Will Apple Adopt Windows?

[NightmarE D]

John C. Dvorak-not exactly a writer to be taken seriously

I don't know a lot about Apple, but I know that Apple switching to Intel was said to most likely happen way before he ever said anything. It was bound to happen sooner or later.

John C. Dvorak and Paul Thurrott. Two people who really shouldn't be taken seriously. Especially little PT. I can't stand that guy he does nothing but kiss MS ass. He wanted to boycott IE 7 when beta 1 came out. The IE team has a little talk with him and a week later he's drooling over IE 7 :rolleyes: Acts as if he's this good little innocent guy that just reviews MS software. Get to know the guy for a while and he'll leak something to you in a heartbeat. He acts as if he's special and knows everything when it comes to Microsoft.

End of my rant. Sorry I just can't stand PT. The guys a fake and I can't stand people who act like that

Edited February 17, 2006 by NightmarE D

[WhoTheF]

*thinking* ..... Apple is not smart enough to kill itself, or is it?

[fudgetunnel]

I don't know a lot about Apple, but I know that Apple switching to Intel was said to most likely happen way before he ever said anything. It was bound to happen sooner or later.

Yes, but if you do a search for those Apple/Intel-related threads, you'll see some familiar screennames saying strikingly similar things and ending up being glaringly, unapologetically wrong. :whistle:

[aristotle-dude]

The day that Apple adopts Windows is the day I buy a Mac. No doubt many other people are like me; Mac OS X despiser, but Apple design lover.

Either that, or PC laptop makers start putting some creative flair and style into their laptop design.

Honestly, Apple might actually get increased sales from shipping Macs with Windows on them.

So you hate all *nix OSes? You are trying to tell us that you like their cases? You are entitled to your opinion I guess but I think you are a really really small niche. That niche may see large on sites like this but in terms of the general population of computer users, it is miniscule.

Most people don't care what OS their computer runs on as long as it runs the apps they need. The only reason most people run windows is because they are not aware of any alternatives.

There was a version of NeXTStep which ran on some generic hardware back in the day and BeOS was also targeting generic PCs but both companies faced artificial stumbling blocks caused by OEMs being threatened by MSFT. Remember the anti-trust lawsuit? Remember the lawsuit MSFT lost to Be Inc? Unfortunately, the latter was settle after the demise of Be Inc when it had already been bought by Palm.

What do you hate about it? The stability? The lack of compatibility with malware and viruses? I guess you could classify that as "software".

:laugh:

Yes, but if you do a search for those Apple/Intel-related threads, you'll see some familiar screennames saying strikingly similar things and ending up being glaringly, unapologetically wrong. :whistle:

Do you realize that hardware and "software" are completely different things? Everyone is aware that linux runs on multiple platforms but at the time it seemed that the intel switch was unlikely especially considering the source it was coming from.

Dvorak seems to think that Apple is just a hardware company but he does not realize that it is the software that makes the hardware so valuable.

As for software that Apple makes check out:

http://www.apple.com/ca/software/

:whistle:

[aristotle-dude]

the evn show, I think you are getting caught up in the details of what .NET and Cocoa are. They are both API's for connecting to the underlying OS in an Object oriented way. You could also say that Carbon and Win32 are somewhat analogous as they are both C based with kind of messy syntaxes.

I don't want to get into a nerd contest with you especially since I'm recovering from bronchitis. You don't need to prove how smart you are. I've written plenty of code to interface with Win32 at work and I'm sure you have too.

From a very high level, both .NET and Cocoa + the Core frameworks help developers concentrate on writing applications instead of interfacing with low level OS APIs or implementing basic network and file I/O.

Regardless of which one you happen to prefer or what features one has over the other, the fact remains that Apple and third-party developers use Cocoa and the Core frameworks to a large extent these days. Switching to Windows would throw all that functionality out the window or it would have to be ported to Windows. I think it would destroy Apple as we know it.

Essentially, this Dvorak fantasy is not going to happen. Apple might be working on providing some sort of compatibility libraries to speed up porting of windows Apps to OS X.

[Leddy]

What do you hate about it? [referring to Unix OSes] The stability? The lack of compatibility with malware and viruses? I guess you could classify that as "software".

You're being really one-sided here. I said I didn't like Mac OS X, not Unix. Also, you're asking a rhetorical question; one that only lists the good things about using Unix. What about the bad things? Like, incompatibility with Windows programs?

You know, I actually don't like the Mac OS X GUI. The OpenGL effects are nice, but seriously, that Finder bar at the top is stupid, IMO. I prefer my menubars within the app windows itself, which is the way every other OS does it. Also, the dock is another stupid idea. What happens when I have more than 300 or so programs, like I do on my Windows laptop?

Oh wait, I forgot. It's impossible for a Mac to have that many programs. After all, there aren't that many apps written for it, is there?

Sure, I don't like Linux, but I know that it makes a good server; I would know, I run one.

In my opinion, Linux looks horrible. But what do I care, when it's a server? I don't need eye candy there.

[aristotle-dude]

You're being really one-sided here. I said I didn't like Mac OS X, not Unix. Also, you're asking a rhetorical question; one that only lists the good things about using Unix. What about the bad things? Like, incompatibility with Windows programs?

First of all, I use windows XP (including Visual Studio) 37.5 Hours a week at work. I was a windows a windows 2000 and XP beta tester at home and I was a home windows user a lot longer than I've been a mac user.

You mention incompatibility with windows programs as if it was a bad thing. Most "free" software for windows is infested with spyware or adware.

You know, I actually don't like the Mac OS X GUI. The OpenGL effects are nice, but seriously, that Finder bar at the top is stupid, IMO. I prefer my menubars within the app windows itself, which is the way every other OS does it.

That is a matter of person personal preference but window specific menus are not only a no no according to Fitts law but they waste valuable screen space and contribute to screen clutter. Amiga OS Workbench, Gem, Atari TOS and GEOS are all example of OSes/GUI's that had menus at the top of the screen.

Also, the dock is another stupid idea. What happens when I have more than 300 or so programs, like I do on my Windows laptop?

Oh wait, I forgot. It's impossible for a Mac to have that many programs. After all, there aren't that many apps written for it, is there?

Nice troll I have about 200 some odd applications in my laptop. The Dock is somewhat analogous to the quicklaunch bar. Do you keep all 300 applications on your quicklaunch?

Application in OS X are kept in /Applications (Applications folder off the root of your main drive) and Developer tools are kept in /Developer. That sort of like the programs folder off the start menu but they actual applications instead of shortcuts. If you was a startmenu, drag the Applications folder to the dock and it will create a menu with items and subfolders that automatically reflects the contents of the Applications folder because it is a link to.

Software:

http://www.apple.com/software/

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/

http://www.versiontracker.com/macosx/

http://www.macupdate.com/

http://osx.freshmeat.net/

http://sourceforge.net/softwaremap/trove_l...hp?form_cat=309

You are entitled to your opinion but please stop trolling out of ignorance and educate yourself a bit about that which you would be so quick to dismiss or criticize.

[ThaOddie]

It is not about who has the best OS/Software or hardware!!! It's about who has the best marketing machine!! And that is....you guessed it right..Microsoft!!

The only reason for Mac to be alive is because Microsoft has to. They are not allowed to take a monopoly so they keep Mac alive for some "competition"

Don't get me wrong, I like the Mac, I like how it looks, I like the simplicity. But as I am a hardcore gamer, the only choice of OS is Windows and gaming is still the main reason we have PC's at home. If I was only surfing the internet, doing some office work and emailing, I would buy a Mac. Even in the graphics department Mac ain't the only party to choose (look at the ADOBE creative suit 2 for windows).

So IMHO it would be VERY possible for Mac to adopt Windows!!!

[Matt T]

Although this simply isn't going to happen, remember before the last WWDC? 99% of us thought Apple would never switch to Intel, and look what happened...

:laugh:

[Leddy]

You mention incompatibility with windows programs as if it was a bad thing. Most "free" software for windows is infested with spyware or adware.

It most obviously IS a bad thing! LOTS of software (that is free, useful AND clean) is Windows only. Not to mention the commercial software that's available- and what do you say to gamers?

Does my Windows laptop of three years have spyware or adware? No! It really does depend on your user knowledge level. If you know what you're doing, you don't really need any firewalls, antivirus scanners, malware scanners, etc.

So you hate all *nix OSes? You are trying to tell us that you like their cases? You are entitled to your opinion I guess but I think you are a really really small niche. That niche may see large on sites like this but in terms of the general population of computer users, it is miniscule.

Also, that 'niche' is not small. Given an ugly laptop, and a nice looking one, both running Windows, which one would YOU buy?

[.Neo]

It most obviously IS a bad thing! LOTS of software (that is free, useful AND clean) is Windows only. Not to mention the commercial software that's available- and what do you say to gamers?

The arguments you're using are getting old and have been answered many times before.

[allannyholm]

The soul of the Mac is the OS. I believe Steve Jobs said that once at a conference. Apple won't adapt Windows as its main OS. Not now, not ever. However, things can change but I highly doubt it.

@Leddy, what's with the argument that OS X is not compatible with Windows programs, why does it have to be ? OS X is compatible with Windows in many ways.

[purrulo]

IMHO, the day that apple announce that it will ditch OS X for Windows, that's the day I will stop using computers at home. Unfortunately I have to use a Windows box at work.

I was a windows user for many years, but switched to mac last year. Also, 3 friends switched at the same time.

We couldn't be happier. I'm not going to talk about there are no viruses for OS X, that was not the reason that made me switch, but instead the stability of OS X was the real deal. I was sick of formatting my hard drive every 6 months, getting the famous blue screen of death, and so on.

I've been using my Imac for 2 months now and I've only restarted it once. That's right, ONCE.

Are you sure that Apple will switch to Windows knowing that every user will have to reformat the hard drive because windows gets slower with time?. Don't think so.

[mad_onion]

lol, what is this guy smoking :s

didnt he do any research into apple and how they make their money? people buy mac osx for the amazing os not the extremely average and overpriced hardware.

why would anyone choose a mac over any other manufacturer if the os was the same? and dont say design because the vast majority of mac users wouldnt pay $100's for "design"

the writer should have actually done some research before writing an article thats still the general rule isnt it???

[Koolslacker]

I don't think Apple will switch to Windows. In fact, I hope they don't. MS needs as much compitation as possible.

[RootWind]

lol, what is this guy smoking :s

Dvorak is one of the biggest trolls ever. They keep him around to cause commotion. I'm almost sure he does it on purpose (or he is just really really thick but they leave him there).

He's not going to go away unless people ignore him.

[doncoyote.cl]

Cmon! Pleeeease!! Don't even think about it!!!!

[betasp]

His premises are wrong. Also, Apple has some of the best margins in the business. A switch to windows would mean they could only compete on price, which means reduced profits for shareholders. That is why it will never happen.

[Rockett15]

All I have to say is: :no:

[crossbonez]

Mac OS X is the best desktop operating system on earth!!

[SolidSapphire]

I don't think so, don't get me wrong, i like both operating systems. but i think that Mac stands out and performs way better than windows. i think the OS X series should stay the same or very similar.

[Liquid]

Nope. If they did that, no one would buy a mac. They are over priced to begin with. Take away the key selling point. OSX, and what do you have? A white box with a fruit on it.

[Si Veteran]

Mac OS X is the best desktop operating system on earth!!

As a user of OS X, Windows and Linux, I have to go ahead and disagree with you there. Sorry.

[madnuke]

I see no reason why they wouldn't Apple make the majority of their money from Hardware and not software. If they sold Windows with nice shiney, high spec computers then I think they could be like a new Alienware.

Hardware rakes more money in, not by selling copies of OS X.

[.Neo]

As a user of OS X, Windows and Linux, I have to go ahead and disagree with you there. Sorry.

And others won't, to each it's own.