Would you like to see an x86 port of OSX???

[GnomeProject]

I wanted to setup a poll and a thread about lobbying Mac to port their wonderful (IMHO of course) new X operating system (OS X - Jaguar). I just read an article on OSnews.com about breaking up Apple into two parts, one software, and the other hardware, and trully think if Apple were to release OS X for the x86 platform their sales would skyrocket!!! (of course IMHO). What do you all think? Would you purchase OS X for x86? or do you think I am silly for dreamin....

-Gnome

[JSeibert]

Personally, I'd continue to use Linux. Granted a significant reason to Apple's small market share is its price tag, but I doubt too many people would run out and buy OS X. Computers would still be shipped with Windows and I doubt theres enough interest in the OS to make people want to try a new OS.

If it was released, I'd probably pass on it for a cheaper OS.

[ven0m]

If Apple ported OSX to x86 they would lose potential mac sales.
I've been using a mac for the past 6 years and when OSX came out I finally had something over those stupid windows users (apart form my x86 Linux box of course, but not everyone knows about linux and when I tell them about it all they say is if is do great why haven't I heard about it). It's not only the OSX software that makes it so great it the fact that is backed up by apple hardware.

It's the same with Sun. Solaris is better and more supported with a sparc system, the x86 version is behind in terms of support i.e. no openGL, etc.

If Apple did port it they would have to spend a lot of time and money trying to make it work on all PC specs, so I would rather prefer them to use any extra resource on making it better for the mac.

If you want OSX so badly BUY A MAC.

[GnomeProject]

I would buy a Mac but I am a poor student...so I will have to wait until I get a job and save up for one...so far away... :-( ...plus I am scared they will be out of business by the time I get to buy one.

-Gnome

[ven0m]

I really don't think Apple will be out of business any time in the near future or in the future for that matter. With the new hardware like Xserve, ipod and the new music store etc etc, Apple have got so many ideas in the pipeline I can't see that happening.

Nobody using a mac in industries like graphics, publishing and music (there are others) would ever want to change to a PC, so they'll keep but macs!

Also with the release of OSX Apple have never had so many companies making software for the OS, games for the system have more that doubled and I for one will never switch to a pc using Photoshop, Illustrator and Quark, macs will always be number one in those apps for me!!!!

[El_Cu_Guy]

That's a very vague question as to whether people would buy this x86 port. First off there is the fact that x86 doesn't necessarily mean it will run on every PC. Apple could very well switch to an Intel/AMD processor while keeping their platform closed. Also there is little reason to move to an x86 chip as IBM's new PPCs can really haul ***.

64bit processing would be more of a likely choice so the switch would likely be to AMD.

[AlexPlank]

Originally posted by El_Cu_Guy
That's a very vague question as to whether people would buy this x86 port. First off there is the fact that x86 doesn't necessarily mean it will run on every PC. Apple could very well switch to an Intel/AMD processor while keeping their platform closed. Also there is little reason to move to an x86 chip as IBM's new PPCs can really haul ***.

64bit processing would be more of a likely choice so the switch would likely be to AMD.

What about Itanium? My cousin uses a dual 800mhz Itanium.

[plattypus1]

I'd like to see an OSX port to i386. I don't know if I'd rush out and buy it (me poor, gimme .iso), but I'd like to see it. OSX was a good move for Apple, and I'm still waiting to get my hands on something and try it out, especially now that I know Linux.

[El_Cu_Guy]

What about Itanium? My cousin uses a dual 800mhz Itanium.

Yeah why not the Itanium2 while you're at it? Cost.


I'd like to see an OSX port to i386.

Why? If a port is to be done it will either be to an x86-64 or 64bit processor with compatibility mode (which runs like crap ala Itanium).

[gleather]

Sure, but I wouldn't pay for it.

[Alex Cavnar, aka alc6379]

Personally, I don't care whether or not they port OS X to the x86 platform.

There are tons of wonderful OSes already available to x86 users, Linux and the *BSD's being fine examples. All I can see that I would be afforded by OS X is a pretty GUI, which I could really care less about.

I have FreeBSD, it's free, I'm happy. I have ports, which gives me all of the applications I need. Besides, I don't think that Apple will do it, at least not any time soon. They make their money by selling their EXTREMELY OVERPRICED (IMHO) hardware, and OS X is just the icing on the cake for that.

Now, don't think I'm anti Mac-- I own 6 of them. I just feel that the Mac was always intended as an all-inclusive experience-- an Apple OS running on Apple hardware.

[ghostwalker]

This may interest you?

http://www.gnu-darwin.org/
http://www.gnu-darwin.org/index.php?page=cd-download http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=15543


There is another but the site is down:

www.opendarwin.org

Walt

[El_Cu_Guy]

All I can see that I would be afforded by OS X is a pretty GUI, which I could really care less about.

Don't forget the very nice "i-suite" of applications like iTune, iDVD, etc. These are what create the wonderful experience that keeps people buying the Mac. In other words MacOSX is the ONLY desktop unix to do it right. Freankly I would much rather MacOS become the popular multimedia desktop (average joe user) than GNU/Linux.

Not to say that GNU/Linux doesn't have it's place. It's great for corpoate desktops and a lot of OSS software is available for non-linux platforms. Until linux desktops can offer what MacOSX does I don't see it taking on Ms in this arena. Like others have asked (not here) why copy Windows when MacOS offers so much more?

[Icarus]

Originally posted by ghostwalker
This may interest you?

http://www.gnu-darwin.org/
http://www.gnu-darwin.org/index.php?page=cd-download http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=15543


There is another but the site is down:

www.opendarwin.org

Walt You beat me to it. Darwin is the code that OSX is based on, and Apple released the source under the BSD license that will run on x86 hardware

[Alex Cavnar, aka alc6379]

Originally posted by El_Cu_Guy
Don't forget the very nice "i-suite" of applications like iTune, iDVD, etc. These are what create the wonderful experience that keeps people buying the Mac. In other words MacOSX is the ONLY desktop unix to do it right. Freankly I would much rather MacOS become the popular multimedia desktop (average joe user) than GNU/Linux.

Not to say that GNU/Linux doesn't have it's place. It's great for corpoate desktops and a lot of OSS software is available for non-linux platforms. Until linux desktops can offer what MacOSX does I don't see it taking on Ms in this arena. Like others have asked (not here) why copy Windows when MacOS offers so much more?

Good point. I wasn't considering the "i-suite". Now, I must say, I've not had much of a chance to delve into those applications, but if they fall in line with the already simple and intuitive nature of the MacOS, I'd give them a thumbs up. Me being a user who wouldn't care about any of those apps, though, I guess that's where I'd be coming from. But others would probably really like having this available to them.

[CMonster]

Drivers and peripheral device support would be a problem for a while -especially getting the hardware manufacturer/vendors on board. Apple couldn't possibly be prepared for every hardware contingency and the reception of it by PC users would likely be dismal. They'd have the same problems as Linux. When "Joe-average-Windows-user" (someone earlier refered to them as "stupid Windows users") ran out excitedly and bought up a copy of the much vaunted Mac OS-X, only to find that it wouldn't install, ran too slow, didn't 3d support his krappy integrated Trident/Savage/SIS video chip, or was hard to configure on his "Win-hardware," the backlash would likely be very costly to Apple's reputation.

-but I'd buy a copy :)