Should Apple License Mac OS X To Dell, HP?

James T. said:

Dude, there is no such thing as a “monopolies commission.” You’re making that up. Putting OS X on anything other than Apple hardware just won’t happen because it doesn’t make business sense, it goes against everything Apple does (complete hardware and software ‘experience’), and would be a stupid mistake, just like the Mac clones of the 1990s.

BTW - in the US, monopolies are not illegal.

Chris said:

Sorry Candy man, I really didn’t mean to upset you!!

How old is the article you’re talking about?!?

All I am saying is that it would be better for the end user, Apples customers. They would benefit from allowing their UNIX based operating system to be licensed to other hardware vendors.

They have already had to change their OS to keep up with modern OSes and hardware to keep up with modern hardware vendors.

I think this dicussion may be very irrelevant anyway because I think that eventually they will be forced by the monopolies commisions to do just that!!

candy man said:

Only neophytes and morons think that Apple’s OS X sales will go through the roof if HP or Dell sells PCs with OS X. Apple’s Mac sales will go through the floor. Do the math, bozos. A Mac may average $1,500. A Dell PC with OS X might get Apple $50. Why would Apple do that. Dell would have to sell 30 times the number of PCs with OS X for Apple to make the same revenue.

Who says HP hardware is two years ahead of Apple? PC Word magazine already said the fastest PC to run Windows Vista was a Mac. That doesn’t sound “behind” to me.

OS X on a Dell or HP will never happen. Why? Because it’s a stupid, brain dead idea.

Chris said:

Surely you miss the point. If they licensed the software to a superior hardware manufacturer like HP then there software sales would go through the roof. The end user would be far better off as they would not have to rely on Apple hardware and can have a much faster, more stable, more up to date system. I love MACs but I have always been jealous of being a couple of years behind the hardware technology of, say HP!!!

Cindy Lu said:

James, you’re an idiot. It’s common knowledge that Microsoft makes $50 to $75 tops on Windows installed on PCs. Windows at retail, while expensive, does not sell much compared to Windows on new PCs. Apple, would NEVER make $100 each selling OS X on new PCs. It’s a losing proposition and your math is faulty, as usual.

Remember, $2 + $2 = $4, not $100, as you think. No one with a brain thinks Apple will ever get 50% market share for OS X. Whether your think Steve Jobs is smart or stupid is not related to the Mac’s market share. Look at the iPod’s market share. 70%. They dominate. Look at the iTunes Store market share. $70%. They dominate. By all accounts, except stupid people named James, the iPhone is a raging success yet market share is less than 2%.

What counts is profit. Microsoft is profitable. Apple is profitable. Both companies have about the same amount of money in the bank. Microsoft’s ONLY successes have been Windows and Office, both obtained illegally. Everything else is a failure. Apple has hit after hit.

My money is on Apple, not what James thinks.

James said:

Steve Jobs has so much business sense, that’s why Apple has only 10% of the market.

The idea that Apple would make only $50 on one OS sale is ridiculous. Windows Vista starts at $200. Let’s be fair and say that Apple could make $100 on every OS sale.

You don’t seem to comprehend that making $400 on 10% of the hardware is worse than perhaps making $100 on OS for 50% of total PCs. Higher market share could also lead to higher profits for OS-specific apps.

But hey, I understand, you Apple people don’t want to belong to the majority. You don’t want lose your “select group” status.

It’s funny how language is only moderated for PC people and not for Apple fans.

Steve Ballmer said:

Anyone who thinks Apple should allow OS X to be sold on generic or even brand name PCs is a moron or cheap or both.

It doesn’t make sense. It is not logical. It defies business logic.

Sorry, James. You’re a looney. Intel processors on Macs have nothing to do with OS X on PCs. Who should we trust? You or Apple?

Here’s the way it works. Apple sells OS X to Dell and HP, they put it on $499 PCs. Customers buy $499 PCs instead of $1,499 Macs. Soon, Apple goes out of business. No more OS X. No more Macs.

Steve Jobs figured that out back in 1997. Why can’t James figure it out 12 years later?

James said:

I’ve often heard people say Mac users are crazy. Thank you for proving that Iggy Pence.

I don’t care for your attitude or your name calling.

Editor’s Note: “Edited for terroristic threatening language.”

Anyone who is not insane like Iggy Pence care to continue this conversation?