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mvh. Erik Richard
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Apple could sell OS X as alternative to Windows
[MacUser] 13:21
Marklar, Apple's project to build a version of Mac OS X for Intel
processors, may be of more strategic importance to the company than
had previously been thought. Far from being a backup project in case
the PowerPC chip falls far behind Intel, it may actually be a product
that
Apple will ship to current Windows users.
US sources close to the project indicated that the company was actively
considering selling Marklar as a retail product, effectively allowing
users
to replace Windows with OS X. Apple is contemplating the move
because it sees an opportunity to win market share from Windows
when Microsoft introduces Palladium, a version of its operating system
that implements digital rights management. Palladium could prevent users
from copying any copyright material, such as music or video, without the
explicit permission of the rights owner.
Marklar would have no such limitations built in, allowing Apple to
appeal
to Windows users frustrated by the restrictions on how they use their
computers. Apple has taken the stance that users should be free to use
their computers how they wish, and that it is up to copyright holders to
encourage people to use them responsibly.
A second scenario in which Apple would release Marklar concerns its
relationship with Microsoft. Although relations between the two
companies are good, it is understood that if it worsens significantly,
Marklar would be released in an effort to hit Microsoft's core operating
system business. One source suggested that Marklar's release could be
triggered by Microsoft cancelling the Mac version of Office.
However, launching Marklar would present some significant dangers to
Apple's business. Users would be free to buy generic PC hardware
instead of Macs, potentially hitting Apple's highly profitable hardware
business. The company would be taking a gamble on many users
continuing to prefer its stylish hardware over that of PCs.
Marklar itself is understood to be at an advanced stage of development,
with builds matching those of the PowerPC OS X. Apple's bundled
applications, including iTunes and iChat, have versions that run on the
product.
However, Marklar requires that OS X-native Carbon and Cocoa
applications are recompiled to work on Intel processors, and there is no
support for pre-OS X Classic applications.
Ian Betteridge
--
K.M.L. Denmark by Erik Richard Sørensen, Member of ADC
E-mail: <kml.ers@mail1.stofanet.dk> <KMLDenmark@netscape.net>
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*Music Recording, Editing & Publishing - Also Smaller Quantities
*Software - For Theological Education - And For Physically Impaired
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