On Tuesday, the first Apple computers with Intel chips were announced. This was big news for Apple fans as it meant that the computers would run a lot faster than the previous computers based on IBM’s PowerPC chips. However, it does present one problem–hackers have already figured out how to run OS X on Windows-based PCs.
I love Apple hardware, so I will probably stick to buying Apple computers. However, I am worried about the longterm effects of having OS X available on Windows-based computers. I am also worried about the effects of being able to dualboot Windows on Apple computers. What effects will this have on security? What about the effects on specialized markets like Mac Gaming–will it destroy that industry if people can just boot into Windows to play games?
Ultimately, only time will tell the effects of switching. It could be limited to the area of hackers or it could be a fullblown solution. As I have already said, the strength of the Apple platform is the abiliity to control everything–only a few types of PCs, Apple-developed software, etc. As for now, I will stick with my PowerPC based computers and see what the future holds for the Apple platform.
