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Apple's latest announcement

« H E python :: linux :: open source :: email
posted 2005.06.07 Tue
Not quite sure how to react to this. The only reason for the "switch" as I understand from reading the keynote is a speed bump. Since MacOSX will only run on Apple sanctioned x86 hardware, is there really a difference if it is not ppc inside? There "shouldn't" be a difference, but... There could be some residual effects. It might cannibalize PPC sales for the next year (and I thought apple was a hardware company). Soon after the release, hackers will probably make osX work on most any x86 box. That should scare MS. I don't know if Steve wants to stop being the BMW of OSs and become the Toyota of OSs (I'd probably buy a copy if it was released generally for x86), but having Dells ship with OSX would be pretty cool (I wonder if the margins of OEMing OSX would be greater than the huge markup to the smaller market?). Linux/Open Source implications. I purport that competition is good (it's sad it a way to lose competition on the processor front too). More widespread use of a great OS should inspire open source developers. Will there be some sort of "wine" for apple x86 binaries? Will linux-cocoa binding be created/reversed engineered, thus allowing some great applications to be easily ported to linux? The end of Pearpc and Cherryos? ;) Will I be able to virtualize OSX and MS on top of Xen with the new Vanderpool chip?

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comments (1)


1. a random John left...
2005.06.07 Tue 10:04 am

Initially this news broke my little heart. I loved the fact that Apple hardware was cruft-free. I lusted after a dual G5 and figured there would be a Cell-based media box in the near future. Those dreams came crashing down yesterday when I heard the news on NPR. What a day to not have web access. Then I read something

Check out this /. comment: http://apple.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=151831&cid=12739176

After reading this I figured it out. This is huge. Apple is going to make the world's most stylish Windows boxes, that also happen to run Mac OS. Imagine how fast Virtual PC will run Windows under OSX86. This will free people to dabble in OSX without abandoning Windows. All the iPod types will get Macs.

In short, though hardware sales might be stagnant for the next 12-24 months, in the long term this is the change that will allow Mac market share to explode. Instead of being the alternative to Wintel systems they'll be the system of alternatives. People that don't even want Mac OS might buy the hardware just to have the beautiful hardware and run Windows on it, just as many currently run Linux on PowerBooks.