Any hope in Apple releasing a trial x86 disc for PC's...?

[bbrosemer]

Does anyone else think, now that apple seems o be attacking the OS with those absurd commericals, that they will release a trial, or temporary OS X x86 disc that can run on PC's for a small fee. Even if the disc had limited capabalities or it was released for free, with some sort of trial period. It could show alot of people that it isnt so much so the computer but rather the OS that is running on it. Just a thought any ideas or possible speculations.

 

[Pressure]

You can already run Mac OSX on x86. The MacBook Pro, MacBook and iMac does . . . not to mention a whole lot of PCs out there

Just do a google search.

3 years ago I ran OS9 (Darwin) on my PC . . . I even downloaded it off Apple's own homepage.

Edit:

I can mention several reasons why it's a bad idea but the main being compatibility. The Apple platform is set in stone. You only have a few configurations you have to test any given application on to check for compatibility issues. On the PC, however, you got millions of different configurations and the possibility of thousand issues.

What Apple really offers is a complete package and that makes it far easier to control.

 

[timmac]

Of course, anything said here is pure speculation. With that said . . .

Nope. As many here opine, it's not just the OS, but the combination of OS and hardware. I think OS X would have as many hardware/software conflicts as windows if Apple allowed the OS to be used on any combination of hardware, as does Microsoft. By being the manufacturer of the only systems that (legally) use the OS, Apple can minimize, if not eliminate, hardware conflicts.

 

[Chundles]

NO.

Apple makes a little under half its money from iPods and a little under half from Macs. It would lose nearly all of that Mac money if it opened up OSX to generic PCs and it wouldn't make it back in sales of OSX - Windows is just too prevalent to compete with directly. You want OSX, you buy a Mac.

 

[bbrosemer]

I meant legally do all of this I know I can go download a torrent of the file and run it on my dell, but the real thing to try to get potential switchers who dont want to spend the money prior to being surrounded with an OS for a few days for weeks.

 

[robbieduncan]

If they released it they'd have to support it and the unlimited number of combinations of hardware out there (not to speak of writing drivers for all those chipsets etc they don't support right now). Then some hacker group would find a way of removing the time restrictions and Apple loose their crown jewels.

What's in it for Apple again?

 

[bbrosemer]

NO.

Apple makes a little under half its money from iPods and a little under half from Macs. It would lose nearly all of that Mac money if it opened up OSX to generic PCs and it wouldn't make it back in sales of OSX - Windows is just too prevalent to compete with directly. You want OSX, you buy a Mac.

Once again what I mean here is a trial version to try to get potential switcher to go to the Mac, rather then give them a full featured OS X it would be very limited and work for only a limited time to allow people to be surrouned with OS X for a few weeks or days before they consider buying a Mac. Because I think that once most people were to go Mac they dont go back.

 

[bbrosemer]

If they released it they'd have to support it and the unlimited number of combinations of hardware out there (not to speak of writing drivers for all those chipsets etc they don't support right now). Then some hacker group would find a way of removing the time restrictions and Apple loose their crown jewels.

What's in it for Apple again?

What's in it, it gives people a chance to experience OS X for a few days without having to purchase that mac, maybe it would get some people to switch and yes there would also be the people that abuse it, but I'm not talking about just like giving a limited version, it would be like no i chat... not much of anything other then itunes, and ical, and safari there isnt to much threat from only including that on a boot disc that could be downloaded from the apple website. If people can do this for free I think there would be alot of people that would fall in love with the limited features and defintely switch to a Mac. Most people when they think of a Mac they think of OS 8-9. Most people do not know of OS X and it could get many kids to switch to Mac's.

 

[Bubbasteve]

I heard they are releasing a beta Tuesday....

I kid I kid it was just a little joke!

 

[Core Trio]

Most people when they think of a Mac they think of OS 8-9. Most people do not know of OS X and it could get many kids to switch to Mac's.

when I was trying to decide on my laptop for college and thought of Mac...i thought OS X, so did all my friends that I got to switch in the last year (7 and counting...)

 

[bbrosemer]

Ok ok, I'm just saying that you knew of OS X and its capabilites there are people that dont and they dont use computers for much other then Limewire the internet Email and Office and those are a large chunk of the PC population and another part of the reason why viruses run rampant, I just see them as a large part of the market that apple leaves untapped.