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Apple/Intel Gain is Linux Loss, Dvorak Believes

by , 8:00 AM EDT, June 7th, 2005

Apple Computer will benefit from its move to the Intel processor while the Linux operating system will take a direct hit, industry columnist John Dvorak wrote Tuesday in his online column for MarketWatch.

"I'm on the side of benefit as Apple can now champion its design and aesthetic strategies in the world of Intel and allow people who prefer the Windows OS to actually buy a Macintosh for its design and run Windows on it," Mr. Dvorak wrote. "It's quite possible that this new Apple strategy while obviously harmful to the computer makers in general and to Microsoft somewhat could actually be most dangerous to the emerging Linux OS environment. In fact it could kill Linux and in some ways actually benefit Microsoft in the long term."

Mr. Dvorak said he believes Linux will suffers from "a lack of modern intuitive menus and commands" and that because "Apple is using the same processor as everyone else, targeting the Macs will now be an easy decision to make. This will be at the expense of Linux."

The columnist, known by for his often negative comments regarding Apple, said "Intel will benefit from the Apple decision," but isn't sure loses in the new battle.

"IBM, Motorola and the PowerPC community will take a hit," he believes, and "Microsoft will be affected because of this new competitor and the possibility that people will more readily switch to the Mac.

"But it seems that Linux has the most to lose," he wrote. "Linux was the only X86 alternative to Microsoft and now it has both Bill Gates and Steve Jobs to contend with -- two 'last man standing' types. I think Red Hat and all the other Linux distributors have a problem."

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:Tiger Posts: 971 Joined: 17 Jun 2003
Subject: others believe the opposite

This could very well drive Mac users toward Linux actually.

Call it sentimentality, but "Wintel" has been the enemy for so long, asking customers to get in bed with them is just a bit too much to handle.

It's like asking China to let the US have Taiwan as a colony.

Dvorak has long been dismissed by Mac users as, well, on Pluto when it comes to reality.

Close Name:jimothy Posts: 596 Joined: 04 Jun 2004
Subject: Speaking of losing...

I'd lose an 's' in that headline.

Close Name:boodle Posts: 42 Joined: 13 Jun 2004
Subject: RE: Tiger

Quote
Tiger wrote:
This could very well drive Mac users toward Linux actually.


Linux??? I'm a pretty savvy long-time Mac user, w. plenty of Windows experience. In a fit of pique I could move to Linux.

But would I? Will I?? Not a chance. Some MacZealots may flee the fold (though I doubt many would or will).

The overwhelming majority of users will stay put. They may have anxiety, perhaps a little depression for a while, but by the time the first Mactel rolls off the line, they will be reconciled. If they aren't, and they don't, they probably will regret it and come back.

Close Name:Biff Posts: 1479 Joined: 08 Apr 2004
Subject: Moron

Dude yeah I'm totally gonna pay more for a Mac and then run Windows on it instead of OS X! Wow this guy really understands stuff and things! This is perhaps one of the dumbest things I've ever heard.

Apparently he forgot the simple rule of thumb. Let's try again:

"Can I buy an x86 Mac and install Windows on it?"

Can you do that now? No. Therefor the answer is no! Remember folks, all Steve announced was a change in the architecture of the CPU chip on the motherboard. That's ALL. Unless you're into playing with your Mac and a soldering iron, this probably won't have much affect on you! Zeroes and ones will go in and stuff will happen.

View Name:Guest
Subject: Not Windows on a Mac
Close Name:Biff Posts: 1479 Joined: 08 Apr 2004
Subject:

Hey it's not my idea. Dvorak said it. Look above in the story. Also, you forgot the rule of thumb:

"Will I be able to run OS X on a computer made by other companies?"

Can you do that today? No. So the answer is no. Last time I checked, changing CPU architecture did not fundamentally alter the entire business plan of a company that has produced and sold computer HARDWARE for the last couple of decades.

Apple needs good processors. IBM couldn't deliver, so Apple switch manufacturers. It's that simple. Apple's hardware business will slow for a time because of confusion by those who are overthinking the situation. But you will be surprised when you see how this is going to enhance Apple's hardware business. So wait a few months and then buy some stock!

Close Name:dhp Posts: 180 Joined: 22 May 2003
Subject: Windows WILL run on Macs

You're right in saying OS X won't run on a PC. It would be easy for Apple to prevent that by simply requiring some specific hardware to be present.

However, Apple doesn't control Windows, and if there's one thing Windows has that Macs don't, it's wide hardware support. Macs are fairly standard hardware-wise these days, so I have no doubt that some geeks out there will figure out how to get Windows up and running.

Phil Schiller himself reportedly said it would be *possible* to run Windows on an Intel-based Mac.

View Name:Guest
Subject: Watch the keynote
Close Name:Tomas1119 Posts: 40 Joined: 04 Oct 2002
Subject: Not a zero sum game

I don't understand why one OS loses if another gains market share. Ever hear of "growing" market share.

If any company were to lose in a finite marketplace, it would be MS because they have the most to lose with their disproportional market share.

Choice is good.

View Name:Guest
Subject: The example of SGI
Close Name:otw Posts: 9 Joined: 15 Aug 2001
Subject: Mac sales decline.

Why would someone wait to purchase a new Mac system? If you are skeptical of the Intel switch you would think that you would go buy a Power Mac today.
My other question, is this intel chip the same one that runs Windows? Or did Intel design a new chip from the ground up for Apple?

Close Name:jdearr Posts: 341 Joined: 30 Dec 2003
Subject:

Quote
Biff wrote:


Apparently he forgot the simple rule of thumb. Let's try again:

"Can I buy an x86 Mac and install Windows on it?"

Can you do that now? No. Therefor the answer is no! Remember folks, all Steve announced was a change in the architecture of the CPU chip on the motherboard. That's ALL. Unless you're into playing with your Mac and a soldering iron, this probably won't have much affect on you! Zeroes and ones will go in and stuff will happen.


Check this out from Information Week:
Quote
David Moody, VP of worldwide Macintosh product marketing at Apple, says emphatically that this does not mean that anyone with an Intel-based PC will be able to install the Mac OS X. However, he notes that while Apple will not sell or support other operating systems with next year's Intel-based Macs, the company has no plans to prevent users from concurrently installing a second operating system like Windows XP. The possibility of running Mac OS X and Windows on the same Intel box may make Apple hardware more appealing to enterprise customers.

This is found at: http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=164300843

Close Name:Biff Posts: 1479 Joined: 08 Apr 2004
Subject:

Cool. There we go. Good concrete information. Thank you for that, jdearr. Frightening, but good to know. I guess it's really not a problem as long as Apple is selling hardware.

View Name:Guest
Subject: Variable OS
View Name:Guest
Subject: Windows is good for sales...
Close Name:Scott Reynolds Posts: 56 Joined: 19 Jun 2001
Subject: Running Windows on a Mac? Sure, why not?

Quote
Guest wrote:
Seems more likely than running Windows on a Mac.


I happen to agree; the people who are forced to use Windows but actually have a sense of taste (and a disposable income) can opt to do so with one of the nicest looking computers on the planet. Sony has competition, finally.

View Name:Guest
Subject: Here's what I'm afraid of
View Name:Guest
Subject:
View Name:Guest
Subject: To bad
View Name:Guest
Subject: Missed points
Close Name:Biff Posts: 1479 Joined: 08 Apr 2004
Subject:

Quote
Guest wrote:
Yes. It's called VMWare, which is more reasonably likely to be recompiled to run on OS X using an intel processor.
You can't recompile something unless you have something to compile. That "recompile" buzzword applies to Mac software. Windows software such as VMware has to be reworked and the code changed. All of the calls to the Windows API functions must be replaced by calls to OS X APIs. Of course its WAY more complicated than that for something like VMware. This process is called porting. Once its ported and they have an OS X version of their product written, then they can compile it. And then once its all compiled and linked you get a nice binary executable you can use! Yippee! This has been software engineering terms 101 with Biff. Thanks for coming.

View Name:Guest
Subject: Business
Close Name:Intruder -   TMO Mac Specialist Posts: 3013 Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Subject: Re: Business

Quote
Anonymous wrote:
Do you remember Microsoft owns 20% of Apple?


Microsoft owns nothing of Apple. They even sold all of their shares on non-voting stock years ago (unfortunate for them, since they would have made a killing if they had kept it).

View Name:Guest
Subject: Re: Business
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