Apple halts Boot Camp downloads ahead of Leopard's release

With just three days to go before Leopard hits the scene, Apple's gone ahead and made Boot Camp unavailable to download -- a move that shouldn't surprise anyone, because we knew it was coming the day Leopard was announced. Tiger users with Boot Camp partitions who aren't ready to make the leap to Leopard can rest easy, however, since existing Boot Camp installations will continue to work fine -- but you'll still be riding dirty since the beta license technically expires on Friday with Leopard's release. Again, none of this is a surprise at all, but it still would have been nice for Apple to let people know they'd be pulling the download -- if you haven't snagged a copy by now, you're stuck paying the $129 for Leopard.

[Nick @ Oct 23rd 2007 6:40PM]

Hello Demonoid :)

[Sam @ Oct 23rd 2007 6:44PM]

You don't need to pirate bootcamp. I just downloaded Boot Camp from softpedia :)

[Jonny @ Oct 23rd 2007 6:40PM]

It "would have been nice for Apple to let people know they'd be pulling the download?" Hello, it is released in 3 days! Are they supposed to have a press release or something? It's not like they pulled it a month early or something.

[Paul @ Oct 23rd 2007 7:41PM]

@adriangrab The gmail example is horrible for an entire list of reasons, here are the ones that I can think of off the top of my head: 90% of online email is already free, you have important emails stored in gmail that would be lost if you decided not to pay, you can just switch to a free alternative if they really did do that, most google apps stay in beta for a long ass time.

Now, a more apt example would be something like a game you beta test for free, then the beta test ends, and.... oh yeah, YOU BUY IT.

[Sam_Smith @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:58PM]

well, they kinda did pull it early. They removed their download about a week ago when I went to re-download it (to fix a messed up XP install) and all the links i found on the interwebs were redirected to the leopard page. I had to go to a 3rd party to find a download link.

[James @ Oct 23rd 2007 6:43PM]

Beta test. Beta testing ends. Now you need to pay.

This is typical software development, yet I sense of a slew of "anti-apple" comments coming.

[easymac30 @ Oct 23rd 2007 6:54PM]

HEY!

Don't apply logic to this!

People that want to hate Apple will always find reasons to hate Apple.

Leave the trolls to it.

[Ron @ Oct 23rd 2007 7:19PM]

I dont hate apple, but perhaps maybe sometimes people dont like to shell out more money for something they have?

And even if apple just lets people use the beta version (halting development) should they have like 299+ other "new features" over tiger to convince someone to buy it?

[adriangrab @ Oct 23rd 2007 7:21PM]

Gmail is still in "beta" mode. So what would you think if Google pulled it out of beta and said that you can only use Gmail if you purchase it along with the Google Toolbar for $129? I don't think anyone would accept this. Just like people should not accept what Apple is doing.

I'm not one to complain about corporate greed (I work for corporations, and I think they're fantastic), but I have to say that Apple has become increasingly consumer unfriendly as its success grows. I used to be a huge Apple fanboy; now I can't even bring myself to buy a new ipod. It's clear that consumers are becoming more aware of this (such as with all of the press around the iPhone locking) and Apple will see a backlash.

[FrannckyB @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:05PM]

adriangrab, that example doesn't apply, since bootcamp still works if you have it installed.

Nothing wrong here in my book. It's more along the lines of if Gmail became a commercial product and you needed to pay for a NEW account, while leaving previous accounts alone.

[jere @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:24PM]

@adriangrab

What about with halo 3? First they have the multiplayer beta which doesn't cost anything to join (unless you bought crackdown but thats different). Is it unfair that they then make you pay for the entire game to get the multiplayer? (It's not a perfect analogy, but you get the idea).

[Michael La Framboise @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:53PM]

@adriangrab

BOO HOO HOO WHINY WHINY WHINY - Apple made it perfectly clear from the very beginning that Boot Camp will be a part of Leopard and there will be no support for Tiger. Also why should Apple be bothered with supporting Windows on its own machines at all - Not like its a law that requires all manufacturers to use Windows

[eX @ Oct 25th 2007 7:29PM]

In case you didn't know, not everything on torrent is pirated. And since BootCamp is a free app, it wouldn't be pirating anyway.

[manfesto @ Oct 23rd 2007 6:51PM]

If you don't have it by now:

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/21237

[crescentdavid @ Oct 23rd 2007 6:56PM]

Nice work Sam & manfesto. It's really all about the benjamins ... unless you look beyond the latest press release and put yourself in the picture. But isn't that awful anti-corporate? Stay iTuned for further developments.

[peter @ Oct 23rd 2007 7:01PM]

Yeah, it'd be against the licensing agreement to use the boot camp software itself to partitition the disk or burn drivers and all, but if you have an existing partition it's not at all against any agreements; it's just something that is on your drive. The license to use the boot camp software itself is expiring, but your partition is not dirty or anything like that.

[geezer @ Oct 23rd 2007 7:02PM]

anyway I don't see why Apple should give Windows users on their machines any kind of help at all! And hey, Bootcamp was around for a very long time - now they pull it off the air 3 days before leopard , so what?! come on, just 3 days ahead of leopard!! and it was around so long - your fault, pal if ya didn't download it earlier! ;)

[Steve C @ Oct 24th 2007 12:21AM]

You don't use your computer for development or gaming, do you? I can understand why you'd be so short-sighted then.

[Brad @ Oct 24th 2007 2:17AM]

"I don't see why Apple should give Windows users on their machines any kind of help at all!"

Heh. How amazingly narrow-minded of you. The ability to run Windows on Apple's hardware is one of the few things that attracts new users and retains old ones. It sure isn't dishonest advertising and rabid fanboys.

Did your copy of Leopard come with Apple-flavored Kool-aid?

[dream_scape @ Oct 23rd 2007 7:36PM]

Microsoft would be crucified if they tried this. Apple does it and everyone shrugs.

Oh yeah, because Mac fans are already used to spending more money than they should on things they already have. Gotcha.

[Paul @ Oct 23rd 2007 7:42PM]

No they wouldnt, they let people beta test Vista for free and you do not see them bitching about the fact that now they have to pay for it do you?

I hate fanboys, be they apple or microsoft it makes you blind to reason.

[Matt @ Oct 23rd 2007 7:49PM]

Microsoft already does this.

Join the MSDN, you get to try out beta software but you have to fork the money if you want to use the final product.

It is pretty standard practice to have an open beta to test out your product. I used a beta of VMWare fusion that expired, in order to use it I would need to fork out money for a license.

[stephenbratz2 @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:00PM]

Paul & Matt: Yes, Microsoft lets people use beta software then stop giving it away when they sell the final product. However this is differend. If Microsoft let people test a product on XP, then only allow you to use the final shipping version if you were using Vista, you don't think people would be jumping up and down yelling monopoly or making claims that they are forcing people to buy Vista so that they can get their numbers up? People were making these same claims with the PC version of Halo 2 (although it did not run on XP). I remember this happening with the XP version of media player and other software that would not run on W2K. Apple is locking it to one specific version of an OSX when it has been shown to run on other versions with no problem.

[Steve @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:01PM]

Didn't Microsoft give away copies to beta testers that sent in bugs?

[dream_scape @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:35PM]

Paul and Matt,

The difference is that for some time now, Apple has been strongly marketing the fact that "Now your Mac is a PC too." Except... oops, now your Mac ISN'T a PC. Meaning people who bought a Mac based on those ads who intended to run both OSX and Windows are now screwed if they decide they want to change up their partitions.

[vdb @ Oct 24th 2007 2:24AM]

@ dream_scape,
People who bought a mac last week, can have an up to date to leopard ... so they don't find themselves without a "PC"
and you can repartition your Mac anytime, without loosing data, in fact your mac always comes pre installed with one partition ... so no pc complicated install procedure ;-)

[corpirate @ Oct 23rd 2007 7:45PM]

it's been said before.. but uhh BETA SOFTWARE!

If you downloaded it in time, good for you - you took the risk with beta software and hopefully fed back any issues you had with it to Apple, allowing them to fix bugs, therefore making the final product (which apple never kept a secret) better for everyone. Be grateful there was no activation/serial affair and that it was an open download and install.

The idea that people can find this as something to complain about seems like absolute lunacy to me. Apple always said that Boot Camp beta would end.. Leopard has gone gold, so obviously - they don't need any more beta testing.

[Otis Whitaker @ Oct 23rd 2007 7:55PM]

Can someone please explain to me why this can't be free to owners of the current things, and has to be exclusive to this new expensive piece of software without being a cooperate suckup?
Furthermore, can someone with a soul please explain to how you can defend this?

[Bloobie @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:00PM]

It's out of beta now, so get over it. How many corporations leave their beta software posted on the web for anyone to download right when the final product is released. Not many, if any. Regardless, you don't need the Boot Camp software to run Windows once you already had it installed.

[wade_reese @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:03PM]

To those complaining, are your really serious or are you just practicing your debating skills?

Betas end and then, if the product is commercial, you pay if you want to continue to use it. If the product is not a "for fee" product then a general release comes out (at no charge) but the earlier beta still goes away. No vendor wants a beta to be out there forever. It is an inherent exposure that the vendor does not need. This model typically applies to business software, personal software, game software... just about all software.

Come on now. Debate something important, not the pulling of a beta program.

[Steve Wallen @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:06PM]

I've already asked our Apple rep about this: if you have a copy of Boot Camp currently installed, while the drivers will still work, the license for any Apple software on the Windows side of things (ie all the Apple device drivers and utilities) does expire on Friday. To remain legal you will have to purchase Leopard. (Cost us like $5000 for all of our checkout laptops after Apple Edu discounts).

[Mike @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:10PM]

Like others have said, if you haven't downloaded it by now, when it's been available for so long, then too bad.

To me that just looks as though people who don't have it and who are probably not even mac users who just want to complain about all things apple. It could also be people who never had any intention of downloading it, but now that it's not available for free they are interested in it.

Also, I never understood the hate apple gets here, the reason why they are always talked about is because they are always developing products, Apple keeps there name out there and a news site will ALWAYS cover it. Microsoft doesn't develop as much as Apple does.

There have been how many ipods? What about the iphone? The versions of iMacs, Macbook and Pros, the upcoming small tablet mac, the slim macbook... Apple is much more of a brand while Microsoft is an entity. That is why you see Windows XP and Vista on a mac but chances are slim to nil you will see OSX on a Windows Machine. A legit version at least. It's why there's Windows Mobile on so many different phones, but only one phone has the Apple OS.

The only real machines that are Microsoft through and through are the Xbox and the Xbox 360, and the Zune.


This si the reason apple is more interesting to follow.

[Steve C @ Oct 24th 2007 12:28AM]

how bizarre of you to blame Microsoft for not having a port of OSX. You know that OSX will not work without an "Authentication Chip", right? It's there so that OSX will only install on machines that have specific hardware configurations approved by Apple.

Let's not be naive AND verbose, ok?

[Steve C @ Oct 24th 2007 1:22AM]

"Microsoft doesn't develop as much as Apple does."

"That is why you see Windows XP and Vista on a mac but chances are slim to nil you will see OSX on a Windows Machine."

Actually Mike, you make incorrect and totally unbacked points supporting a comparison that you are completely unqualified to make. Or perhaps you were simply trying to make too many completely unrelated points?

Regardless, I'm not trying to start a flame war. So lets not take your naiveté and turn it into something far more juvenile.

[Mike @ Oct 24th 2007 1:33AM]

Name all the microsoft hardware, then name all the apple hardware. When I said they don't develop they don't. Look at the microsoft product line compared to the apple product line.

The biggest piece of hardware microsoft has is the xbox 360, then the zune.

Apple will not put out an OS that can be used with PCs because they will only be giving up market share. This is quite obvious.

[Paul @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:13PM]

The problem Apple seems not to care about is that I CAN'T buy Leopard yet, so removing the download was stupid. Add this to the list of anti-user moves Apple has made.

[Mike @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:21PM]

How long has the download been out? How long have you had a mac to be able to download it free? Also you don't see there are other ways to get the program?

[Reid B. @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:38PM]

Microsoft doesn't develop as much as Apple does? You are smoking something. Microsoft develops WAY more than Apple. Apple only develops for their little pissant group of hardware.

[John @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:57PM]

I think the only part of this where apple is being a bit scummy is where you were beta testing one of those "300" alleged features, and now you have to buy a lot more than just boot camp to get your hands on boot camp.

[Richard @ Oct 23rd 2007 10:10PM]

I sure hope they WHQL Certify their drives.
I have gotten a few blue screens Stop 0x0000000a and debuger tells me keymagic.sys

[roach @ Oct 23rd 2007 11:27PM]

Ha Ha Ha Apple trying to make money using Window, yet at the same time they critize it...you guys are so full of it!

[Chizzle @ Oct 24th 2007 12:27AM]

I understand where both sides are coming from, but I'm going to take the "wth?" crowds argument. Yes, Bootcamp was only in beta, but people are upset because you HAVE to buy Leopard in order to get Bootcamp, if you don't have it already. It's not the same as Microsoft beta testing Vista for free then making you pay for the final version. In that case you're paying the final release of that beta product and only that product, not an entire OS, in the case of Apple, or a suite of applications you don't need. Now if Apple sold the final release of Bootcamp as a standalone application then there would nothing to talk.

[Mike @ Oct 24th 2007 1:06AM]

Before you try to insult me further, take a moment to actually READ my comment. Only someone who doesn't come into this topic ready to side with MS and go against Apple will realize I was comparing the two companies, NOT picking sides (even though I did question why people hate on the Apple news posted here).

I never blamed MS for anything to do with OSX. In fact my implication was that Apple is more of a brand than MS, and that is why we don't see OSX on PCs, due to APPLE'S efforts, not due to MS.

If the Apple OSX were to be easily bought and installed on PCs it would lose the feel that apple has as a BRAND - it would take away a big chunk of what makes Apple what it is. If it were possible for me to put the OS on any machine, I wouldn't have bought a Power PC, followed by a Macbook, followed by an iMac; I would have built a PC and installed OSX on it.

That's what separates MS from Apple.

There was no naiveté in my comments, just you jumping the gun to defend MS when there was no need.

[salut @ Oct 24th 2007 1:48AM]

SHUT UP! ALL OF YOU! google "boot camp" if you still want the beta, otherwise buy Leopard in a few days.

it's amazing how much people LOVE to talk absolute s'hit in their comments, a bit like i am doing now!

[Julian Bond @ Oct 24th 2007 3:45AM]

I'm impressed that Apple have found a way of getting people to shell out $129 for a point upgrade of the OS.

And if Bootcamp is unavailable, why not just use Grub? Or am I missing something?

[Mac4Homos @ Oct 24th 2007 4:35AM]

Yeah, by forcing those who now rely on bootcamp to use the OS which is on 97% of the world's computers will be great for Apple's marketing. This will be next week's headline "Since Friday, over 1 BILLION copies of Leopard SHIPPED!!!" BTW to Apple Shipped does not equal Sold.

@Mike - you sure can name a lot of Apple products. Probably because traditionally Apple is in the *hardware* business whereas Microsoft is in the *software* business.

[Vega @ Oct 24th 2007 5:54AM]

1. You obviously don't understand the technical side of this: If you have used Bootcamp Beta in the past to set up a Windows partition it will continue to work. So the limitation only applies to users that (a) already have a Mac with 10.4, (b) have not yet set up a Windows partition using Bootcamp. Everybody who has been relying on Bootcamp can continue to use their Windows partition. New switchers will get Leopard anyway with their new Macs.

2. "BTW to Apple Shipped does not equal Sold." You're talking about a company which sells large parts of their product through own distribution channels (Apple stores, online store). So dumping Macs into the retail channel really wouldn't help Apple because the largest part of the inventory would remain on their own books anyway. However, it would be much more interesting to compare shipped Zunes or Xbox 360s with the actual sales figures...

3. Calling yourself "Mac4Homos"? Seriously? Either you're just a sad and lonely character with limited intellectual abiliteis that wants to spread hate or you're filled with self hate because you're afraid to embrace your own sexual orientation. I'm afraid both alternatives dont' make you look very good.

[Ty @ Oct 24th 2007 11:47AM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JixbzFjv_cU

[mike @ Oct 24th 2007 5:33AM]

omfg what a bunch of whiners. Apple made it clear from the beginning that this app would be included in leopard which you have to pay for!!!....what part dident you understand??. I bet your the kind of peeps who dosent even pay for software, but your the first to whine about how unfair the world against you.

[something @ Oct 24th 2007 9:05AM]

Still here:

http://appldnld.apple.com.edgesuite.net/content.info.apple.com/BootCamp/061-3502.20070803.wV4t9/BootCamp1.4.dmg