Boot Camp: Windows on a Mac

[aGorilla]

Apple has announced (http://www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp/) that their next release of OS X will allow dual-booting into Windows XP.

[Random Confusion]

That's not quite right. BootCamp is already available, and is a separate bit of software - like partition magic - that allows a dual-boot of Windows and OS X on intel-processor-based Macs.

They released it about a month ago, shortly after some industrious hackers (look up the current distinction between hackers and phreakers and you'll be surprised that you've been blaming the wrong people for quite a while....) created a similar program on their own to allow them to run Windows on a Mac and released it into the wild.

RC

[DesignExtend-MSI]

I still don't feel confident that Windows and it's components can run seamlessly on a Mac. I run XP and Tiger, each on their own systems. Fortunately, the file swapping and networking work quite well together and I'm happy to run two separate machines, a PC and a MAC.

[Random Confusion]

Well, if you have two machines, then that's a good solution for you, but the BootCamp was developed for those who want the Mac functionality, but also want to use the Windows apps/games without having to buy another box and figure out where to put it.

From what I've heard, it runs fairly well, but it does need the new Intel Mac system to work right (since it's designed more like the Windows PC clones anyway.)

RC

[aGorilla]

That's not quite right. BootCamp is already available, and is a separate bit of software - like partition magic - that allows a dual-boot of Windows and OS X on intel-processor-based Macs.
What's already available is a beta, which is not part of the current OS X.


"Apple will include technology in the next major release of Mac OS X, Leopard, that lets you install and run the Windows XP operating system on your Mac."
Which is exactly what I said. I didn't say it was news, I just posted it because I hadn't heard it, and found it interesting.

[Random Confusion]

Well, what I know, I learned from NPR through their report - http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5328350

The other information is from a friend who is running it on one of his systems.

Definitely, it is exciting news (and enevitable) that people are able to do this, and it goes to show that people are more interested in the applications that they run than the operating system that they're running them on. By providing a means to finally have all the other apps that they want on their system, Apple has just gotten a lot more friends.

RC

[aGorilla]

That they did. Makes me seriously consider getting a Mac as my next machine. Until now, the thought would have never crossed my mind (well, ok, a little, but not seriously).

[larryh]

Boot camp is nothing more than dual boot. Big deal ... been doing that for years. When is Apple going to support VMWare, and allow OS? to be run in a virtual machine? I mean, after all, it's just BSD under the hood anyway. :D

[leslienord]

While I was in Atlanta this past week I popped into the Apple store - as I too am very excited by the Boot Campability for a Mac (I want to be able to have both platforms when I travel). I understand the concept of booting into the OS - I have PC's that run different versions of Windows. Sure I'd like it to be as simple as switching users but back to my Apple store visit.

On the off chance - I asked if any of the machines had Boot Camp installed - "No Apple doesn't support Boot Camp" ... hmmm, it's on the Apple website. Okay, maybe she meant because it's beta or maybe she meant they didn't support Windows. Oh well, you know how some of us territorial Mac types can get ;)

But I had more questions that seem to get interesting and conflicting responses. What if the Doze side gets a virus that for some reason can't be removed? What about a BIOS type virus?

For me the whole concept is a dream come true. It gets away from needing a trudgy emulator for those Windows apps that are not available for a Mac - like StoreMan.

I already have my Christmas present picked out - 17" MacBook Pro - hopefully by Christmas some of the "new machine" type glitches will be worked out.

[Southlander]

Related to this, something I found very interesting... the idea that a future version of OSX could run Win apps natively:

http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20060420.html