View Full Version : Dell wants to sell OSX
hagbard
May 5th, 2006, 08:08 PM
So, I just listened to a PC Magazine interview with Michael Dell, and he sounds like he'd like to be selling OSX on Dell machines. This seems like the way for Apple to go, compete with Microsoft headon and see who wins. Should help MS as well to deflect charges that they're a monopoly in the OS business.
ProfessorChaos
May 5th, 2006, 08:12 PM
So, I just listened to a PC Magazine interview with Michael Dell, and he sounds like he'd like to be selling OSX on Dell machines. This seems like the way for Apple to go, compete with Microsoft headon and see who wins. Should help MS as well to deflect charges that they're a monopoly in the OS business.
I dont know how you are going to port osx x86 to work flawlessly dell machines....because from osx x86....it seems extremely picky on hardware...so thats just bs.
p.s. theres quite a difference between "like to be" and actually doing....for example....i'd like to be driving a mclaren slr or carrera gt....but im not.
mlerner
May 5th, 2006, 08:16 PM
I dont know how you are going to port osx x86 to work flawlessly dell machines....because from osx x86....it seems extremely picky on hardware...so thats just bs.
p.s. theres quite a difference between "like to be" and actually doing....for example....i'd like to be driving a mclaren slr or carrera gt....but im not.
It can be ported to work on a generic PC, the only thing stopping it is driver support. If Apple and Dell worked together, they would be able to develop a set of drivers for their machines and then they could support OS X on Dell machines.
Jon Lai
May 5th, 2006, 08:18 PM
This sounds unlikely and not possible at the moment, but I would agree that it would rock if it did happen. I could imagine my whole house filled with Dells at that point in time.
hagbard
May 5th, 2006, 11:36 PM
I believe that OSX on PCs is the future.
CoinSaver
May 6th, 2006, 10:39 AM
This is actually very old news.
When Apple first announced they were moving to Intel, almost a year ago, Michael Dell said that he would be interested in selling OS X on Dell computers.
He recently stated the same thing again.
Looking at all the massive discounts and the slowing down in sales at Dell, it looks like they maybe starting to feel some pressure.
Do I think that Dell is about to go under? Not even close. Do I think they are not increasing at the rate they have been expected to? Yes.
Combine this with the delay in Vista and the report from Gardner that Vista will be even later than January, and you can see why Dell might want to look at another OS.
milhaus
May 6th, 2006, 11:23 AM
I believe that OSX on PCs is the future.
I believe God created the world in seven days. Your above statement is just as likely to be true. Take that as you will . . . :cheesygri
ynchu
May 6th, 2006, 12:54 PM
I believe DOS on all PC is the future.
Evil Baby
May 6th, 2006, 01:08 PM
I wish this would happen. I dont' even like OSX, but competition is always a good thing. Look at the browswer wars back when and now. Great products are coming out and I'm actually pretty excited to see what M$ has to offer. Probably still wont switch from Opera but hopefully it will be a nice browser.
M$ needs somebody snipping at their heals.
jason9945
May 6th, 2006, 05:33 PM
I'd buy that!
Sounds great.
rabbit
May 7th, 2006, 04:37 AM
Yeah, and if Mac OS ever became #1, watch all the Apple fanboys run for the hills when they beloved OS is hit with various malware :D.
IronMac
May 7th, 2006, 05:55 AM
Yeah, and if Mac OS ever became #1, watch all the Apple fanboys run for the hills when they beloved OS is hit with various malware :D.
So, you live in the hills now? :D
Seriously, I think that the odds of the Mac OS ever becoming #1 is nil or it's going to take a long long long time to do so. Windows is too well-entrenched and there is always a good possibility that other markets such as Asia will take up less expensive operating systems.
FastFokker
May 7th, 2006, 08:42 AM
I love OSx, but I can't see them selling it on PC's.. it will just kill the Mac hardware lines.
Apple was brilliant to jump on the bandwagon of having Mac's run WinXP (and/or OSx).. that's going to allow them to make a comeback. It'll swallow up people like me who were on the fence.. now I'm not.
I don't get tired of these idiotic Mac vs. PC arguments.. both have their place. In my opinion OSX is superior in quality and performance, while Windows owns the entire market.. so support and products are unending.
I enjoy OSx, but I couldn't give up Windows.
hardcoredummy
May 7th, 2006, 10:04 AM
I dont know how you are going to port osx x86 to work flawlessly dell machines....because from osx x86....it seems extremely picky on hardware...so thats just bs.
Um the only reason why it seems 'picky' is because Apple hasn't gotten drivers for much of the Dell hardware. :rolleyes:
Evil Baby
May 7th, 2006, 11:03 AM
So, you live in the hills now? :D
Seriously, I think that the odds of the Mac OS ever becoming #1 is nil or it's going to take a long long long time to do so. Windows is too well-entrenched and there is always a good possibility that other markets such as Asia will take up less expensive operating systems.
Unless mac allows some clones at lower end prices it will never happen. Companies buy way too many computers and I don't think they can afford the premium on the mac.
I just did a quick lookup on Dell and on Mac.
OptiPlex 170L Celeron
Intel® Celeron® D Processor 335 (2.80GHz, 256KB, 533MHz FSB), Genuine Windows® XP Professional, SP2, with Media (English)
618.00 + tax
--------------------------
Mac mini 1.5GHz Intel Core Solo
$699.00 + tax
both pretty compariable if you ask me, but the extra $80 before tax can really add up if you're buying a few hundred or thousand computers. This is also before any dell day specials or any discount either company may offer for bulk orders.
I'm not sure if Microsoft office has different prices for osx and xp but I'm goign to assume it doesn't. MS excel is essential to any business. Also I'm not sure Microsoft Project is offered on OSX.
on a side note. Does anybody know if you can write excel macros in vb for OSX and if so, will they work on a windows machine?