[appleLove]

Or do I have to buy the CD to install the software in order to use bootcamp? Help me out please, I'm kinda confused with this whole bootcamp thing. Thank you.

[griffman]

Windows is not included with OS X. Boot Camp is simply a technology that allows the installation of Windows on a Mac.
-rob.

[marlon1985]

sorry if getting out of topic I do onw a old (first version ) of XP and for some reason I can not install it I'm using bootcamp and the error I got is something about "CAN'T FIND OR RECONIZED THE CD" my Xp cd should be ok cause I used it to install in an old laptop. thank s for your help

[Reboot]

It needs to be SP2 (Service Pack 2.) The original XP SP1 release won't work.

There is a method called slipstreaming to convert an SP1 to SP2, it's easily Googled, I don't have a link handy.

[spiderbat]

A large part of Mac users, like me, prefer NOT having that other os on their machines, and would be totally outraged if buying a new Mac would automatically imply paying for it. Such things happen even with Linux users and, if I remember well, some time ago a customer in Australia, who had purchased a laptop with that os pre-installed and didn't wish to use it, sued the computer company and got back the money spent for the unwanted piece of c..., pardon, sw.
Moreover, bundling that os with every machine would be a very silly move from Apple: their stance on operating systems cannot be other than "Mac OS X is superior"; therefore, why shoud they provide an inferior alternative with all their machines?
That said, I'm conscious that some Mac users may have some reason to keep a foot in the muddy side of personal computing and I wouldn't object if Apple would help them, as it has already done with Bootcamp, on this issue on an optional basis.

[MacCheetah3]

Hi
I use nLite to slipstream the XP SP2 installation, IE7 installation, and newer drivers onto my Windows XP installation discs.

[marlon1985]

I agree with you, about mac I'm a mac lover since the day my wife introduced to me about two years ago. but I have ONE very important software that I use very often for church and so far I don't think will be available for mac, thats why I still have a WINDOWS laptop but is giving on me... the battery wont charge anymore and the power cord is having some problem, so I respect the way you feel about this topic, but at the same time some people out there NEED to run some programs in the crappy OS as you called it.............thank you for your opinion....good day Sr

[spiderbat]

I couldn't agree more with you. The ability to run other operating systems of the intel Macs is very positive, since:
- there are, alas, some applications that simply aren't available for the Mac platform, e.g., in my area of interest, many development environments for programmable logic chips or microprocessors, and virtualization allows to dispense with the cost and inconvenience of a second dedicated machine.
- it has contributed to clear some doubts that former users of the other platform might have about trying the Mac.
On the other hand, I doubt that that other os might be such an essential requirement for the buyers of new Macs to justify a generalized, forced bundling with the hardware.

[Quietus_Prime]

On the other hand, Apple may, in the future, sell some Macs with only Windows. That will give users an additional option and a way to exponentially increase the Mac market. Let's face it you do not need Boot Camp to install Windows; you need it only to safely partition your hard disk.

Many people want a very cool looking laptop but not necessarily Mac OS. Other people want a not so cool looking PC but the ease of use of Mac OS. The latter may not happen as Apple is not saying anything about running Mac OS on non-Apple hardware.

Personally I want the most reliable hardware to run my OS's. So far, Mac hardware does the best at running Windows so my next Windows PC will be a Macintosh. Very dead serious about this statement.

[spiderbat]

If you think that Mac hardware is the best one to run even that other os, your choice is perfectly rational.
On your forecast about Apple selling computer hardware (note, not Macs anymore, at least by my point of view) with that os only pre-installed, as Doris Day used to sing: "the future's not ours to see". Anyway, I don't believe it very probable, at least in the near future: the reasons that make a Mac palatable to a purchaser are (I'm not implying that the following statements are 100% true, but that they are perceived this way by those who choose a Mac)
1- they have a nicer appearance
2- their hw is better (features, speed, reliability...)
3- they run an exclusive OS that has many advantages.

Of these arguments, the third one has always been and is, by far, the most important one for the majority of users and the only one that might contribute to a significant increase of Apple's market share in this sector (it already happened for laptops). Selling computers without Mac OS X wouldn't make any great difference in hw sales, but would probably harm the perception of Apple's OS.
Finally, the user who purchased a Mac to run that other os will look around, at the next hw purchase, and make her/his choice in the whole array of computer manufacturers, while an user who wants to run Mac OS X will go directly to Apple (assumed that Apple will not license Mac OS X to run on different hw, but this is another story...).

[Quietus_Prime]

Spiderbat,

First, let me say something about the original post: no Macs do not come with a bundled copy of Windows. On the other hand people can pickup a perfectly legal copy of Windows Vista at lower price than retail at www.newegg.com. I would recommend Vista Home Premium for most users but if you need to have all the business tools pick the Business edition. Make sure that you buy the copies labeled "OEM" or "for System Builders."

As for the points you bring up they are very valid (it is hard to find a die-hard Mac loyalist with valid and coherent points!), but I will remark on a couple of things.

=> On the hardware side, there is no difference between Macs and PC's any longer. I do think that the PC market is where it should be when it comes down to hardware: the basics are pretty much the same across the board (processors, hard disks, memory, etc) and everyone builds on top of that which is what Apple does with its computer offerings

=> At some point Apple should start selling hardware pre-installed with Windows only when, and only when, they can be safe that they will not kill the Mac OS that they worked so hard to advance all these years. Once Apple has established Mac OS as a leader both on the business and home fronts, then Apple can safely start putting Windows on its hardware. Probably we will see a version of Mac OS X for the rest of the PC's first

=> You are right about the fact that Mac OS is far easier to use than Windows (although Windows has come along very nicely over the years) and Apple should bank on that to start selling Mac OS on, say, Dell, HP, or any other brand they choose to partner with. One thing needs to be very clear though: Apple needs to create standards by which other companies have to use to sell Mac OS X if it wants to avoid what happened with Dell and Red Hat. I do believe that Red Hat did not put any effort in build selling guideline for Dell to follow hence the low selling of Linux bundled Dell computers

I think there is enough to cover with all I wrote above. Bottom line Apple is not bundling Windows with its PC's but expect to see it in the future.

PS: I am officially kidding right now so,spyderbat, come on just say it once "Microsoft Windows." Come on say it together with me "Microsoft Windows." At the count of three: one... two... THREE... "Microsoft Windows."

Happy New Year to all who read this from the military reservation at Fort Knox, KY.

[marlon1985]

Thanks to every body for your help, I used Nlite and it work like a champ.... tahnks againg:^0