Microsoft demoes Vista... on an iMac
By Ryan Block 
posted January 29th 2007 8:50PM
posted January 29th 2007 8:50PM
[Thanks, Geezer]
Update: VGTV let us know it's not as bad as it looks for Microsoft: "[The iMac] belongs to the TV channel that staged the programme, and it was used because it was the only available computer with Vista on it at the time." Wait, so Microsoft showed up to do a TV demo of Vista... without their own machine? That's almost worse than deliberately bringing an Apple box; still, nothing we said was incorrect, Espen did indeed demo Vista on an iMac, which we now know he must not have been thrilled about.
I guess they needed Vista to actually work on something.
MS is a SOFTWARE company. They do not care what HW you use b/c they still sell SW licenses. While Apple is completely vertically integrated, MS is not. MS normally relies on the other PC makers. This is more of an issue for Apple, though they don't seem to care as indicated by the creation of Bootcamp.
Apple in turn doesn't care because it is a HARDWARE company.
I'm tired of hearing the two camps bash each other. Can't we just get along? Yes we can.
Yes we can get along...as soon as Apple makes Final Cut Studio available for the PC.
1) Apple doesnt care because bootcamp= money (switchers who still want xp)
2) M$ is a software company but using a iMac sort of promotes OS X
3) Why the hell is this more of a problem for Apple?
nothing new here, I've had vista on my imac for about 4 days now (using it right now) only problems so far are the keyboard shortcuts on the apple bluetooth keyboard (brightness volume and eject) don't work and bizarrely the bluetooth doesn't work (even though it recognizes the bluetooth mighty mouse and keyboard).
Who gives a shit? Honestly. An iMac is no different than any other PC other than it's case and the design of the physical system.
And EFI, not having BIOS is a major step forward that only a very small handful of PC manufacturers have taken.
Just get a Mac and dual boot XP/Vista/whatever and Mac OS X, or use Parallels. The new Mac Pros are really, really nice systems. You won't regret getting one.
well it could be an indication of things to come for apple. if apple dumped their operating system and just became a hardware manufacturer, they would make a lot more money. If a mac came preloaded with windows vista id buy it in a heartbeat its great hardware. the software must b expensive to develop. and windows obviously works on macs (pictur and bootcamp) so wouldnt it b a great idea?
Microsoft demoes its OS and uses a PC to do that. Well, Microsoft can use any PC to demo. Because it's not PC firm. So they chose a PC for demo. Whatever. iMac is a PC which can be installed Windows. Isn't it? What's big deal?
Yes I will. I'll regret having spent the money on a computer which I could build for less money myself.
An overpriced computer just to run one program that has similar counterparts for the PC, let me think... no.
Personally, I believe that native support of OSX is worth the perceived extra you pay for a mac.
You generally don't pay that much more, if any, for a mac vs. PCs of the same specs. The problem is that the specs are always relatively nice.
I can't wait for 8 core Mac Pros. I just wish I could afford one. :P
Stay out of this two-way fanboy fight, Linux!
No way is this more of a problem for Apple then MS. And even though you were correct on how MS doesn't make hardware (oh wait..that Zune thing..that failed, you get my drift), you would NEVER see Bill Gates using an Apple monitor for anything he would do publicly.
*rolls eyes* Dude this argument is about as dead as arguing about the USSR and how its going to kick the US's ass.
If you take a comparison of prices at most you are spending a few hundred more for a Mac and that is made up in the fact that there is actually useful software on the thing. Vs. Dell's lets load 50 demo and lite packages on XP instead of full blown software packages.
seriously. If you are going to hack on the platform find a legit grip. Maybe the learing curve for figuring out OS X after switching from Windows? God knows Finder still makes me want to vomit every time I use it, look at it, think about it, etc. But price? Whatever.
This is an expected move on Apple's part ever since they launched bootcamp to allow Windows to run on Mac hardware.
Oh come on. I'm actually tired of people bashing every article Engadget puts up. You're missing the point of the post, which is: it is ironic that Microsoft promotes their software on their competitor's hardware. They are promoting their OSX competitor on the only machine OSX runs on.
The point people are trying to make is that the Apple *hardware* is not a competitor to Microsoft's *software*. OS X is Vista's competitor but a Mac is just another Intel box. You still have to buy a copy of Vista to run it on a Mac so they really could care less.
Maybe for you but not having a bios is a major issue for me.....
fyi, I use final cut pro every day in class for editing, so I have a grip on how both OSes work. I would much rather build myself a better quality PC for half the price a mac with the same specs. Also, I don't want to buy a big expensive package bundled with the computer with every media software they make. I would respect apple alot more if I could build an intel pc, buy OSX in the store and whatever software I want for it seperately, and install it on my own pc. What I like about pc's and windows is the choice and customizability. I get cheaper costs and get a higher quality product in the end by choosing the specific hardware and software from a vast veriety of choises that I want for my computer. You just can't do that with a mac.
While I also find it odd, at least they have good taste
From what I've seen in NZ, Vista Home basic is just like XP with an ugly skin, and Google search desktop. Do any of the Bill gates On-Demand Webcasts work on mac? Both Safari and Firefox quit when I click on them...
Well how about the explanation that the tv-company supplied the hardware - which would be likely since media is a Apple stronghold.
Or maybe MS found the AIO formfactor rather nice because it can be easily moved.
Vista doesn't even run on default configured Mac Pros... Unless you consider 640x480 w/ 4-bit color max 'running.'
I keep telling people microsoft owns apple.
I have heard from a person that works at apple, that microsoft purchased apple something similar to how hp purvhased compaq.
Dont believe me-eventually it will come out.
That has got to be the dumbest thing I've heard in a long time. It is stunning in it's stupidity. Seriously.
Bus since you don't seem to know the basics of how businesses work, here goes... Microsoft and Apple are publicly traded corporations. BY LAW, they would have to report a merger or buyout. The idea of some super secret deal where Microsoft bought Apple is ludicrous. In fact, they have to report even a large stock purchase (which would be required to actually buy a public company). All of this is common sense... there are millions of Apple stock holders (the actual owners of the company). They would have to be notified AND/OR bought out.
And for another thing, how exactly do you think Microsoft would hide an 80 BILLION dollar purchase??
You really need to get a clue/stop tweaking. Seriously.
But bootcamp only supports XP SP2, it must have been a hazzle to install it on an IMAC without removing all other OS'
From the latest version bootcamp has supported vista. Though it doesn't say it on the tin. I'm running vista on my iMac, and it was no hassle whatsoever.
@Shell:
That isn't "a PC hooked up to a iMac monitor". The entire iMac is inside that case behind the LCD panel.
As a Norwegian I can tell you that not _once_ do they mention that they are using an iMac. They just demo Vista as if they are using any old PC to do it.
But hey, who can blame them. It's not their fault all other PC manufacturers out there have their head stuck up in their ATX-ass. The iMac is currently the most beautiful PC outthere. (Save maybe for some Vaio thingys, but we don't get those beauties in Norway anyhow)
-C-
Why would Microsoft care? The point of the demo was to show Vista. The fact that it runs on Macs, while MacOS X does NOT run on other PCs is a selling point for Windows, not the other way around. And Microsoft makes money on each copy of the OS they sell, not on the hardware on which it's running.
They don't care what Windows is running on - as long as it's installed and running.
This is only an issue for the Mac fans, really, because it leaves the impression that iMacs run Windows Vista.
I duel boot my MacBook Pro 2.33Ghz. PC Games running native on XP and Mac OS X for everything else.
For me, it's the perfect machine. Thinking of maybe adding another partition to play around with some variant of Linux. I'm also a happy owner of a DELL on which I do occasional web developement work on. I think a variety of options is a good thing and we're lucky to have three really cool operating systems to choose from.
Who cares what they demo it on, if it works, it works.