when will bootcamp be standard?

[scottyso]

does anybody know when (if not already) bootcamp will become standard on all macs? I want to buy a new mac soon but I want to wait until it will come with bootcamp on it.

[Aptmunich]

When Apple releases version 10.5 of OS X, bootcamp will be out of beta and integrated in the OS.

For now, even though it's "Beta" it works flawlessly for most people.

Mac OS X 10.5. will first be shown this august, a probable release date it spring/summer 2007.

[quicksilver]

Presumably, what with the licence for BootCamp expiring around the time Leopard is released, we will still be able to access the Windows partition created with BootCamp in the new OS integration?

[Aptmunich]

It depends: Will the new boot-camp be virtualisation, dual-booting or just some sort of Windows API integration...

I'd assume apple will have some feature to either continue using the current windows installation or at least transfer documents & settings over into whatever's next.

[Logan]

It depends: Will the new boot-camp be virtualisation, dual-booting or just some sort of Windows API integration...

I'd assume apple will have some feature to either continue using the current windows installation or at least transfer documents & settings over into whatever's next.

If the new boot camp is virtualization/windows API integration then why would it be called boot camp? All boot camp really is from what I see is a partition manager and BIOS booting partition tweaker (Boot windows, boot mac)... it also comes packed with Mac drivers that you burn to a DVD. But ultimately, now that the Mac drivers are released you could repartition your HDD with a non-boot camp program and be able to boot it with the ALT menu system at start up.

So if they dramatically change the actual utility of boot camp then I'll just simply stop using it. Honestly I'll probably stop using it regardless because it takes over any other partition managers you use and you can't install linux with boot camp along with Windows XP + OS X.

The whole expiration thing has put a bad taste in my mouth, It's an awesome idea an awesome feature yet they treat it like some demo of Microsoft Office or something. ;/

[schweb]

Well it's a beta product and as such you are assuming the risk that it will change significantly before final release.

My advice…don't count on keeping it for critical things. Assume you'll have to lose your Windows partition until otherwise proven wrong.