Macs do Windows too - officially, now!

[Jose_R.A.M]

From Hexux.Lifestyle

Would you Adam and Eve it? Apple today made available a beta installer to allow Intel-based Mac computers to dual boot between Mac OS X and Windows XP operating systems! The so-called Boot Camp Beta - an 82.8MB download - is a forerunner, Apple says, to building Win XP dual-booting into Leopard, the next version of Mac OS X...

CONTINUE STORY HERE (http://lifestyle.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=5258).

[carcomptoy]

NO WAY!! This is definitely something to look into for my computer-shopping for college:D

[Serifan]

...well, it's about time. I hated that Windows emulation program I tried on my iBook. I don't remember what it's called, but it was a resource hog and as slow as an ant in molasses.

[MaDnEzZ]

hey mistWalker I think you are referring to Virtual PC, god I hate that thing, I've got it on my powerbook G4 and even with 768mb ram it still sucks the life out of the resources

Funny thing about windows xp running on a mac is that its still windoze, which means that its still prone to the BSOD (blue screen of death) lol made me laugh. The BSOD is something that I have not seen once or anything remotely similar since I made a switch to mac osx.

there is already a imac with a BSOD
check the link out for more info http://www.tuaw.com/2006/04/05/blue-screen-of-death-on-an-imac/

[edeab220]

I can now buy a Mac w/o any regrets :p.

[carcomptoy]

I can now buy a Mac w/o any regrets :p.
My thoughts exactly:p

[Serifan]

hey mistWalker I think you are referring to Virtual PC
Yeah, that's the program. Oh, the dreaded memories...:eek:

[crazyze]

I have mixed feelings about this. I know of the advantages and making the transition easy from PC to Mac.

But part of a reason of buying a Mac was so you could tell you mates how much their Windows suck and it sort of robs Mac of that 'je ne sais quoi'

Heck I probably will buy an Apple anyway due to the new focus. Probably buy when the new Mac OS comes out :D

[carcomptoy]

haha I told my dad about it and how I want an Intel-based Mac now, but he was still like skeptical...

He's quite loyal to his Microsoft Windows since he's C++ Certified and Microsoft-trained, blah blah blah...

[Jose_R.A.M]

Hmmm - this doesnt affect me anymore - I've grown tired of the apple mac vs microsoft windows - I forget now why I should get one over the other.

[crazyze]

Hmmm - this doesnt affect me anymore - I've grown tired of the apple mac vs microsoft windows - I forget now why I should get one over the other.

It's all in the style. I mean Macs are slick devices and look much better than Windows machines.

[Jose_R.A.M]

It's all in the style. I mean Macs are slick devices and look much better than Windows machines.
Not all windows machines...

Anywhooo

from gizmodo



XP Gaming on a Mac (Verdict: ZOMG It Works!)

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/9371/bootcampxp6ku.th.jpg (http://img225.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bootcampxp6ku.jpg)
Amidst all of this bootcamp (http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/bootcamp/) mumbo-jumbo it was only a matter of time before the Intel-powered Mac got a true test of strength: gaming. The guys at 1up installed Windows XP on a MacBook Pro and then installed Half-Life 2, Oblivion and F.E.A.R. for a test to see how much oomph these machines really have. The result? …the MacBook running Apple’s official XP drivers is a robust, stable gaming platform capable of playing software from either side of the OS wars. While some are predicting this will be the beginning of the end for the Mac platform, the opposite seems to be true, at least anecdotally. At least a dozen platform fence-sitters have told me that the Mac’s newfound ability to play PC games has broken down the last barrier to their buying a Mac as their next computer.

[carcomptoy]

At least a dozen platform fence-sitters have told me that the Mac’s newfound ability to play PC games has broken down the last barrier to their buying a Mac as their next computer.That I think is the biggest accomplishment out of all this...getting the fence-sitters like me to finally be able to get an Apple with no regrets...so far anyways

I wonder...can Windows do Macs now, or what? I mean, I love Apple design and everything, but the computers themselves are so damn expensive...the good ones anyways

[brad]

I wonder...can Windows do Macs now, or what? I mean, I love Apple design and everything, but the computers themselves are so damn expensive...the good ones anywaysNot a chance, officially anyway.

[carcomptoy]

How does that work when A=B but not B=A?

[brad]

How does that work when A=B but not B=A?
What an unenlightened statement. It has nothing to do with A=B crap. The Mac OS is coded to only boot on Apple hardware, the Windows OS is coded to boot on any architecture it supports. The Intel X86 architecture, obviously, it supports.

The only thing that has prevented Windows booting on Intel Apple machines before this was the fact that Apple decided to use a newer boot loader, called EFI, in place of the old BIOS system. The Windows boot strapper did not support EFI, but now Apple have coded a strapper that will also load Windows.

OS X does not boot on general Intel hardware because of several reasons - for a start, it needs EFI, which is not common at all (like, super-rare) on non-Apple Intel machines. Apple's Intel machines also have a TPM (Trusted Platform Module) which OS X checks for. If TPM isn't present, or it is encrypted with non-Apple signatures, OS X won't load. Therefore, OS X will not boot without a lot of hacking on non-Apple Intel hardware.

[carcomptoy]

Well thank you for 'enlightening' me...

I know it wasn't the best way of saying it, but I only used the A=B for the sake of economy. I just wanted to know the technical reason, is all...which you did

[brad]

Well thank you for 'enlightening' me...

I know it wasn't the best way of saying it, but I only used the A=B for the sake of economy. I just wanted to know the technical reason, is all...which you did
Sorry for sounding cranky. I'm sick today. Didn't mean any disrespect. Glad to help.

[carcomptoy]

Yeah I was about to mention something about your less-than-happy state...but it's cool. WE all have those days;)

Going back to topic, just to confirm, are there any limitations to the XP being on Apple? Also, how would we do right-click on an Apple with XP, that is with the original mouse?

[brad]

Yeah I was about to mention something about your less-than-happy state...but it's cool. WE all have those days;)

Going back to topic, just to confirm, are there any limitations to the XP being on Apple? Also, how would we do right-click on an Apple with XP, that is with the original mouse?
Intel iMacs come with a Mighty Mouse, so no problem there, but with the MacBook Pros you would have to plug in a two button mouse. That is actually a very good point, as it kind of defeats the purpose of a portable computer then - even though a lot of people plug in an external mouse anyway.

[gofonz]

Well, on a Mac you right-click with a 1 button mouse by holding ctrl and clicking. Booting Windows on it, I'm not sure. One option is to figure out which key is mapped to the menu key on a Windows keyboard. I do remember that the Apple key (or Command) is your Windows key - hit that sucker and up pops the start menu. It's pretty fun using a Mac usb keyboard on a PC...not that I've done it more than just to see how it works. Those old Apple Pro Keyboards were seriously nice.

Ok, I just checked the Apple Store, and iMacs come with the Mighty Mouse (I hated that cartoon) which has 4 buttons. MacBook Pro owners will have to be plugging in an external mouse or tapping whichever key it is. Maybe Option?

[brad]

Well, on a mac you right-click with a 1 button mouse by holding ctrl and clicking. With windows, I'm not sure. One option is to figure out which key is mapped to the right click menu key. I can't remember that one, but the Apple key (or Command) is your Windows key - hit that sucker and up pops the start menu. It's pretty fun using a Mac usb keyboard on a PC...not that I've done it long term or anything.

Ok, I just checked the Apple Store, and iMacs come with the Mighty Mouse (I hated that cartoon) which has 4 buttons. MacBook Pro owners will have to be plugging in an external mouse or tapping whichever key it is. Maybe Option?
The menu key is not mapped on the Apple keyboards, though you could probably emulate it.

[carcomptoy]

Are there any other shortcomings on using XP on an Apple?

Btw, do you think Apple will release an Intel-based iBook? Cause I need a laptop for college, and I want an Apple w/XP now--but I don't want/can't get the expensive and humungous MacBook Pro...rather have the more portable iBook...

[brad]

There are no real shortcomings, othere than the mouse thing, and Apple will definately ship an Intel iBook - they are transitioning their entire product line to Intel - though it is rumored to be called the Macbook.

[carcomptoy]

Why a different name? iBook goes with all their products...

[zeem35]

iBooks will be called MacBook

highends are MacBook Pro

[gofonz]

iMacBook??? LOL