Dvorak: Could Apple let OS X run on all PCs?

I generally dislike Dvorak, he is casually annoying and insultingly brash, regularly a mindless Mac basher but he has always hated those things Apple does that truly deserve it as many of us do. While I won't sing his praises and don't think the situation is either as arcane or simplistic as he makes out I think he's right about what would happen in the market if it were released to the general public, Apple has nowhere to go but up. They certainly would not sell fewer computers than they do now, it cracks open and puts a foot in the door to the pc world that is absolutely closed to them now in 9.6 out of 10 installation.

How does this guy still have a job? It's so simple! If you could install OSX on anything, billions in hardware sales would be at risk. It doesn't take a genius to understand that. Why can't I install the Nokia interface on my Motorola phone 'cause I like it more?

Apple controls everything 'cause it's part of the experience and they want that experience to be great. Running on a cheap PC, with drivers missing for hardware components will not convince anyone to switch.

I kinda agree with Dvorak... okay, I feel dirty just typing that. But, I don't think it'll happen the way he says. I believe that Apple will need to first raise their marketshare to the point that they could survive off of just software sales. If they can do that, they'll open the OS to work on all x86 boxes. Then, they'll be able to make the shift from being a hardware company that sells software to a software company that sells hardware.

IMHO, Apple doesn't need to make it impossible to run OS X on any Intel... they will just make it annoying enough that REAL users won't bother trying to hack together their OS to get it to work on their Dell... knowing that any and every upgrade may hose their system or permanently disable OS X.

I also dislike Dvorak, but he makes an interesting point.

All this talk and speculation about Apple allowing Mac OS X to run on Dull PCs is pure, unadulterated, wishful thinking on the part of PC owners (and pirates used to stealing MS Windows). Apple and Jobs have repeatedly said that only Apple-made Intel Macs will run their crown jewel. I cannot fathom why people continue to insist that Apple doesn't mean it unless they are in complete denial.

As much as I hate to say it... one way Apple could prevent the upcoming 10.5 from just being installed on any mac and or potentially PC is to have a serial number requirement... I mean I know in the past... I have put Jaguar, Panther and Tiger on a number of my own home macs and laptops from the same Installer Disc/Discs. This would allow each and every sale of a new boxed OS to get a profit and less likely to be duped on many machines, but also... if they allow regular PC installs, this would prevent rabid pirating as each computer, be it mac or pc could be authorized like the iTunes accounts do.

Here is to hoping Apple can open up their OS to any PC... unsupported at first for the most part as their Support Department would not be able to handle the potentially huge increase in users on intel boxen, but also... that it does not hurt their current hardware sales... Folks buy a Mac for design and quality... that is pretty much most of the current mac base market, but if they priced their new Macintels just a little over the intel boxen... to give them a good profit, but yet be competitative in terms of Apple being nicer, better quality and only a little more... then I could see this working.

that is my 2 cents.

Anyone notice that at 12:01 EST that Apple's stock is up 89 cents or so... wonder if this has any relation to the buyers feelings on the continued rumors, and or opinions of the next OS X to run on most regular Intel Boxen.

It's probably due to Apple decimating Sony in online music sales in Japan.

Dvorak's almost-perfect track record of being WRONG ABOUT EVERYTHING having to do with Macs assures me that if he says something will go THIS way, there's a better-than-95% chance it will go THAT way. So, no portable OS X for PCs. Whew.

I wish I could take John Dvorak to the track. I'd be rich.

Why is it that everyone seems to think that every future Mac sale would be scuttled to buy a PC? People who are vested in Macs and like them will suddenly go buy the cheapest Dell? What logic is telling you that a huge portion of the 4.5 % they have in the US is buying Macs because they are forced to and they are ready to dump them to buy PCs? Loyal, happy Mac customers will remain just that. People are switching everyday so the marketshare grows, are they buying on price? Do you think that every PC sold is a bargain basement model? Those who are spending $1500 - 2 Gs on a PC would still be potential Apple hardware customers. Apple stuff is cool, people want it, it would cost them little to expose OS X to vast numbers of users who have never even seen a Mac. Maybe the hardware weenies on this board would try to minimize investment and tweak away but many average consumers will buy the name brand, if they know it exists.