MisterMe said:
The first thing that you have to understand is that Apple's development systems are essentially generic PC's in G5 boxes. These are the machines on which Apple and its third-party developers use to develop the new software and convert the old. Are we to believe that these machines will suddenly stop working when Apple ships its commercial models?
In the past Apple has made several examples of development hardware that was truly unique, in which the standard models would not install the finished OS. A custom 9600 with Apple-installed custom G4 processor card comes to mind when early development of OS X was under way. The finished OS looked for open firmware to confirm an installable model. Since the 9600 had fixed ROM's the OS would only install on the custom 9600 and not on any other without several (fairly cumbersome) workarounds involving third party cards, drivers and installation "facilitators" that emulated open firmware via the PRAM.
Apple currently has no impetus to provide it's OS as a generic. It would be suicide. What younger Mac Users don't seem to understand is that half of the remarkable stability and flexibility of OS X is attributable to Apple's limited and highly select hardware. Opening the OS for the common market would require the same cumbersome and hellaciously large update packs and driver libraries found in Windows
but completely recompiled.
I'm assuming that Apple has figured out how to put a HW lock on Mac OS X, perhaps as simple as having a valid Apple Machine ID ROM chip, but more likely it'll be a combination of a customized replacement for standard BIOS (see OSX on Intel thread for discussion of this) and customized versions of certain controllers and ASICs.
In terms of the "Someone will probably run Windows on the new Macs" comment.... Since Windows has a driver for almost every possible combination of Intel compatible chipsets it'll be nearly impossible to keep Windows off the new machines. Conversely, since Mac OS has always been built specifically for Apple Hardware and Apple Developer internal add-ons it's list of drivers is actually still quite small by comparisson, therefore installing OS X on any given PC would require not only hacking the installer to get it onto a non-Apple/Intel Mobo but having an intimate knowledge of EXACTLY which devices, BIOS settings, driver versions and Device firmwares are needed for compliance.
In short: It'd be like trying to take out a tank column with four guys armed with rifles.... It's possible, in fact there are those out there who could do it routinely but they're so rare that it's not worth thinking about.
This whole issue comes down to the fundamental precepts of Hacking. Security on any system is defined as adequate security to provide diminished returns on the time and effort required to break the system. Any security measure can, and will eventually be breached. The key questions in the minds of those designing security infrastructure are:
Will it keep out an acceptably high number of those willing to make the attempt?
Is the act of breaching this system cumbersome enough to discourage the vast majority of those with Hacking skills?
Usually an acceptably high level of security here around the Silicon Valley is any system so cumbersome to breach that there are so few people capable of breaching and potentially willing to breach it you can name all of them and have several of them on your Cell Phone.
In terms of releasing OS X for generic Windows boxes later on?
I can see Apple releasing a "Generic" version sans all but the Utility Apps for $50.00 a pop as a developer kit with an "install at your own risk" EULA that states explicitly that this developer version will not support all of your Windows-compatible hardware unless you write the drivers yourself.
This would keep the main, money making OS proprietary and simple while increasing development of drivers and software.
Eventually (read: at least five years out) Apple may release an open-market version but it's too early in their relationship with this hardware for that. One does not take the first opportunity to take your opponent's Queen... You'll likely lose both Knights and half your pieces.
