My first impulse when I read about BootCamp was to check the date and make certain that it was not posted April 1, 2006.
It seems that Apple will be helping it’s Intel based users run Windows XP:
To broaden its appeal in a Windows-dominated world, Apple Computer Inc. unveiled software Wednesday to help owners of its new Intel-based Macs run not only its own operating system but also Microsoft Corp.'s rival software. [link]
Another quote:
"It makes the Mac the most versatile computer on the market," said Tim Bajarin, a tech industry consultant at Creative Strategies.[link]
What makes it any more versatile than a grey box AMD machine running XP Pro and Ubuntu… oh wait - better yet, just send me an Ubuntu bootable LIVE CD for my AMD running XP Pro and who’s got the bigger (and cleaner) rig now?
Here are some other observations from around the way:
Dan Gillmore writes: My main worry is that the notoriously porous (to malware) Windows partitions will give the bad guys access to the Mac partitions, which so far are almost entirely free of the malware that afflicts the Windows community. Macs are getting the attention of the malevolent hackers, though, and will soon enough be facing at least some of the virus/worm/trojan/etc. woes. Mac users shouldn't be cocky.
Ujwal Tickoo writes: The three reasons behind this strategic move from Apple seem to be:
- Increase the sales of Intel based Mac computers and improve Apple Mac's market share
- Help interested Windows users switch to the "cooler" Mac Hardware while continuing to use their Windows software and data.
- Allow existing Mac users to use software, utilities, and games available on Windows and therefore not dump the Macintosh.
Om Malik mused: …Apple HQ has a sick sense of humor… Sick as in making people up north sick. The release of Boot Camp, a small application that allows you to install and use Windows XP on a Mac (running Intel chips of course) is proof that one should never ever believe what Apple says. After all for the longest time, the company issued half-hearted denials about no-interest in having Windows run on a Mac. Yeah right - that’s like saying that Steve Jobs has a wardrobe full of rainbow colored mock-neck sweaters.