What about going the other way?

[LaptopHeaven]

Has anyone gotten OSX(intel) to install and run on hardware other than Apple machines?
IMHO Apple hardware is overpriced. Apple, being a design company has stylish machines, but they come with a heafty pricetag. I do love the design and funcationality of OSX and would love to run it on my more modestly priced generic Intel hardware.

[Steve1496]

Yes Maxxus has but it's not legal and probably shouldn't be discussed here.

[LaptopHeaven]

What are the legal ramifications of doing this?

[sud0n1m]

Installing OS X on a PC is illegal - it violates apples user agreement.

[Boozy]

The coders at Apple hid a poem inside the code for OS X,

"Your karma check for today: There once was a user that whined his existing OS was so blind, he'd do better to pirate an OS that ran great but found his hardware declined. Please don't steal Mac OS! Really, that's way uncool. (C) Apple Computer Inc."

But in response, the hackers wrote:

Rime of the Ancient Hacker
There once was a hacker named Maxxuss
who Steve did not think was a genius.
But Steve pondered awhile,
grabbed the phone with a smile,
and said “Bill, there’s a thing to discuss…”

[houtis33]

You would think Steverino would be happy to give PC users a
chance to experience a better OS than Windows.

Why not sell OSX packaged with installing software for those
who want to try it on a PC? This would mean increased OS sales
for Apple, and a larger base of Apple OS users.

Those who like the Apple OS and who also appreciate elegance
of design in hardware, might then move up to an Apple machine.
Certainly there would be no decrease in Mac sales, and the good
possibility of new buyers.

And, if Gates is so confident that his Windows is the superior OS, he
could respond by selling HIS OS with an installer for Apple Intel machines.

Damn. If I had the success and bucks that these guys have, I'd be
having myself a little fun with this whole new Intel Apple thing.

[eklynx]

why dont they? hardware support. part of what makes the macintosh in general a more stable platform is that it is closed architecture; you know what hardware to expect in a machine. With windows, there is such a variety of hardware that you cannot possibly test every combination, and hardware quirks can lead to software quirks. Apple, to put it simply, doesnt want to deal with it.

[Micmac2]

I have a much more shorter answer : Apple is making money on hardware, not software... So if they make an OSX version for PC, they won't sell hardware.

[LDJ]

I started out on the MAC years ago, but alas software availability pretty much forced me to the Windows platform when Win 3.1 came along.

I would love to migrate back to the Apple OS for one program, Garage Band.
But I can't justify the time, money, and space to set up a MAC for this one application. I bet there are millions of people like me who desire one or two MAC applications. Over time it MIGHT become the other way around where I did a specialty program or two on Windows, and most apps on the MAC.

Right now that is too big an IF for me to take the plunge--and Windows emmulaton on the MAC just doesn't appeal to me. But if MAC emmulation were available on a Wintel/AMD machine, that would be another matter, especially in light of the previous speed superiority on the Windows side, especially AMD.

Unfortunately, Mr. Jobs insists on running a hardware company. Yet there is really nothing compelling about Apple COMPUTER hardware (lets put the iPod aside) over quality Windows compatable hardware. (And I think he knows this which is why the OS isn't being released to run on standard Intel/AMD systems.) I know that some of the reason tht the MAC just sems to work is that they deal with very specific hardware specifictions--but who says that a limited number of quality Windows hardware vendors (just the big players) couldn't be certified to meet requirements for both platforms. Maybe Apple just needs to realize that it can run on More hardware without having to run on ALL hardware.

The foundation of the Microsoft empire is built on selling software, not hardware. And Apple has some of the best software around. If the MAC OS were released to run on an expanded, but still limited list of XP platform hardware, (the big players), I wouldn't be surprized if it wound up on 20% of the systems within a year. And if Apple made their hardware compatable with Windows systems, I might pick up a monitor from them.

Steven Jobs only needs to look at his bank account and then compare it to that of Bill Gates/Paul Allen to realize that he made a miscalculation. As I see it, the mistake was simply that he insisted on keeping a superior operating system proprietory. Now Apple has thrown in the towel and admitted the superiority of the Wintel processors. But still he wants to keep the OS/MAC apps proprietory. Its the same mistake.

There is so much pent up demand to run the Apple OS. Just for starters there is the 6-7% market share that switched from the MAC to Windows over the years. So good luck to all the hackers who are going to force open this situation. I hope that you come up with something great and then sell it to Apple and make millions. But I believe that the big market share to be had is coming up with a dual boot that allows the Apple OS on a Windows machine.
And if you come up with something, let me know.

Good luck to you all.

Laurence

[CyberDoberman]

Wow... a bit of misinformation here in these posts.

First of all...

Apple hardware isn't overpriced.

the 20" iMac, for instance... is $1699... the cheapest Dual core POS DELL machine I just priced out with similar specs, but minus all the cool software, is $1900 and change including a 20" Flatscreen Monitor.

The knock-off of the Mac Mini by the PC guys costs a full $100 more than Apple's...

And... as far as Apple hardware not working... you can take ANY Apple display and hook it up to your PC??? DIRECTLY? As long as you have a DVI port on your video card...

Amazing...

Misinformation by guys that are supposed to know better...

[bradn]

totally agree. lame hardware blows

[urashid]

[QUOTE=CyberDoberman]Wow... a bit of misinformation here in these posts.

the 20" iMac, for instance... is $1699... the cheapest Dual core POS DELL machine I just priced out with similar specs, but minus all the cool software, is $1900 and change including a 20" Flatscreen Monitor.


Far be it from me to say anything bad about Apple Hardware (I actually like Apple Hardware) but let us be fair. Can I put my new PCI-Express video card in the 20" iMac? Can I REPLACE the 20" screen with a 27" when I have the money (and ebay the 20")? No. So don't call them "similar specs" please. Different target markets, different prices...

And I can price a better Dual-Core, with better specs, for less money than iMac any day.

[Moo]

Indeed you can, but you can't copy the handy appearance and the perfect construction. I don't say that a computer has to be beautiful, thats nonsense and only for lifestylers, but apple tries to build computers that fulfill their purpose as a fridge or a hoover. It has to be clever, it has to be practically and it has to be easy. I think no other Computer company builds more hands-on systems.
On the other side I won't say Mac OS X is hands-on. It isn't because there are little aps run and windows will always be the number one system. But OnMac can be chance to combine this two components. And I hope it will come true.
Ok, one attitude is for PCs. The Fun to screw on your self-made PC. To make your PC silent or build in an new Graphic Card... But instead you have both running computer. In ten years Apple has 10% Market Share.
Keep on running and excuse my English, I'm from Italy