No matter how many times the point is brought up and refuted, certain folks speculate on unsupportable rumors again and again. Running the Mac OS on cheap PCs is one of these easily refutable points.
Doesn't stop Jim Coates from suggesting it anyway.
Chicago Tribune | No bias here, just support for equal Mac OS 10 access ...There was much speculation about how Microsoft would welcome the move [to Boot Camp] because in order to experience the rapture those two tech writers must purchase a copy of Windows XP. Stock analysts suggested that droves of Windows users would flock to buy expensive Macintoshes so they could enjoy the sublime design and uncanny ease of use from an iMac, MacBook Pro or Mac Mini, yet still do the work they did before on a dull beige box weighted down with Windows.Microsoft said it was delighted to sell more Windows copies, and Apple executives happily forecast that waves of new customers would be created once Windows users got to experience the delightfully designed Macintosh way.
Then came Michael Dell with the other side of the story. Why not put OS 10 on a far cheaper Dell Windows PC instead of a costly Mac? You'd get the best of both worlds and shell out far less.
In an e-mail to Forbes magazine, Dell said: “If Apple decides to open the Mac OS to others, we would be happy to offer it to our customers.”
Apple's response was quick and negative. Apple will not sell OS 10 for installation in non-Apple hardware. It will sell software to run Windows on Macs but not the other way around. Will Jobs flip-flop on Dell's offer just as he did when it was Windows on a Mac rather than Mac on Windows?
I don't care what Dell thinks about my ilk, I'm on his side now.
Binary beat readers can participate in the column at www.chicagotribune.com/askjim, or e-mail jcoates1@aol.com. Snail-mail him in Room 400, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611.
Sorry Jim. You may be a nice guy and all, but you are pretty dense on this topic. Here's why.
If one examined the financials of Apple Computer, one would discover that selling hardware is what Apple Computer makes their margins with. If Apple allowed Mac OS X to run on Dell Computer's beige Republican boxes, Apple would probably go out of business within a year or two. Whatever the profit is on a sale of Mac OS X ($20 or even $50), it pales compared to the 30% (give or take) profit on the sale of a $3,000 Apple-built laptop (in the neighborhood of $900).
Don't quote me on these exact figures, but they are close to accurate anyway. If you do the math, Apple would have to sell 45-50 copies of their software just to equal the profit on one laptop. Plus field the telephone calls from consumers when suddenly the hardware doesn't comply with Apple specs, and causes problems. Hmmm, just don't see that happening as long as Steve Jobs and his current team are in charge.
