Michael Dell wants Apple inside
By Barb Dybwad 
posted Jun 16th 2005 12:40PM
posted Jun 16th 2005 12:40PM
So there have long been rumors that some unnamed PC makers have been interested in licensing OS X, and now at least Michael Dell has officially gone on record to say that his company would be happy to offer the Macintosh operating system to its customers — marking the first time a PC industry exec has officially shown interest in licensing OS X for its boxes. At the moment, Steve Jobs is still saying he has no plans to license OS X to PC manufacturers — but then again, he's famous for denying this stuff until the day they announce they're actually doing it.
Come on. Micheal Dell is known for saying things just to get better prices. Maybe his contract with Microsoft is about to end and he wants some discounts for not using Apple.
not even going to comment on the title...must resist.
Glad I'm not the only one who thought the title was an unusual choice.
This could mark the beginning of the end of M$. With Dell's market share, this could actually happen. Not that it would happen overnight of course, but maybe 3-4 years down the road Apple could have 10-15% market share. I guess I can dream.
Intel Macs is one thing, OS X on Dells is a whole different ballpark as you yanks like to say. No doubt it'd be easy to setup, but with Apple planning to introduce special chips that don't allow Windows to run on non-Apple hardware, don't count on any general PC-wide release.
Also, that picture is remarkably sleazy! CEOs that pretend to do exercise give me the creeps.
Considering the number of corporate IT departments that buy all their desktops and laptops from Dell, this would be huge.
I love Apple-manufactured boxes, and personally would continue to buy my Mac OS machines from Apple, but it would be great if I could have my work machine running the same OS, even if it wasn't the same box.
if Steve Jobs is denying it, it can't be true...
...if it was true, Steve wouldn't say much and let his lawyers do the talking via lawsuits to sites posting this news!
People forget that Apple thinks of itself as a hardware company, not a software company. I don't see this happening unless Apple is really on the fence financially.
Two words:
Apple sucks.
I think this could hurt Apple in the long run. Sure they will have their precious OSX on a large market of computers, but that could lead to viruses, spam and other things that Apple-ites aren't used too. Apples are only semi-immune because they have such a small market share. Up the market share, up the problems. Plus I don't honestly think Apple could keep up with constantly updating their OS. Not that M$ is doing such a great job keeping up, but they at least have deep pockets to keep trying.
They would have to build seperate cases for the Mac Dells. Then only have the dell name on a sticker near the PSU. Otherwise it would defile the mac cleanliness look.
Im thinking a G5 case with a pearl white finish would look very nice.
This would definitely not be a good move for Apple, remember the cheap grey boxes they licenced before the return of Steve Jobs? Nuff said...
Apple is all about the complete experience, not only the OS or only the computer. I even get the chills from seeing an HP branded iPod, let alone a Dell running MacOS :)
for the real OSX experiance:
http://www.wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,63456,00.html
And from this very site.. Faking OSX at home:
http://www.engadget.com/entry/8828351836181248/
Deuce, NO NO NO. Security is not related to marketshare. If Apple's marketshare goes up that does not mean that the amount of viruses and exploits goes up as well. I can't believe how many times people parade around this myth. Windows is inherently more insecure than OS X so even if OS X had the same marketshare it would have less viruses.
If marketshare equals viruses than why does something like Apache have so few exploits but Microsoft's IIS has plenty?
This claim that Macs would get more viruses if they had more marketshare is unfounded and people should stop parading it around.
kudos to #8. apple is foremost a hardware company... hardware first, pretty OS wrapper next. there's a great article that Neal Stephenson (Cryptonomicon) has posted about this on his website about the OS industry here:
http://www.cryptonomicon.com/beginning.html
pretty interesting read that's fairly on mark, considering it was put together sometime late 1999.
seriously doubt that Apple will license the Tiger/Panther OS. it would be antithetical to their internal QC and micromanagment of every process mentatlity.
i think the promise of a 3ghz G5 laptop has really gotten Jobs geared up... he doesn't like the idea of not delivering what he promises. with intel, i really see a g5 powerbook in the near future.
to really do it right, it will probably launch as a tablet first, another area that Gates hasn't managed to really put his finger on quite right...
wonder what they'll name it... tBook, tewton, T5, Titan G5, iTablet, Tiblio, blah...
Michael Dell is a Wintel whore. I'll believe it when he ships an AMD64 machine running OSX. Eond of story.
Hey Conrad Quilty-Harper,
We yanks don't say "a whole different ballpark" as much as we say "a whole different ballgame."
Cheers
I personally think it would be a great move for Apple. As for Steve Jobs not licensing OSX to other companies....HAHAHA I have never laughed so hard. If Apple ever had a chance to stick it to Microsoft now is the time.
two words:
max sucks (no, not macs, #9)
You people who say Apple is just a hardware company:
What about QuickTime, Final Cut, DVD Studio, iTunes, iLife (iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD and GarageBand), iWork. And if you think an OS is just a "pretty wrapper" then you have no freakin' idea how many SOFTWARE engineers it takes to put an OS together.
Idiots.
Sure everything is still up in the air ... but HIP HIP HURRAY! HIP HIP HURRAY! HIP HIP HURRAY!
I love the claims that Apple would gain this huge market share if Dell started selling the Apple OS on it's machines. One of the reasons Dell is so successfuly in the business world is because they sell MICROSOFT based machines. Do you think a Fortune 100 company is going to buy a unit from Dell just because they are Dell? No, they bought it because it was a low cost machine that ran WINDOWS. Sure, Dell could probably increase the number of Apple based computers in the market, but it would not change the current OS climate....
Phillip: Terrance what color is the Wind?
Terrance: I don't know Phillip. Why don't you find out?
(Terrance: {{{{FART}}}}} )
Phillip: I do believe you farted Terrance...A ha haha hahaha
"Also, that picture is remarkably sleazy! CEOs that pretend to do exercise give me the creeps." (blockquote html is stripped)
Actually, Austin is the fittest city in the country, and it is a well-known fact that Michael Dell doesn't even use a chair at his desk. He prefers to stand.
I'm pretty sure he is very fit.
Two words:
Macs suck (no, not Max, #9)
"If marketshare equals viruses than why does something like Apache have so few exploits but Microsoft's IIS has plenty?"
From Secunia:
IIS 6 = 3 advisories
Apache 2.x = 24 advisories
why would apple kill its image and pricing structure.
dell offers 750 off 1500 coupons from time to time. apple never offers any kind of discout.
lastly dell says things like this a lot. last time i believe when intel was having problems with their chip, he said something about using amd chips. in a few months intel miracuously had all 64 bit problems solved and was probably getting a fat discount.
This would kill Apple. Why would anyone, except some apple fanboys and rich designer types, want an apple machine when you can get the big apple advantage(great OS) from dell for 1/3 - 1/4 the price. No Way. Once you combine an intel box and Mac OS all Apple has left is the pretty container. Steve jobs certainly values design and the branding implications of having some great hardware but he isn't about to go out ruin his company to try to prove that given the choice people will vote with their eyeballs instead of the wallets.
I know this much, I want two things ATM (among other stuff, of course!): OS X on my generic PC, and a tablet PC.
Thanks to Dell's and Apple's intransigence, neither will be getting my money for now (anyway, I already have enough Dell-branded stuff as it is). My tablet will be IBM, and I'll pir8 OS X when it's finally leaked. Are you reading this, Steve? Piracy is legal in my country. Ah well, c'est la guerre. =)
One of the reasons Dell is so successfuly in the business world is because they sell MICROSOFT based machines.
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Do you even know what a Monopoly is?? The reason MS is the standard is not because its great, it's because there are no other options.. thats the monopoly..
The day OS X can be run on the exact same hardware as Windows.. is the day that MS starts working for their $$$
it's called competition and it's no where to be seen.. yet..
#33 i wonder if you know anything about market competition!!
M$ had a competition. it was APPLE. not so long ago 20 years back apple and m$ had their oses. now you tell me what happened back then. why did m$ become such a huge company. its because WINDOWS IS SUPPERIOR IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE.
btw m$ even saved apples's ass from being bankcrupt in 1997. might want to read up on it. Google.com
now go suck something and stop bothering everyone with useless comments.
#35 Right on! Not to mention that Apple are greedy goats and wont license their crap to anybody (not that anybody cares anymore, haha)
Mac computers are only good for 3 types of people:
1. Dumb people who only know how to point and click.
2. Students who only know to point and click and need to type up their papers and surf the net.
3. People who do graphic design and video editing work.
I guess there is a 4th type:
4. People who have more money than they know what to do with and like "pretty" computers with nice, shiny, stainless steel casing.
Hey Max, I understand that you don't like Apple. I can even agree with you right now on that fact cause my Powerbook is headed south really fast right now. I am pissed about that and even the fact that I can't get a 2ghz Powerbook yet :(
But can you name 4 really good cases that Microsoft or even a Linux variant has over Apple?
Back to the main topic.....
I think it would be great for Dell to offer OS X as a option to people. Cheap systems running a solid operating system is what will definitely give Microsoft a swift kick in the butt and hopefully have them pump out a better OS than what they currently have. But Apple's operating model is not gear'd towards doing this. Now that they are going to run on the x86 architecture, they may actually change their operating model to allow some company's to manufacture and sell a variant of OS X. But as long as Apple continues to sell their "own" hardware, this will most likely not happen.
I think Sony would be before any windows based pc maker in delivering Mac OS on their systems. i think once this transistion to Intel processors is complete they will make a deal with Sony to let them use the Mac OS software..but surly not Dell