Today Apple released a beta application called Boot Camp, which will be included as a final in OS X 10.5, Leopard. Boot Camp, simply put, lets you create a boot disc with all the proper Windows drivers so you can safely install Windows XP on your Intel Mac. No crazy installation hacks and slipstreaming your own special XP disc. Provided that you have the lastest software and firmware updates, a legit Windows XP disc, at least 10GB free on your hard drive and a blank CD, you can install Windows XP on your Intel Mac. This is great news, I wasn’t going to install and dual-boot Windows on my Mac until the drivers and procedure had matured. It seems like the day has come.
While I think this is great, someone at the OSx86 Project explores the ramifications of many users running Windows and OS X to both Microsoft and Apple. I feel that Apple will get more users that love their hardware but are tethered to Windows nonetheless. I know several friends that think the MacBook Pro is the best laptop in terms of design and hardware, just not software. Now they can have the best all worlds with Boot Camp. Take a look at TheUberGeeks’ analysis of this piece of news on your way out.
Update: I’ve downloaded and installed the Boot Camp Assistant. Before you can run it the first time you need to update your firmware from apple.com/support/downloads. Updating the firmware was as simple as opening up the downloaded dmg and running the executable which makes you shutdown. On the next boot, just hold down the powerbutton for a few seconds until the power led flashes and you will be greeted with an update screen. When all is done, the computer reboots.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t continue as I don’t have enough free space.
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Possibly the best move Apple could have made since the chipset switch.
Sounds very ‘it will get switchers to switch’ kinda vibe about it. I’m sure any normal Mac user will only use it for the games, cause let’s be honest. Windows isn’t exactly the best computing experience.
I see two sides of this:
1. Its pretty awesome that Apple has opened itself up to Windows, I don’t really have any apps on Windows that my Mac doesn’t have, but gaming would be cool on the mac.
2. I really don’t like Apple opening up to Windows, call me selfish, but I like being one step ahead of tech and being on a Mac (windowlsess) felt that way for me…I dunno, we’ll see how it goes. Its great for people like my parents who are scared of OSX, but for the Mac user of today…….
this will be one of my concerns as both as seperate OSX + XP user… do i install say PS CS2 on both OS’s?
i usually dedicate a 8-10G partition to XP and apps then a seperate partition for my docs etc.
and what about sharing photo’s music etc. since each OS has its own similar respective folders. If I connect my camera in one OS and d/l the photos do you have to duplicate the effort or could you use a shared type folder?
this is a smart step for apple!
and one that may have me buying my first mac. work has always bought mine ;)
forgot to add that a 100G 7200rpm drive will be enough for both OS’s ;)
this may push me over the edge to convince myself to reinvest in a new macbook or imac.
while news that bootcamp will allow dual booting is worthy of celebration, i hope that i never have to “service” apple hardware for spyware / adware infestations. new switchers will need to understand that running windows on apple hardware does not make you invincible.
I think that this is great, and will allow more choice.
Plus I can’t wait until i get my new mac mini, so i can try triple boot. Debian, OS X and Windows. ;-)
Sounds like fun to me.
Linux was just confirmed to boot with Boot Camp which is just another step to freeing the Mac from Steve Job’s death grip on hardware conformity. Perhaps in the future you’ll be able to build your own x86 based computer and run OSX on it with a program provided from Apple, unless there is a program out there that I don’t know about.
I think this is a great move on Apple’s part. Any Windows users that give OS X a chance will most likely end up making the swith. All my Windows user friends are always attracted to my Mac when they see programs like iPhoto.
The question on my mind is, how is DirectX performance? Will it be possible to play Windows XP games on an Intel Mac?
http://www.cabel.name/2006/04/boot-camp-first-look-half-life-2-video.html
after running boot camp they want me to burn a cd with the mac drivers on it,
so i did but every time i install the drivers in the windows side i lose my keboard.
everything seems to run fine without puting the mac drivers on the windows.
WHAT AM I MISSING BY NOT DOING THIS.