Leopard, 64-bit computing and World Domination 201

[chem]

An interesting article written last year by Unix-world legend Eric S. Raymond (ESR) discusses how the best 64-bit desktop will become the new world standard OS once machines start shipping with >4Gig RAM on a regular basis:

http://catb.org/~esr/writings/world-domination/world-domination-201.html

The best 64-bit desktop in the world as of Oct 26, 2007 will be Leopard. This conveniently comes just before ESR's 2008 deadline. A quote from ESR's article:

"The authors' informed guess based on previous industry transitions is that 30% desktop market share would be the tipping point."

And today from Steve Jobs (via AppleInsider):

"In an interview Tuesday, Jobs said he expects Leopard will help continue that trend, especially in the consumer market, where Apple puts most of its emphasis.

"The question is are we headed for a tipping point," said Jobs. "It sometimes feels like that.""

Can Leopard really make the push to make OS X the new, dominant OS in a 64-bit world? Will Steve Jobs see the light and sell OS X independent of Apple hardware? Surely, Apple doesn't get the majority of its profits from computer hardware anymore. Other computer makers would just have to supply the drivers for their hardware. As discussed in the article by ESR, does Steve Jobs have the will to push Leopard forward and take the #1 spot from Windows?

Jobs even references the "tipping point" -- have he or his tech gurus read ESR's document?

Seriously everyone, read ESR's document. Vista is a flop, and Linux is fatally flawed in multimedia out-of-the-box. The next few years give OS X a chance to entirely change the computing landscape. Microsoft's only consumer "killer app" is Office. iWork '08, OpenOffice, and MS Office '08 for Mac will fill that need for OS X.

 

[72930]

Leopard will not take over Windows in marketshare...even the crap that is Vista has taken over OSX in marketshare already...it will take a good few years until Windows is in the number 2 spot...

 

[Eidorian]

There are quite a few loyal Mac users waiting for full 64-bit. I don't see it taking significant marketshare from Windows either.

Just another UNIX.

 

[chem]

Leopard will not take over Windows in marketshare...even the crap that is Vista has taken over OSX in marketshare already...it will take a good few years until Windows is in the number 2 spot...

Reeeeaaadddd the document. The 64-bit deadline has not arrived yet; most machines do not need >4G of RAM. I am assuming we are still using Leopard 2 years from now.

 

[Peace]

And fourthly ( is that a word ? )

Apple will NEVER sell it's O/S on anything but a Mac.

 

[chem]

And fourthly ( is that a word ? )

Apple will NEVER sell it's O/S on anything but a Mac.

So, just how high can iMac production be ramped...?