apple makes the best hardware, we don't need to license OSX period!

Jul 08, 09 - 08:41 am Comment from: Steveeee

OSX will not kill MS, but Chrome OS will. We don't need any poor man's OSX by license it to PC box assembler. We need to keep our lineage clean. But MS will get a real competition and be defeated by Chrome.

Jul 08, 09 - 08:43 am Comment from: Not Bill

Microsoft should be concerned by this. Eventually there will be a viable alternative OS for the cheap boxes.

Apple should not license OSX to others. There would be no end to the arguments saying: "Why buy that expensive machine when this cheap one runs exactly the same OS?" OSX would be in a street fight with Microsoft and Google with a diminishing cash flow from computer sales to support the effort. Why do it?

Jul 08, 09 - 08:50 am Comment from: HolyMackerel

Have they forked their Linux efforts internally already - one Linux team for Android and another (incompatible?) team for ChromeOS?

The power of Apple's approach is that the iPhone/iPod touch/AppleTV/MacOSX/Server teams are working on the same code base and choose the best code for the higher level functions.

Jul 08, 09 - 08:50 am Comment from: Harvey

Apple is a hardware company. OS X is an inducement to buy the hardware. Licensing OS X is the same thing as selling ammunition to the enemy. It makes absolutely no sense.

Apple bought NeXT. NeXT found out that you can't sell hardware if you license your operating system. Apple isn't going to repeat NeXT's mistakes.

See any pigs flying? I don't.

Jul 08, 09 - 08:56 am Comment from: Ashami

Any improved alternative to MS is a Good Thing and I wish Google luck. I agree that MDN was too harsh here...no, Chrome OS won't motivate anyone to switch away from Mac, but MS has reason to be worried here.

Remember, MDN, the reason we dislike MS so much isn't because it isn't Apple, but because their products suck and they use despicable business practices to force their OS down people's throats. If Google comes up with a good product, then good for them. If it's good enough, then it will keep Apple on its toes, which is good for all of us.

This is a win/win.

"... but Apple could do it correctly by working with select PC box assemblers to license OS X for Apple-certified hardware that maintains quality levels."

The only box assembler it might consider working with is HP, and only in an Enterprise context. (IBM no longer makes PCs, and with Dell it's "personal".) Apple and HP could produce a sort of "house brand" Mac, in the "headless" form factor business likes, marketed and maintained by HP itself. It's also a back door way to get Xserves into the back room.

@ PC Apologist ; Cause we've been waiting since 1984 for the PC world to finally see the light & embrace true innovation! Embrace Apple because Steve had the vision, the tenacity, the brains & the cahonas to stand toe-to-toe with the giants of the industry and prove that eventually the masses will appreciate a truly better product & experience. And we, those who bought into the game early have been with him all the way! Yeah! the kool-aid's really good, Yum Yum Yum. But now it seems every one with a little inside knowledge & experience at Apple want's to steal the credit and innovation the the Apple guys have worked so hard to perfect and claim that belt for themselves. I say, INNOVATE! Don't just add a few bells and whistles to Steve's masterpiece & call it innovation.... find a way to display a holographic image from the iPhone or similar device that can be shown in air at the size of a 17 inch monitor... now that's something new!

Even more reason that google shouldn't be sitting on apple's board of directors.

I look forward to seeing what Google can come up with for Netbooks - its not an area that I think Apple should be playing in anyway. I also think having another company that believes in coming up with creative solutions working on an OS is a good thing rather than the M$ half-baked copies of Mac OS X. The fact that they are cutting off the one increasing market for M$ is just a bonus!

Jul 08, 09 - 09:06 am Comment from: TheConfuzed1

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

They won't be taking any marketshare from Apple with this; they'll be taking it from MS.

Schmidt should call Ellison and talk...Ellison had the cheap net computer idea years ago, but the bandwidth couldn't handle it.
Anyone remember Apple's Opendoc? Jigsaw apps you could piece together as you need it on the web...isn't that what Google's little apps are all about? Let's give a little credit to 'ol spendoholic Ellison and Apple for Google's billions.

Jul 08, 09 - 09:19 am Comment from: Predrag

Chrome OS is a good thing. Currently, increasing percentage of MS Windows revenue seems to be coming from the netbook space. They have even modified hardware definition in order to make the "netbook" edition of Windows 7 compatible with a larger selection of the hardware; previously, if the "netbook" exceeded certain specs, the OEM had to buy a full desktop license (cranking the license price up to about 20% of the retail price of the whole netbook); now, they can still get the netbook edition, instead of looking for a Linux alternative.

With Google's Chrome OS, netbooks OEMs have an option of choosing an OS with one of the biggest IT companies in the world behind it. If Google packages this OS well and markets it properly, OEMs will most likely embrace it. All those $300 netbooks that sold with XP will sell with Chrome. I have no doubt, performance of those Chrome-based netbooks will be significantly better than with XP (or Vista, and especially Win 7).

One thing is clear: Google isn't expecting (nor aiming) to run Photoshop, Final Cut, Logic or similar things on this. The clear target is the fairly narrowly defined netbook market (where Apple isn't competing directly; only via iPhone/iPod touch). There shouldn't be too much concern over this for Apple; further reduction of MS dominance can only make OS X more prominent as a desktop alternative.

To me, this looks like a good thing for everyone but MS (in other words, good thing for the whole world).

Jul 08, 09 - 09:24 am Comment from: Fergman

Some folk just don't get it. I showed a PC friend my 32Gb iPod touch and demoed GoogleEarth and other cool stuff. All he could say was does it run Windows Apps? He needs a mobile devise that runs windows stuff!

NO it doesn't Dude. No need for that Shite......

Some folk just don't get it!

@ Just Wondering? Eric Schmidt even allowed on Apple's campus let alone in the board room?

------
I agree!

Steve has worked hard, all these years, to shut down leaks within the company and yet he lets the fox into the hen house with Eric Schmidt as a board member!

Who cares about Google's new OS killing MS Windows! This guy knows more about Apple and its no big deal to Steve? Maybe Steve Balmer would be a great board member at Apple.

Apple wake-up! Walk Eric to the door now and toss Al while your at it!!!!!!

WMD

Jul 08, 09 - 09:31 am Comment from: iSteve

I like the idea of Ballmer being distracted by Google -- in search & OS. Hit MS from all sides.

Jul 08, 09 - 09:34 am Comment from: Doc4i

To paraphrase Charlton Heston...
You'll have to pry the Mac OS from my cold dead hands.

Jul 08, 09 - 09:36 am Comment from: macaholic

@Doc4i

you left out "you damn sweaty ape!!"

Jul 08, 09 - 09:41 am Comment from: DogGone

Google are doing what M$ should have done 5 years ago and what Apple (or Next) did 20 years ago: build an OS from the ground up.

They are using a UNIX base to build from which is the same as the MacOS. If they can build a system on top of that that can run windows apps that M$ could lose a lot of market share.

I can see MDN clearly overreacts to the news, relax will ya? Apple doesnt need to license Mac OS X to those junk makers HP, Dell & the likes. Why? Just look at the sales numbers, Apple's accelerating at full speed steamrolling the whole industry, clearly people start recognizing the true value of owning a beautiful Mac running rock solid OS X vs a cheapo troublesome PC runing MS's crap OS. What Apple needs to do to maintain this great momentum its getting is to keep innovating on both its desktop & mobile lines creating an undeniable marvelous computing experience that's so unrefusable to users & they will keep flocking in rows to the Apple Experience. The key word here is experience as its has always been when it come to using Apple gear from the Mac sweet starting chime & its fluid UI to the iPhone/iPod fantastic pinching & swiping that more & more people are so familiar with. Now with the help of Google in killing their "common competitor"-- as both Apple & Google exceutives often refer to-- MIcrosoft, i think its a good thing indeed, Apple OS might lose some sales to another competing OS but at the same time it'll gain sales from the loosing Windows, in this sense I truly believe the gain is so outweight the loss Apple wouldn't mind, after all it might takes more than Apple' own OS X to accelerate the Windows breaking process.

Apple is taking the 'high end' of the computing space with Macs and iPods. Google is taking the 'low end' (at least in the beginning) with Chrome OS that leaves the middle for Windows. I think the competition is good for everyone =)

Jul 08, 09 - 09:51 am Comment from: qka

Everyone here seems to be missing the point - Chrome OS is aimed at Enterprise IT.

Many organizations have gone to corporate Gmail. Pay the fee, and they brand it with your logo and remove the context driven ads. Cheaper and easier than running your own mail server, staying on top of spam and virus filters, etc.

Organizations are starting to look at Google Apps. Again, cheaper and easier than all the MS licensing cost and hassle.

Other apps, like Salesforce.com, are already in the cloud.

So why use an expensive heavy weight OS like Windows (or OS X) for your average word processing / spreadsheeting drone employees? Yes, there will always be those that need to run real apps, but they are the minority.

I would personally buy a netbook with Chrome OS to check it out with an eye towards how it work in an Enterprise environment.

This should get interesting.

And lest you think I'm anti-Apple, I've been using computers since before Apple was founded, and Macs since early '84. They're great, but they're not for every situation.

I disagree with MDN,

Apple will never have the capacity of supplying 70% of the market with computers. Unlike the iPod.

Having Google Chrome is a good thing, it means that people can be free from Microsoft.

It also means that, there'd be more variants of linux machines. And that should hinder the growth of viruses

Cross-compatibility through web browsers sounds like a great feature. Developers of applications for Chrome OS will have users across Macs and PCs. It makes Chrome OS relevant to users if they can use the same the same applications on multiple computers and devices.

Jul 08, 09 - 10:00 am Comment from: Wha

Google stated that this OS will be for both netbook & full blown PC's.. this is in direct competition with Apple. Nothing wrong with a tad of paranoia at this point for both Apple and Microsoft. For every PC/netbook that sells with Google OS, it is another customer lost from both Apple & Microsoft. They are all in the same game now and Apple shouldn't be happy with this situation. The rumored Mac Tablet is also in the crosshairs of Google's OS. MDN's take is fair.

Jul 08, 09 - 10:09 am Comment from: Mick James

Lets face it people.....there are people out there who will never know the yummy goodness of Apple's nectar because they have been too brainwashed on Windows and see us as the enemy even when MS products hit the toilet.

Some people are avoiding Apple at all costs because they have that one friend or relative that gave them the "holier than thou" attitude that seems to follow owing the greatest phone ever made (the iPhone) or a Mac with the best operating system ever (OS X).

But Google so far has been the "purgatory" if you will in this whole thing........not Heaven and not Hell......Not Coke or Pepsi.....so most importantly PC users will switch off of the MS crap and give Chrome a try. Once they open up their minds a crack to do that.......they may just choose the real OS later on but even if they don't.....its money out of the hands of the worlds most evil and undeserving company, Microsoft.

Hell, in some way Steve might be in on this somehow. Wouldn't that be awesome if thousands of PC users switch to Chrome and then Google announces that its using the OS X kernel licenced from Apple? I'd love to see it

@ LTD* - Exactly!

I don't believe there can be any more chairs in all of Seattle - LOL!

Jul 08, 09 - 10:29 am Comment from: Brau

Google OS will likely be better than Windows, if for no other reason than not having to ensure backward compatibility. It will however suffer the same problems as Windows by trying to be an OS for third parties which means it will NEVER be an OS that "just works" anywhere near like Mac OSX does. To do that Google would need to make their own hardware too.