MacOS and Windows XP, "one big happy family"?

June 9, 2005

Let’s be serious, who would have ever thought that in the recent IT history we will witness the development of a system able to run both Mac OS and Windows, without having to use a pesky emulator? The perspective which seems gloomy to some and hilarious to others has all the chances of becoming reality since Apple turned the weapons against
IBM and allied with Intel.
The perspective of buying Mac systems with Windows preinstalled on them might seem like a bad joke, but once the Intel processors are integrated in Apple’s systems, this idea looks rather feasible.
Steve Jobs confirmed yesterday that although the company doesn’t plan to retail their Macs with Windows on them, there won’t be any measures to prevent running Windows on the new systems. In this way, users will be able to run Windows compatible applications on their Mac OS.
For now, it’s hard to imagine how such a dual operating system work, but if highly appreciated features from both systems will be implemented, once can only get a system with excellent compatibility, connectivity and customizing.
Still, I feel like someone is missing from this little OS reunion. Ah, yes, Linux which might lose some of its already slim market share. ;) In this confrontation, with Microsoft being the favorite player, and Apple the main contestant to the title, it’s obvious that Linux will be only an outsider.
If Macs are able to run Linux/Windows applications, Linux might face serious problems, the majority of users going for the most popular and easy to maintain operating system. Linux will have a difficult time to adapt, although even now there are versions of the open source system for Apple. Still, this is only a market segment, a small drop in the Linux ocean, and not a very successful one either if we consider all problems related to hardware compatibility.

I sure had not ....

June 10, 2005

It was enough for Jobs to announce that Apple will switch to Intel processors that Mac enthusiasts have already started to dream about an almighty Mac OS X running on all machines, from PCs to Macs.
The truth is Jobs announced that Mac OS X was changed so it runs on Intel processors; but that’s all. The hypothesis that there will hackers to play God and port Mac OS X unleashing in this way an IT revolution doesn’t have many arguments.
Apple’s success resided in the fact that the software was written for one type of hardware and in conclusion, it was relatively impervious to attacks, had few bugs and stability problems.
Jobs has never encouraged Mac clones and it’s hard to believe (although after the Apple goes Intel announcement many worry for its health) that he will change his mind.
It’s hard to predict Apple’s evolution, but one thing is for sure: a few days ago, Jobs lost a lot of Mac fans. But there is another danger lurking in the IT. If Mac Os X gets Intel processors, in other words x86 architecture, is it possible (stay with me, this requires a little bit of imagination) that users will also be able to install Windows on them? Perhaps Jobs wants to be more of a hardware producer and go after Dell, rather than keep being the Che Guevara of software.
Blasphemy, some Mac fans will start to shout. Never will that horrible, rotten operating system run on our white, transparent, precioussss.
But I think until we see Mac Os X running on PCs, we might be installing Windows on our MinMacs fitted with Intel processors. And guess who will be eating the Apple pie ... Windows.

Somethings to think about Mr. Jobs ....... ;)