Windows XP Booting on Mac Contest Over

[admanimal]

I think any discussion of how this is going to affect software development for OS X (i.e., "OMG, now companies will just target Windows and forget about Mac OS") is totally ridiculous. No sane developer who is serious about wanting to sell their product to Mac users is going to expect them to install some hacked up bootloader and whatever else it needs so they can run Windows in order to use the product.

Maybe this wil be slightly more of a concern when something like Virtual PC comes out that can can smoothly run Windows at full speed in an environment fully supported by Microsoft, or if dual-booting can ever be achieved without downloading some dubious (to the average computer user) hacks.

 

[oingoboingo]

This is the end for Mac game publishers

I think this news is effectively the death-knell for companies like Aspyr who have traditionally ported PC games across to the Mac. With Windows XP dual booting on a Mac, there would seem to be little to no incentive for Mac users to wait 6-12 months for a PC game port to appear on Mac OS X, along with the potential loss of performance that porting a game sometimes introduces.

There might still be a hard-core of Mac OS X users who might be willing to wait out the porting time and pay a premium price for a native OS X port, but from what I understand, the margins in the Mac OS X game porting market are fairly slim as they are. I can't see Mac OS X game porters surviving this new twist in the evolution of the platform.

Thanks for the games while they lasted guys...

 

[stefman]

I wouldn't buy Apple hardware to run Windows. So I would say the main attraction to Apple is OS X and the user experience brought by a perfect marriage of hardware and software.

However, there is the occasional required piece of software that needs to Windows and that might be the only times that I would boot in Windows. In the meantime, there's still VPC for PPC Macs.

 

[Backtothemac]

I think this will sell a lot of Macs to people that otherwise would stick with a PC.

 

[iMeowbot]

why would anyone buy a mac if they intended to use windows to run applications?

It's for one reason, and one reason only. It ticks off people who want to know why anyone would run Windows on a Mac. It can't possibly involve anything practical, like a desire to cut down on the clutter of having two computers. That would make too much sense.

 

[admanimal]

There might still be a hard-core of Mac OS X users who might be willing to wait out the porting time and pay a premium price for a native OS X port

Actually, I think you have it backwards. The hard-core OS X user is the one who is going to be willing to install some unsupported software on their computer in order to dual boot with Windows and run some games. The average (majority) user isn't going to want (or feel they know how) to do this, and will stick to just buying official Mac games.

 

[Lollypop]

I can see why gamers might want to do duel boot, but personally I dont game, and all the things I need to do at home run incredibly well on my mac. Thus far the intel transition has only meant speed increases for me, nothing more, I dont want to run windows on a mac, I moved to a mac to get away from windows, and I think thats why most people use the mac, for OS X, and to get away from windows, this doesnt mean a lot to those people and me.

 

[unigolyn]

I only view this as a negative thing.

I don't believe that this will bring a significant amount of market share to Apple, unless Apple starts offering it as an option - very few people who want to run dual OS's are actually going hack around in their computer to do it.

Casual PC gamers whose number 1 reason not to switch is lack of games for OS X are not exactly insignificant. Personally, I'm thrilled I don't have to buy another non-Apple computer ever again. I need OS X for work (graphic design), I love OS X for everyday computer use, and now I can just boot up XP on my Mac if I feel like a 10-hour session of Arcanum or some other never-will-be-ported-to-Mac games of recent yore. I'll certainly buy all future software in the OS X version (if available or planned), but there's a whole world of software I don't have to give up now.

 

[plinkoman]

wow, looks nice. almost makes me want to replace my pc...

maybe i'd get a mac mini or something... but then again, my pc has a 6600GT, whats the mini got?

eh, it's good to know i'll have options in the future

 

[mainstreetmark]

You guys are all missing the really big story here!

37 Postivies; 0 Negatives

(at the time of this post)

I doubt even the Mac 128k woulda had that good a rating, had Macrumors existed in 1984.

 

[prostuff1]

OK, now all i need is the directions to be published and most of the kinks to be worked out and i will more then likey sell my two computers and get a MBP. Will probably hold off until the MBP with merom chips are out.

Can you say really nice x-mas gift this year!!

 

[arn]

I think it will actually help Apple's marketshare considerably.

I think there are a large group of people who would like to buy Macs, but are concerned that their work or whatever will need them to use Windows. For these people, buying an Intel Mac that can boot windows if needed is a big safety net if they have any doubts that Mac OS X can handle their needs.

Also, there are people who do need to run Windows specific applications. Suddenly the value of an Intel Mac just went up considerably for these people.

arn

 

[unigolyn]

I wouldn't buy Apple hardware to run Windows. So I would say the main attraction to Apple is OS X and the user experience brought by a perfect marriage of hardware and software.

However, there is the occasional required piece of software that needs to Windows and that might be the only times that I would boot in Windows. In the meantime, there's still VPC for PPC Macs.

Actually, I think it's pointless to keep saying what you (and I, and a million other people) just said and have been saying for the past three months. I'm uncertain whether it's just trolling for a response or if some people are actually thick enough to not realize why people would want to dual-boot. Yes, Windows is crap. If people didn't prefer OS X, they wouldn't buy Apple hardware. Shiny white plastic and anodized aluminum only go so far.

 

[oingoboingo]

Actually, I think you have it backwards. The hard-core OS X user is the one who is going to be willing to install some unsupported software on their computer in order to dual boot with Windows and run some games. The average (majority) user isn't going to want (or feel they know how) to do this, and will stick to just buying official Mac games.

Possibly. The way I see it is that gaming on the Mac is already a niche within a niche. As on the PC platform, Mac gamers tend to know a little more about their hardware and how it hangs together with regards to performance. They are probably more likely to try something like dual-booting than Joe Average who uses his Mac for web surfing, e-mail and messing around with his digital photos.

I understand your point, but I just don't see the availability of Windows XP, the absolutely supreme gaming platform on personal computers without question, is going to help the already small and underwhelming native Mac OS X game market.

We'll see how it turns out. These are interesting times

 

[bdkennedy1]

Well, I guess he can use the money to buy lots of windows software for his Mac.

Well, I kinda feel the same way but dammit, there are times when I feel left out game-wise when my friends want me to play something and I'm like "I can't cause I have a Mac".

 

[dejo]

It's gonna need some video drivers to make it perform.

Gamers Beware! This is a HUGE factor for all those wanting to game with this breakthrough. It has been reported that XP is running on the Macs without any hardware acceleration.

 

[tveric]

No way could either one of us prove definitively one way or another if the images were Photoshopped... but I will make this promise: If this person claims the Windows on Mactel prize, I will personally eat crow right here on MacRumors.

I think you owe some bird-eating.

 

[DOUGHNUT]

Gamers Beware! This is a HUGE factor for all those wanting to game with this breakthrough. It has been reported that XP is running on the Macs without any hardware acceleration.

yeah, but with the method open now to everyone with intel mac's, people can work together to get the driver to work. The hackjob that is required should be minor.

 

[DCapple]

have one question though....did the one who won on the contest is the one who made the video i saw?....(i know its silly question.. )

 

[Backtothemac]

Gamers Beware! This is a HUGE factor for all those wanting to game with this breakthrough. It has been reported that XP is running on the Macs without any hardware acceleration.

That is just a matter of time before that changes. There are x1600 drivers out there for windows, so it won't take long.

 

[virus1]

Is this a bad thing for Microsoft or Apple? I can't imagine since Microsoft doesn't sell computers and if Windows ran smoothly on a Mac, I'm sure Apple would sell more hardware.

Fishes,
narco.

its only bad for the user.

ie. viruses, slowness, stupidity, popups..

the casual microsoft windows.

 

[mulletman13]

Drivers will be found/written soon enough. Some company out there I bet is trying to get one out, just to be the first to do it.

Even if it takes a little longer, that'll give us enough time to configure and setup our windows partitions as we please

Mmm... I kindof also want a linux partition... :-D

 

[tveric]

It's for one reason, and one reason only. It ticks off people who want to know why anyone would run Windows on a Mac. It can't possibly involve anything practical, like a desire to cut down on the clutter of having two computers. That would make too much sense.

That's the best response I've seen to those jerkoffs yet. Bravo.

 

[virus1]

I think it will actually help Apple's marketshare considerably.

I think there are a large group of people who would like to buy Macs, but are concerned that their work or whatever will need them to use Windows. For these people, buying an Intel Mac that can boot windows if needed is a big safety net if they have any doubts that Mac OS X can handle their needs.

Also, there are people who do need to run Windows specific applications. Suddenly the value of an Intel Mac just went up considerably for these people.

arn

and eventually, they will be blown away by osx, and realize they don't need windows.

 

[mulletman13]

have one question though....did the one who won on the contest is the one who made the video i saw?....(i know its silly question.. )

*BLINKS*

Yes