Running Windows on my iMac!

I am just curious so I have to ask this: If Apple called a press conference tomorrow and said you can now order any new Intel Mac with your choice of OS X or Windows, who would have a problem with it? I actualy see this happening in the future as Apple has lost its footing in one of the largest consumer electronics markets in the world and has to take action to regain sales. It just seems that some people are so fanatical that they would feel betrayed by this. Remember, Apple isn't your best friend, they are a business. And all businesses are driven by profit. It is very entertaining watching some people squirm when you say Windows and Mac in the same sentence and I don't know why they do it. Remember, running Windows on a Mac has no effect on OS X whatsoever. I think the forum should add a Windows on Mac area so that things can be discussed without Apple Fanboys, as well as Microsoft Fanboys making off topic comments.

I have to disagree that a lot of people aren't interested in running Windows on their mac. To me, this is actually one of the only reasons to pay Apple's premium prices, because it ultimately makes my life easier having one machine. What you won't see are diehard PC users jumping ship to Apple. The average Power User has to be able to easily upgrade their machine. The Imac, and Mac mini, as well as the laptops do not allow for this. An example would be PC games on the mac. Sure the new Imac is great for games because it has a decent Videocard installed. But what about six months from now when the ATI 1600 chipset will no longer run the latest games. You can't easily pull that card out, go down to circuit city and buy a current one. If anything, the switch to intel is going to shorten the lifespan of Apple computers compared to what they have been in the past.

The only thing I would have a problem with if Dvorak's thing happened and Apple abandoned OSX and only shipped with XP. A Mac with NO Mac OSX would cease to be a Mac to me then. I have no problems with Macs running both OSX and XP. It will help a lot of people out there. I could be wrong, but I do not see Apple shipping XP but just providing a way to run it which is fine with me. Time will tell though.

techster82 said:

I am just curious so I have to ask this: If Apple called a press conference tomorrow and said you can now order any new Intel Mac with your choice of OS X or Windows, who would have a problem with it? I actualy see this happening in the future as Apple has lost its footing in one of the largest consumer electronics markets in the world and has to take action to regain sales. It just seems that some people are so fanatical that they would feel betrayed by this. Remember, Apple isn't your best friend, they are a business. And all businesses are driven by profit. It is very entertaining watching some people squirm when you say Windows and Mac in the same sentence and I don't know why they do it. Remember, running Windows on a Mac has no effect on OS X whatsoever. I think the forum should add a Windows on Mac area so that things can be discussed without Apple Fanboys, as well as Microsoft Fanboys making off topic comments.

I have to disagree that a lot of people aren't interested in running Windows on their mac. To me, this is actually one of the only reasons to pay Apple's premium prices, because it ultimately makes my life easier having one machine. What you won't see are diehard PC users jumping ship to Apple. The average Power User has to be able to easily upgrade their machine. The Imac, and Mac mini, as well as the laptops do not allow for this. An example would be PC games on the mac. Sure the new Imac is great for games because it has a decent Videocard installed. But what about six months from now when the ATI 1600 chipset will no longer run the latest games. You can't easily pull that card out, go down to circuit city and buy a current one. If anything, the switch to intel is going to shorten the lifespan of Apple computers compared to what they have been in the past.

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It seems readily apparent to me that you know little about Apple as a company or Steve Jobs as a person. Were you to read up on either you would realize that applying standard business "logic" to Apple doesn't work. This is the primary reason I don't Apple is likely to ever become a Windows OEM, and Bootcamp is simply the first (of many) attempts to get Windows users to look at Mac Hardware. Whatever form of windows support (Dual booting or virtualization) come with 10.5 will tell us a lot more about where Steve is going with all of this.

I have no problems with people running Windows on Mac Hardware and I agree that having the two OS's in one box will make some people lives easier. Apple is not targeting the "Power User" and will not for sometime, if ever. They are targeting the "Average" PC user who might like to try something different but doesn't want to jump in feet first to a new system. Again, you are trying to apply the logic that Dell or HP would use to Apple, it just doesn't work. If you want to keep running all the "latest games" then don't buy a Mac. Games are NOT one of Apples priorities and likely never will be. If you want a computer that gives you the Mac experience, but allows you to use the one or two pieces of software that you have to have for work, then a Mac IS for you. Again, you are fundamentally misunderstanding Apple as company and Steve as the leader of the company.

I think a Windows on Mac area would be a nice addition here, but the reality is that this is still a Mac forum, about the Mac OS and the Mac hardware. The fact the hardware can now run Windows does not, contrary to your claim, make a fundamental difference. Apple has not really changed; they have simply enabled the hardware to something new, without the requirement of support. I suspect that we will see the same sort of support in 10.5. If you want to run Windows, fine, but don't bother us.

I find the continued discussion of Windows, Windows problems and Windows updates to be equally annoying as you find the Windows bashing. Most of us are here because we enjoy the Mac, the hardware and the OS, and not because we want to deal with or hear about Windows. Most long time Mac users are still PC users in one form or another and we have chosen the Mac platform because we find it a better choice for us, thus we come to a Mac forum to talk about Mac, not about PCs or windows. I agree that the Windows bashing needs to be cut down, but so does the discussion of Windows in General. Ultimately though, it is up to the owners and staff of this site to decide what needs to and will be done.

I totally agree with dtravis7, I don't think Apple will ship Macs with Windows instead of OS X installed, not even as a BTO-option. Alongside with OS X maybe, but not Windows-only. At least not as long as Steve Jobs' decisions lead Apple's way.
This has nothing to do with fanboyism, but simply out of knowing Apple's and Jobs' history...He doesn't always make the most profitable decisions, and not even the best choice in terms of business.

I do agree with techster82 about a Windows on Mac section here in the forum.

Now about many people wanting to run Windows on their Mac, out of the existing user base, there aren't that many. Those that uses Macs, and that since years, simply don't see any need for it. Switchers are people that, for whatever reason, wanted to get away from Windows, so only a few of them might want to install it. Hybrid users, as myself, still have a PC next to their Mac because they need it for some reason. For them, it is of course a good thing, because they can finally get rid of the second computer, and have it all in one.
A few people might get attracted to Mac because they always wanted it, but couldn't make the switch.
Gamers should still stay away from Macs, as the PC is the only platform where you can throw in the newest graphic card every six months, which is needed if you want to play the latest games with best quality graphics. Low-budget PC buyers (the majority of PC-buyers) will not switch over, as the ability to install Windows on a Mac doesn't make them cheaper.
Any business company that has a PC-only park (the other PC majority) right now will not invest into Macs either, for the same reason.

Switching has been made easier, that's for sure, and that's Apple's primary goal. This will increase their marketshare, but they still will remain only a small part of the whole business.

baggss said:

I find the continued discussion of Windows, Windows problems and Windows updates to be equally annoying as you find the Windows bashing. Most of us are here because we enjoy the Mac, the hardware and the OS, and not because we want to deal with or hear about Windows. Most long time Mac users are still PC users in one form or another and we have chosen the Mac platform because we find it a better choice for us, thus we come to a Mac forum to talk about Mac, not about PCs or windows. I agree that the Windows bashing needs to be cut down, but so does the discussion of Windows in General. Ultimately though, it is up to the owners and staff of this site to decide what needs to and will be done.

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I think this sums it all up.

Your right, I don't understand Apple, or Steve Jobs at all. I also didn't just finish writing a 4 page paper on Apple's market share and their changes as a company over the last 20 years. Apparently I did not mix up a batch of Jobs koolaid and drink it either. Besides that, you must understand that any business, Apple or otherwise is driven by profit. Steve was forced to leave the company once, who is to say it couldn't happen again. What people should realize is that Bootcamp is a VERY big deal. Hardcore mac users swore up and down that something like this would never happen. Low and behold it does. This should show you that at this stage in the game, anything is possible whether you want to believe it or not. 40% of Apples revenue comes from the Ipod alone. You now have a computer company who's main product is a portable MP3 player. Would you have forecasted that 10 years ago? The point is, Apple is at a critical stage of self evolution right now and is poised to reap some serious benefits. If Steve and the rest of the people who own Apple are content with a measly 4% market share, then more power to them. Something tells me they aren't and changes are coming that will guarantee that number goes up. I may not understand Steve, but you apparently don't understand business.

I understand business, and I understand Apple. I understand how the two are often vastly different. Steve is not driven by the bottom line of profit and never really has been. Your comments about "Mixing up a batch of Kool-Aid" show me that you don't seem to be able to conduct a rational discussion about this subject without having to rant about fan boys and their ignorance. Your ignorance about Steve is ignorance about Apple. Apparently you didn’t learn much from your research for your “4 page paper”.

No one would have forecast the iPod 10 years ago, but they would have forecast Steve "Moving on to the next big thing" very easily (that was his advise). Apples revenues from the iPod are what has allowed them to develop MacOSX and conduct the switch to Intel. Steve found "the next big thing" and is milking the **** out of it move the Mac along. Just because you believe that "anything" is possible does not make it so, no matter how hard you try. I believe Steve is being very pragmatic and trying to expand the Macs market share (both hardware and software) without "giving away the farm" so to speak.

I agree that Apple is a critical stage of "Self-Evolution", but I think you are viewing that evolution from the wrong perspective. You are viewing it from a business only perspective and that is the flaw. Oh, and I own stock in Apple, it has split twice since I bought and is now worth 5 times what it was when I bought. Not bad for a company with 4% market share, is it?

baggss said:

I'm not going to windows "bash" here, but I have been a longtime Windows user as well. I can't see how anyone can consider an OS that requires one to install several different 3rd party programs just to keep it secure and prevent it from from becoming infected, "good". When even the producer of the OS admits that some problems can't be fixed and the answer is to reinstall the OS on a regular basis, "good" definitely doesn't come to mind. I'd say it is acceptable to use if you take the proper precautions, but "good" just doesn't work. Mind you, I still use Win 2K and XP daily in a corporate environment and problems STILL exist with the locked down machines, so I'm not some random "Mac Head" throwing stones here.

Now, if you secure it, it may be good, but the fact that you even need to secure it, in my mind, prevents me from considered it good.

And I'm sorry, if you come to a forum called "Mac-Forums" and can't stand people disliking an MS OS, then maybe you don't need to be here to begin with.

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I have to agree.