Microsoft, Apple Sign 5-Year Software Pact

[rmrf]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10794396/from/RS.3

By ALLISON LINN
Updated: 6:29 p.m. ET Jan. 10, 2006

SEATTLE - Apple Computer Inc. won't thwart users from loading Microsoft's Windows operating system onto its new Intel-based Macintosh computers _ but don't expect Apple to start offering a Mac running Windows.

Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, said in an interview Tuesday that the company won't sell or support Windows itself, but also hasn't done anything to preclude people from loading Windows onto the machines themselves.

"That's fine with us. We don't mind," Schiller said. "If there are people who love our hardware but are forced to put up with a Windows world, then that's OK."

Schiller made the comments at Tuesday's Macworld Expo, where Microsoft also said it had signed a five-year pact with Apple to develop versions of Office for Macs and announced plans to release a version of Office that will be compatible with Apple's new Intel-based computers.

Macs currently run Apple's own proprietary operating system, which competes with Windows. However, since Windows is much more dominant, Mac users don't necessarily have access to many software programs written only for Windows.

Apple on Tuesday unveiled its first computers using Intel chips, which power most PCs using Windows.

The switch could technically and theoretically allow a person to load Windows onto a Mac computer, although the user would require some technical expertise to pull it off. That would allow a person to run both Microsoft and Apple's operating systems on the same Apple machine.

It was news Microsoft Corp. welcomed.

"Any new machines that are on the market that run Windows are great," said Scott Erickson, director of product management and marketing for Microsoft's Mac business unit.

Erickson said it was too early to say how Microsoft might take advantage of an ability to run Windows on Macs, saying only that it could give Mac users the potential to run Windows-based applications they previously couldn't.

Still, Erickson said Microsoft remains committed to offering a version of its Office business software for Macintosh computers.

Microsoft, based in Redmond, wouldn't say when the new version of Office for Macs will be released or what it will cost. Erickson said the company last released a version of its Office business software for Macs in May of 2004, and Microsoft generally releases updates every two to three years.

Erickson said the five-year deal, in which no money changed hands, should help quell customer concerns that Microsoft will stop developing software for its rival.

"What we wanted to do was just put to rest the question of, `Hey, are they going to be around now that (Apple is) making a major switch to Intel?'" Erickson said.

This is the second time Microsoft and Apple have signed pledges to work together, although Microsoft has developed software for Macintoshes for more than two decades.

___

AP Technology Writer May Wong contributed to this report.
Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

 

[Aisengard]

"That's fine with us. We don't mind," Schiller said. "If there are people who love our hardware but are forced to put up with a Windows world, then that's OK."

Holy crap. I cannot wait for the day when Apple decides to produce OSX for the rest of the public. Their gimmick of "Windows sucks, so use us" will go right out the window.

Of course, their viability as a company relies on the selling of their proprietary hardware. Now despite the negative connotations associated with "proprietary," it has allowed Apple to make software for a specific hardware setup, hence the 'reliability' of their machines.

I guess all I'm trying to say is: you want a stable environment, with no exceptions, get a Mac and don't screw around with it. But remember it's from the marriage of the software and hardware, not the heretold "wonders" of the Macintosh OS.

 

[smack Down]

I wonder if the Apple x86 version of office would be able to be run under linux. What is the pottential to get a WINE type of product but for apples API insteaded of MS.

 

[drag]

Originally posted by: smack Down
I wonder if the Apple x86 version of office would be able to be run under linux. What is the pottential to get a WINE type of product but for apples API insteaded of MS.

Why would you want that?

Wine is for Win32 api.

We already have a Apple-related API for Linux called GNUStep. Both Carbon Aqua and GNUStep are based on the same OpenStep API.

Anyways it's already prefectly possible to run MS Office in Linux. Works fine.

 

[magomago]

Originally posted by: drag

Originally posted by: smack Down
I wonder if the Apple x86 version of office would be able to be run under linux. What is the pottential to get a WINE type of product but for apples API insteaded of MS.

Why would you want that?

Wine is for Win32 api.

We already have a Apple-related API for Linux called GNUStep. Both Carbon Aqua and GNUStep are based on the same OpenStep API.

Anyways it's already prefectly possible to run MS Office in Linux. Works fine.

Aside from a case where you need macros, why would you use OO over Office? I figure it is more of a pain to get it running than it is to "apt-get open-office" or "emerge open office" or whatever the command is 😉 pre 2.0 used to have some problems with excel, but they seemed to fix it.