Boot Camp: Macs Officially Do Windows
Category: Apple/Mac OS...
Posted Wednesday, April 05, 2006 at 11:26 AM [GMT-6]

This was inevitable, really, the news that Apple is not only not preventing users of its new Intel-powered Macs from installing and using Windows, but is actually facilitating those efforts.

Apple's new Boot Camp software, released in public beta today, drives home the ancient advice to keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. It's a smart move, in my opinion. Not only will it steal Windows computer sales (no more having to buy a cheap notebook or desktop just to run the occasional Windows-only app) but it effectively removes the last significant barrier to switching from Windows to the Mac OS (OK, next to the somewhat higher prices for the hardware).

This also seems to validate Apple's strategy of continuing to be both a hardware and a software/operating system manufacturer. Want an elegant box to run Windows? No problem. Want an elegant OS but need to occasionally use a, um, less elegant one? No problem. Apple's got you covered either way, and its bottom line benefits.

Potential problems? Yeah, there are a few. The ability for OS X and Windows to peacefully coexist on the Intel Macs might take the pressure off certain vendors *cough*Microsoft*cough*Adobe to release their flagship apps in Universal Binary format, as they reason that people that really want the software can now just buy the Windows version. There will also be inevitable (and, I suspect, significant) problems with Boot Camp playing nicely, with the potential for dragging the Mac OS's reputation through the mud.

But, overall, I have to commend Apple for reading the handwriting on the wall and deciding to take control of the class.

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Well, that was fun. Following are a couple of interesting pigs on the Missouri rolls (we've got our share of pork bellies, that's fer sur):

"Permanent party barracks, Fort Leonard Wood (Army)" = $15,400,000 (anyone know anything about Fort Leonard as a party town?)

"Soybean cyst nematode" research grants = $802,000 (for this money, Midland could solve its transportation problems)

Thanks for the info!

Posted by: Gwynne at April 5, 2006 01:06 PM

Oops, sorry, wrong post. 8-} Never mind.

Posted by: Gwynne at April 5, 2006 01:11 PM
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