Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple set to go Intel? (Again)

Originally posted by tgrundke
Your fear is understandable, but the reasoning behind it is flawed. Just because Apple might go down the Intel route does not necessarily imply that there will be Macintosh clones. It does not mean that Macs will be running Windows, it does not mean that Apple will lose its advantage.

For clones to exist, they would have to use Apple's chipset. Remember the clones? One way Apple was able to kill them off was by making OS 9 (at the time) run only on computers that used Apple's specified chipset. What makes you think Apple wouldn't do the same thing this time around?
Click to expand...
Yes, but those were PowerPC processors. Apple has more control over those than they would over Intel processors (you know, because Intel makes them for Microsoft). It wouldn't be long before people figured out how to install OS X on a Windows system. Apple can't prevent that.

Then again, there is one chipset that Apple could keep safe from clones and Intel. The PowerPC chipset. 😉
 
protoaster:

I think you're discounting the difficulty involved in this scenario. First of all, you wouldn't be isntalled OS X on a "Windows System", you would be installing OS X on Intel based hardware.

You're also assuming that OS X would boot on a non-Apple motherboard/chipset. If you're thinking of the old MS-DOS fiasco that lost IBM control over the personal computer market - I don't envisage that scenario repeating itself. Sure, Darwin might work on 80x86 hardware - but Darwin ain't OS X. It's a component. All that has to be done is to set OS X up so that it won't install on anything other than Apple branded hardware.

It's like when you buy a Dell - the Windows re-install disks that come with it will not work on non-Dell hardware, as set by the BIOS. This way you can't swipe your buddy's Dell CDs and try to install Windows XP on your home-built box.
Originally posted by pyrotoaster
Yes, but those were PowerPC processors. Apple has more control over those than they would over Intel processors (you know, because Intel makes them for Microsoft). It wouldn't be long before people figured out how to install OS X on a Windows system. Apple can't prevent that.

Then again, there is one chipset that Apple could keep safe from clones and Intel. The PowerPC chipset. 😉
Click to expand...
 
Re: Re: Linux doesn't have any trouble

Originally posted by rjwill246
That may no longer hold water because the whole world now knows that Windows is unfixable and dangerous for companies and countries to continue using.
Click to expand...

Maybe your world differs from mine but let me tell you something mate: on Earth, the planet I am from, the majority has NOT realised that Windows is dangerous and, as you say, "unfixable". Most governments, companies and individuals choose to use Microsoft's products and services; not because they like taking risks; but because they are ignorant of the dangers and of the alternatives. On planet Mars where you apparently are from, maybe the situation is quite the opposite. Maybe.
 
That’s a big ‘o maybe

Survival, market share increase, and $$$$$ have a tendency to override pride.

I would say bring it on but if Apple did do this they need to be really careful around the Redmond giant. Honestly. If I didn’t have a VPC option I wouldn’t even consider a Mac. I have too much software invested on the Windows platform. (And don’t tell me to get a blasted desktop. I have 2. I don’t feel like carrying around 1 PowerBook and one PC laptop to allow me to use all my software.) I and MANY others need it. More so for the business environment. Then you have MS Office. No business will take Apple seriously without Office. Open Office be danged. Tell me would you risk a hundred thousand dollar business agreement on a piece of software that MAY open up your document correctly? IS\IT shops don’t have the time or the patients to dick around with a user calling up saying this document isn’t formatted correctly. I know I don’t. Like it or not it’s the defacto standard for office suites and if Apple lost that say goodbye to any attempts to penetrate the business market.
Both of these products are big deals for switchers. If Apple decided to go to war against Microsoft these are very legitimist tools for them to use to attack Apple with. And forget about the argument that MS makes money on Apple with these products. If there is even the slightest chance of anything affecting Microsoft’s 2 cash cows – Windows and Office they will level a claymore at the head of the company threatening it. Microsoft IS the most paranoid company on this planet. If they got even the slightest whiff of a project like this coming to fruition you can bet cash Billy Boy would be on the phone to Jobs in 30 seconds. The same could probably be said if Bill discontinued Office on Macs. Jobs could release OSX i386. Sort of a mutual determinant.
If…stressing if…. They did something like this they would have to be extraordinarily careful. It’s a massive chess game. If they don’t play it right they stand to lose everything. If done right they stand to reap the benefits of a larger market share and more software being ported over to OSX. The last one is important though. As has been stated over and over and over and over and….to the point of really being annoying Apple is a hardware company. Sure they are. That doesn’t mean they can’t turn into a software company. I’ve talked to several contacts at Dell. You guys all know how Dell is practically licking MS’s backside. But there are plenty of pissed off people at Dell. I don’t know how far up the food chain it goes but its pretty high. Think of the possibilities of loading OS X on as an option when configuring a Dell. There are plenty of options for Apple. Such as telling Dell they could only use OS X in low end systems. $500 to $1000 systems maybe? This leaves Apple's pro system untouched. There are options. Just saying that Apple will never consider it is foolish. Any good business considers all their options. Both popular and no so popular ones.
Personally I don’t see Apple doing such a drastic thing just yet. As many of you guys have mentioned the G5 has given Apple some breathing room. So it could be a while before something like this happens. Maybe with the release of Longhorn? If sales of LH aren’t all they are cracked up to be and it somehow flops Apple could swoop in with OS X? *shrugs* Just a thought.
 
Apple Gaming

Originally posted by Sun Baked
Lest we forget that Apple has gone down the gaming road before, and it died an ugly death.

Build you own is a bit different story, but they did try clones.
Click to expand...

Yeah they have, but it failed because they failed to market it.

Again it was ahead of its time and no one saw all the things it could do.


Another Wiiddee Rumor...

We have seem this before for nothing.

I wouldn't mind a Mac Os X on x86, but I would mind if they killed off Mac Os X on Mac!
 
I am a strong non-believer in this rumor as a baseline rule.

However since it is polluting my mind already, let's try this.

Apple needs iTunes on Wintel to make the real money off the PC weenies. It might actually be the shortest path to bundle a Intel compatible MacOSX/iTunes/VPC/Office bundle as an "upgrade" to Windows. Sold by Microsoft, distributed by Microsoft, licensed by Microsoft.

Microsoft lives for upgrade fees and Microsoft is in a pinch with all the bugs going around rright now. Heck that way Apple could climb on a small bit of the Microsoft upgrade treadmill Wintel consumers have been accustomed to.

Hey Bill and Steve, if this is news to you I want 1%. I promise to buy rockets with it 🙂

Rocketman
 
Re: Re: Re: Linux doesn't have any trouble

Originally posted by Kermit
Maybe your world differs from mine but let me tell you something mate: on Earth, the planet I am from, the majority has NOT realised that Windows is dangerous and, as you say, "unfixable". Most governments, companies and individuals choose to use Microsoft's products and services; not because they like taking risks; but because they are ignorant of the dangers and of the alternatives. On planet Mars where you apparently are from, maybe the situation is quite the opposite. Maybe.
Click to expand...


Not because they are ignorant of the dangers and of the alternatives, but because of the usability, flexibility, and price. 😀
 
Originally posted by acj
Nothing's impossible. I'm sure Apple will choose the best hardware for them at any given time. If intel produces a $99 PPC CPU with Altevec II, full SSE I/II/III and X86 compatibility, that is 64 bit, has a 4 stage pipeline, runs at 4 GHz with dual cores and dissipates 19 watts, then Apple would be stupid not to use it.

Obviously this is not expected to happen, but anything it possible. Brand loyalty is dangerous.
Click to expand...

Especially when you have stockholders to please.
 
OS X for x86 - there are no real technical obstacles - I'm sure Apple maintains x86 compatibility anyway just in case, but I really don't see it happening.

Had Motorola been the only supplier for Apple, it likely already would have happened, but with IBM coming through for them with the G5, I really don't see Apple releasing OS X for x86. There's really no compelling reason to do so. Instead I see them focusing on their renewed relationship with IBM to really blow people away. The just released G5 machines are just the first step. I think over the next couple of years we really start to see the realization of the promise behind the PowerPC platform.
 
Originally posted by alandail
I think over the next couple of years we really start to see the realization of the promise behind the PowerPC platform.
Click to expand...


heard that for a while 🙄
 
Originally posted by xpormac
uh no, my friends alienware goes 2 1/2 hours 🙄
Click to expand...

It's more like 1.5 to 2 hours based on every review I've ever read if you're doing anything even somewhat taxing on the processor. Of course it takes a massive 2 pound battery just to get that much life out of it, plus the notebook runs extremely hot and is a freaking brick at 10 pounds overall. I guess they're pretty good for LAN gamer boys at parties but obviously not for getting any real work done on the road... 😛
 
Originally posted by tgrundke
Let's also assume that increasingly, developers are only interested in developing for the Intel chipset and don't want to deal anything else.
Click to expand...

The problem isn't the processor, it's the OS. It's not that developers only want to deal with Intel, it's that they only want to develop for Windows.

Imagine if there was a way to relatively easily re-compile an application to run under OS X. Wouldn't you be happy?
Click to expand...

See above. Translating instructions from x86 to PPC is "easy"; it's what Virtual PC does. But by itself that doesn't give you any capability to run Windows apps. And even if that were possible, it would *not* be a good thing. If Macs could run every Windows app seamlessly, what motivation would there be to write native OS X apps? (This is what happened to OS/2, which ran Windows 3.1 apps so well that publishers didn't see the need to do native versions).

What is to keep Apple from maintaining its proprietary ROMs and chipset that would prevent clones?
Click to expand...

Thousands of hackers who would defeat any hardware checks that the OS makes.

And regardless of whether OS X on x86 is a good idea, it is simply not going to happen in the forseeable future. 12 months ago there was a possibility. But there is no way that Apple would be committing the resources that they have to the G5 if they had any intention of going to x86.
 
Originally posted by Lancetx
It's more like 1.5 to 2 hours based on every review I've ever read if you're doing anything even somewhat taxing on the processor. Of course it takes a massive 2 pound battery just to get that much life out of it, plus the notebook runs extremely hot and is a freaking brick at 10 pounds overall. I guess they're pretty good for LAN gamer boys at parties but obviously not for getting any real work done on the road... 😛
Click to expand...

He seems to have no problems with it taking it to all the houses he appraises. LAN gamer boys? never heard that before. It gets real work done and is able to do much much more. If i had the money right now, id get one. As for running hot, what laptop doesn't?
 
Re: Re: Re: Linux doesn't have any trouble

Originally posted by Kermit
Maybe your world differs from mine but let me tell you something mate: on Earth, the planet I am from, the majority has NOT realised that Windows is dangerous and, as you say, "unfixable". Most governments, companies and individuals choose to use Microsoft's products and services; not because they like taking risks; but because they are ignorant of the dangers and of the alternatives. On planet Mars where you apparently are from, maybe the situation is quite the opposite. Maybe.
Click to expand...

I'm off to Mars. Anybody wanna come along?
 
Originally posted by xpormac
He seems to have no problems with it taking it to all the houses he appraises. LAN gamer boys? never heard that before. It gets real work done and is able to do much much more. If i had the money right now, id get one. As for running hot, what laptop doesn't?
Click to expand...

Hmm, must not take long to appraise a house if you only get 2 hours of battery life in between needing charges. I'm talking about when you need something for a job where you have to be out all day away from the office and a regular power source. Besides, why would anyone lug around a 10 pound beast for something like that? 😕

They're *gaming* notebooks if you didn't know...that's where the LAN gamer reference comes from since they're very popular at LAN parties and that's how they're marketed by Alienware. I must admit though, I've never seen one used for business purposes (for the heat, battery and sheer weight reasons). As for the heat issue, it's the only notebook I've ever seen that the keyboard literally toasts your digits when you type for more than a few minutes. It guess it does double as an excellent hand warmer when it's cold though. 😉

Maybe though they'll get all of those issues resolved when the P5 or whatever comes along. No biggie right? Of course, the newest Alienware notebooks are going with Centrino technology and those do get better battery life and are lighter and thinner, but those will only max out at 1.7GHz. 😱 Hmm, and I thought the higher the clock speed was the better the performance, or at least that's what I've always heard according to all you Wintel fanboys out there, so maybe megahertz doesn't mean everything? Are you changing your story after all these years?

However, I'm quite confident you'll find some clever way to enlighten us as to how they're better than anything Apple or IBM has now or will ever have. In the meantime, enjoy spending your holiday trolling the *Mac* forums. I'm sure there is a virus or worm chat thread going on in a Wintel forum you could go comment on, but I guess that isn't as much fun as trolling here spreading FUD is it? Hmm, I guess Apple must be doing something right since they seem to keep so much of your interest here instead of on some Alienware board elsewhere... 😀
 
Originally posted by xpormac
He seems to have no problems with it taking it to all the houses he appraises. LAN gamer boys? never heard that before. It gets real work done and is able to do much much more. If i had the money right now, id get one. As for running hot, what laptop doesn't?
Click to expand...

I don't think I could treat any businessman seriously if they had a Hulk Green laptop.
 
Originally posted by Lancetx
Of course, the newest Alienware notebooks are going with Centrino technology and those do get better battery life and are lighter and thinner, but those will only max out at 1.7GHz. 😱 Hmm, and I thought the higher the clock speed was the better the performance, or at least that's what I've always heard according to all you Wintel fanboys out there, so maybe megahertz doesn't mean everything? Are you changing your story after all these years?
Click to expand...

dont just look at the ghz. Its a different type of processor. Its good that they are switching to these. Much, much more battery life.
 
Originally posted by xpormac
heard that for a while 🙄
Click to expand...

Yep - and it got screwed up for a while between Motorola's incompetence and IBM not adopting Altivec. Apparently the new PowerBooks are taking so long because Motorola is still incompetent, but IBM has adopted Altivec, so the only way the story makes sense is if IBM proves to be incompetent - which I don't see happening.
 
Originally posted by xpormac
dont just look at the ghz. Its a different type of processor. Its good that they are switching to these. Much, much more battery life.
Click to expand...
Sounds like an old apple sales pitch
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back