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what if apple actually released osx for the pc?
- Thread starter cadillaccactus
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While I doubt it'll happen anytime soon, it would mean a lot more people would use Mac. All of my friends use Windows but all of them say they would use Mac natively if they would install it on their current PCs. It might hurt their computer sales, but maybe not since people that wouldn't buy an Apple computer won't anyway. However, it would mean that they'd have to impose MS-esque registration crackdowns for the OS because anyone can get a torrent for Mac or borrow their friend's disc and put it on their PC.
If the economy, or access to the worlds raw materials, went badly pearshaped in a way that made Apples hardware business non-viable, then they may consider it. But for the forseeable future Im guessing it doesnt make economic sense for them to do it.
OS X is the main selling point of their computers at the end of the day, and they'll only change tactic if they have to.
OS X is the main selling point of their computers at the end of the day, and they'll only change tactic if they have to.
A cocoa or carbon api for windows would be all Apple has to release, and they eliminate the need to support non-Apple PCs.
The big problem with selling Windows on the Mac is the same a selling Mac OS X for PCs -- the cost of support.
In addition the cost of Mac OS X on PCs is, you take the most profitable and fastest growing PC computer business on Wallstreet, and put a bullet in its head. And that cost could be huge depending on how much that core unit is valued at.
The big problem with selling Windows on the Mac is the same a selling Mac OS X for PCs -- the cost of support.
In addition the cost of Mac OS X on PCs is, you take the most profitable and fastest growing PC computer business on Wallstreet, and put a bullet in its head. And that cost could be huge depending on how much that core unit is valued at.
there would be lots on copy protection, lots of copy protection problems, lots of driver issues and an apple (hardware company) missing lots of money. so no, not a great idea lol
Come on people, if you look back at Apple's history, then you see that this would be a foolish thing to do.
Apple HAS licensed Mac OS to other companies before, in the nineties actually and it almost killed the company! One of the first things Steve Jobs did when returning to Apple was terminating the license agreement of Mac OS since it had such a negative effect on Mac sales.
So as long as Steve Jobs is head of Apple OS X will not be released for pc. And frankly I don't mind... It is much easier for Apple to create a stable OS for the small PPC/Intel architecture than for the very diverse world of windows PC's.
Apple HAS licensed Mac OS to other companies before, in the nineties actually and it almost killed the company! One of the first things Steve Jobs did when returning to Apple was terminating the license agreement of Mac OS since it had such a negative effect on Mac sales.
So as long as Steve Jobs is head of Apple OS X will not be released for pc. And frankly I don't mind... It is much easier for Apple to create a stable OS for the small PPC/Intel architecture than for the very diverse world of windows PC's.
as Steve said they were working on x86 version of the OSX for 5 years along side of ppc ones for the worst case scenario(ppc to intel transition speech), since they are doing a lot better on intel I don't think they will be releasing OSX for PC's anytime soon if not never!..
It seems this guy follows what everyone else says concerning Apple being more secure. Yes, he's correct that it would be a larger target but consider the following.
This person also fails to notice the problems with drivers and the insane cost Apple would have to put into it. They're focus is not in making 3rd rate computers but creating the best. To me, that would just be a step backward.
This person also fails to notice the problems with drivers and the insane cost Apple would have to put into it. They're focus is not in making 3rd rate computers but creating the best. To me, that would just be a step backward.
this really has been discussed enough, hasn't it?
Maybe now but I needed to add a comment in regards to security...
Apple has enough work cut out for them trying to support OS X on their own hardware.
I doubt they'd have anywhere near the man power to support a PC release.
I would love to see another commercialized OS in the PC market though, although it's really difficult to compete with Windows when they basically own the market.
I doubt they'd have anywhere near the man power to support a PC release.
I would love to see another commercialized OS in the PC market though, although it's really difficult to compete with Windows when they basically own the market.
It will happen
Am I the only one that doesn't think it WILL happen?
Come on people, the current Mac Hardware are just better designed PCs. And as far as loosing money over hardware sales, we only have to look at IBM. They recently sold their Retail Hardware Devision to Lenovo because it represented such a small proportion of their business.
With Vista being such a dog, Apple is in a prime position to make the move.
My2c
Am I the only one that doesn't think it WILL happen?
Come on people, the current Mac Hardware are just better designed PCs. And as far as loosing money over hardware sales, we only have to look at IBM. They recently sold their Retail Hardware Devision to Lenovo because it represented such a small proportion of their business.
With Vista being such a dog, Apple is in a prime position to make the move.
My2c
This would be the typical user's opinion of OS XI if it ran on generic PC hardware:
"Yeah, I ran Mac on my Dell for a while, but it locked up a lot, I don't see any reason to switch if I'm still going to have lockups"
"Yeah, I ran Mac on my Dell for a while, but it locked up a lot, I don't see any reason to switch if I'm still going to have lockups"
Agreed. This is how they make things "Just Work". If they had to be compatible with 1,000s of different hardware setups at the same time, it would begin to handle like windows.
