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OS X for PCs?

  • 03-07-2005 9:53pm
    #1
    Oriel
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,154 ✭✭✭


    Folks,
    Just a thought...

    What would be the implications for Apple to re-write OS X for the normal "IBM" PC? After the development cost, would it make a decent profit?
    You get the simplicity of OS X to practically the whole PC market, less open source.

    Any ideas/opinions/slatings?

    S.


Comments

  • #2
    Ron DMC
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,297 ✭✭✭Ron DMC


    I like the idea, but it'd be a whole lot of recoding.

    /me imagines OS X behind a DELL screen.
    > SWEET


  • #3
    SouperComputer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,949 ✭✭✭SouperComputer


    one of the reasons OS X runs so well is that it is based on a limited hardware platform. One of the great things about installing it, no drivers, click, walk away. come back reboot and you are ready to go.

    Porting it to PC is easy enough. Getting it to run on different PC's is another kettle of fish.

    Cant see it happening (from apple) in the next two years anyway.


  • #4
    Fenster
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,763 ✭✭✭Fenster


    Drivers would be a huge headhache for Apple, as they're only had to support their own hardware before now.

    Beyond that, x86 is probably the most popular platform for BSD, so porting it back there wouldn't be a problem-indeed, its already been done, for the developer's kits.

    A lot of Apple software has already been ported to x86, internally, and some of it released-iTunes, Quicktimes, some development tools also, as I recall.

    The key thing is drivers. Will Apple still go for hardware lock-in with their Intel release?


  • #5
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 93,567 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    It might also be possible to use captive drivers, like the way Linux uses NTFS drivers, and simply use existing windows drivers. If Microsoft can get windows NT on i386/powerpc/alpha then porting to the PC is doable. Considering how much older stuff wasn't supported when NT and XP came out, you don't have to support all devices just the most common.

    Maybe someone can post up a linkie to Apple having tested recent OS's realeases on i386 in house ?


  • #6
    Dr_Teeth
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,010 ✭✭✭Dr_Teeth


    Apple have already done all the work necessary. The new intel developer machines are standard PCs, with normal BIOS etc. However I don't think they will ever release a version of the OS that works on any old machine.

    Most likely some nerds will haxor it so if you have a certain motherboard, with a certain graphics card etc you'll be able to get it to work. Personally I'd prefer just to buy an Apple machine. :)


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