OSX for PCs

[Tostada]

It's my understanding that OSX is based off of BSD. Since BSD is available for PC, why isn't there a relatively simple port of OSX for the PC? I'm pretty amazed that everybody doesn't have OSX for their PC.

Given that Apple will now be using Intel CPUs, I would think this would very soon be totally unavoidable. People will be buiding their own Macs. What's to stop them?

The only things I've spent a ton of time with are C64/DOS/Win/MacOS/Unix, so I'm no modern OS genius. Maybe I just don't get it.

 

[Acanthus]

In order for the hardware to work, it has to have driver support.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Maybe an apple specific firmware. Hopefully they won't ditch Of for that BIOS shit.

 

[digitalsm]

Originally posted by: Tostada
It's my understanding that OSX is based off of BSD. Since BSD is available for PC, why isn't there a relatively simple port of OSX for the PC? I'm pretty amazed that everybody doesn't have OSX for their PC.

Given that Apple will now be using Intel CPUs, I would think this would very soon be totally unavoidable. People will be buiding their own Macs. What's to stop them?

The only things I've spent a ton of time with are C64/DOS/Win/MacOS/Unix, so I'm no modern OS genius. Maybe I just don't get it.

Whats to stop them? The DRM technology that has everyone bitching about Intel and its next generation chips.

 

[keeleysam]

You can run Darwin (the core of OSX) on x86, however the only non-generic driver support it has is for the 440BX chipset.

 

[digitalsm]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Maybe an apple specific firmware. Hopefully they won't ditch Of for that BIOS shit.

It sounds like they intend to keep Of. It also appears they plan to use the Intel technology to keep OSX on Apple systems. Im sure this is why they went with Intel, and Im sure they have had alot of reassurance from Intel, that Apple will be able to successfully keep OSX on Apple hardware only.

 

[albumleaf]

ha, if apple os ran on all x86 machines, there goes the sales of apple hardware

 

[Tostada]

Originally posted by: digitalsm

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Maybe an apple specific firmware. Hopefully they won't ditch Of for that BIOS shit.

It sounds like they intend to keep Of. It also appears they plan to use the Intel technology to keep OSX on Apple systems. Im sure this is why they went with Intel, and Im sure they have had alot of reassurance from Intel, that Apple will be able to successfully keep OSX on Apple hardware only.

I suppose that makes sense. They might even be using totally proprietary chipsets that you simply can't get cheap.

Still, I can't help but think that subverting the DRM-esque features in the OS won't be much harder than subverting the activation of XP, if it comes down to that being the only problem.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: albumleaf
ha, if apple os ran on all x86 machines, there goes the sales of apple hardware

Exactly. But then again... I think Apple realizes this. I'd expect to see prices come down with Intel providing the CPU's and Apple's switch to x86.

 

[DanDaMan315]

Originally posted by: Tostada
It's my understanding that OSX is based off of BSD. Since BSD is available for PC, why isn't there a relatively simple port of OSX for the PC? I'm pretty amazed that everybody doesn't have OSX for their PC.

Given that Apple will now be using Intel CPUs, I would think this would very soon be totally unavoidable. People will be buiding their own Macs. What's to stop them?

The only things I've spent a ton of time with are C64/DOS/Win/MacOS/Unix, so I'm no modern OS genius. Maybe I just don't get it.

I wouldn't run it even if it were available. The gaming preformance is so bad on Mac OS's that I wouldn't touch it with a 100 foot pole.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181

Originally posted by: albumleaf
ha, if apple os ran on all x86 machines, there goes the sales of apple hardware

Exactly. But then again... I think Apple realizes this. I'd expect to see prices come down with Intel providing the CPU's and Apple's switch to x86.

Someone else mentioned that they could probably get chips cheaper from IBM, since the demand for PPC chips isn't HUGE.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: Jeff7181

Originally posted by: albumleaf
ha, if apple os ran on all x86 machines, there goes the sales of apple hardware

Exactly. But then again... I think Apple realizes this. I'd expect to see prices come down with Intel providing the CPU's and Apple's switch to x86.

Someone else mentioned that they could probably get chips cheaper from IBM, since the demand for PPC chips isn't HUGE.

Wouldn't be a shock to me considering Intel gives Dell some sweet deals. Adding apple to their list of OEMs to supply would only increase their volume so they could afford to take even smaller profits per unit.

 

[earthman]

You will not see OS X run on generic PCs anytime soon. That would totally defeat the idea of Apple hardware, and it is from hardware they make their money. So forget it, they are never going to let that happen.

 

[RaiderJ]

It's too bad... a decent x86 OS alternative would be nice. Not everyone can spend free time installing Linux or fixing BSOD's

 

[Acanthus]

Originally posted by: RaiderJ
It's too bad... a decent x86 OS alternative would be nice. Not everyone can spend free time installing Linux or fixing BSOD's

So you think when apple loses all control over the hardware and allows manufacturers to write drivers for OSX, that it will be as or more stable than windows?

Do you really want Jetway, ECS, PNY, and the countless horrible generics running on OSX? Do you really believe a $45 mobo will have better driver support for OSX?