Windows on a Mac: It’s Now Possible
Earlier today, details were released on how to install both Microsoft’s Windows XP operating system and Apple’s OS X operating system on new Intel-based Macintosh computers. Before dwelling into the implications of this, let’s turn the clock back a few months and take a look at the events which led up to this milestone.
Steve Jobs: “We’re Switching to Intel”
At Apple’s annual developer conference last June, Apple CEO Steve Jobs announce the company would be migrating all its computers to Intel processors. Previously, Macs had used PowerPC processors developed by IBM and Motorola. The reason for the switch? The PowerPC platform was unable to live up to Apple’s performance goals. Apple was never able to make good on their promise of a 3Ghz G5 processor by June 2004. It was also found impossible to put the power-intensive G5 processor into PowerBooks, Apple’s line of high-end notebook computers.
Windows on a Mac?
As soon as the news of Apple’s switch to Intel was announced, tech enthusiasts began speculating if it would be possible to run Windows on the new Intel Macs. Previously this had been impossible due to the architecture of the processors used by Apple. Windows is designed to work only on the x86 architecture, which is used in processors from Intel and AMD. However, PowerPC-based Macs used a different architecture and thus made loading Windows onto the systems virtually impossible. However, with Macs running on Intel—and therefore the x86 architecture—Windows on a Mac for once became a possibility.
The Contest
Apple introduced its first Intel-based Macs in January at the annual MacWorld conference in San Francisco. The first models introduced were the iMac and MacBook Pro, the successor to the PowerBook notebook computer. Shortly after the announcement, Colin Nederkoorn of Huston, Texas made a promise to his boss: He would replace his IBM desktop computer with a MacBook Pro that could run both OS X and Windows. To help make this possible, he created the winxponmac.com web site. There he started a contest to entice enthusiasts to develop a solution that would allow Windows XP and OS X to co-exist on his MacBook Pro. He donated $100 of his own money to the cause and began accepting donations from others. The first person to create a working solution would receive all the cash, which eventually climbed to over $14,000.
The Solution
Earlier this week, news of a possible solution began circulating around the Internet. On March 16th, Nederkoom announced that a group of two programmers in California had created a working solution, which he later posted to his web site. For the first time, it’s now possible to run both Windows XP and OS X on a Mac.
Why is this important?
Thanks to the success of the iPod, there’s been an increasing amount of Windows users switching to Macs. Mac users claim that Apple’s OS X operating system offers far more than Windows when it comes to security, graphics, and managing music, photos and home movies. Since Apple makes both the software and hardware, they’re able to achieve a level of stability and perfection in their products that PC manufactures can only dream of.
While many Windows users may be intrigued by a Mac, it’s often the case that they find themselves glued to a particular piece of software that runs only on Windows. Previously, this type of problem has been a show stopper for those wanting to invest in a Mac. However, with the ability to run Windows on a Mac, that blockade has now been removed.
Buy a Mac or keep using PC hardware?
If you’re now more tempted than ever to switch to a Mac, you might want to keep a few things in mind. First, getting both OS X and Windows XP on a Mac might not be easy if you don’t consider yourself affluent when it comes to installing operating systems and partitioning hard drives. Second, it won’t be possible to quickly switch between operating systems. Going from one operating system to another requires that you reboot the computer, which can be a hassle if you need to access a Windows application often.
It’s good to carefully weigh your options before making the plunge and switching to a Mac. Do keep in mind that while a particular piece of software you use on Windows might not be made for OS X, there may be a similar product that does run on OS X. However, if you find yourself unable to switch software, installing Windows on a Mac is now a possibility.
(Credit goes to Engadget for the image of Windows XP on an iMac.)