Plenty of people would like to see Apple release Mac OS X to run on generic or branded PCs. I don’t think it will happen because the economics don’t work. Does anyone have an answer to why Apple is moving so slowly to squash Mac cloners? Now, Dell makes it easy to run OS X on their super cheapie netbooks, the Dell mini 7 and 9 according to Robert Peckham:
The Dell Mini 7 and 9 (and probably the 10 also) can be easily modified with a small software download, which allows the user to install and run Apple’s Mac OS X v10.5. And it runs very well, too.
That’s old news except for two things. Apple is in slow motion mode trying, almost half heartedly, to put the Mac cloners out of business, while letting PC giant Dell make it possible to run OS X on Dell PCs.
The question that begs asking in light of that is why is Apple are allowing this? The software download comes from Dell itself – not some small independent ‘hackintosh’ developer, and full instructions are available via Dell’s website. It’s very unlikely Apple would allow this without approving it, and there’s no Apple alternative to Dell’s excellent ‘Mini’ series of netbooks – not yet, anyway.
Again, what’s taking Apple so long to squash a few Mac cloners, and why are they, according to Peckham, allowing Dell to promote OS X compatibility on their PCs?
If Dell is allowed to broadcast the fact you can run the Mac OS on its netbooks via its website, I have a feeling that the legal teams for the clone makers will be watching developments very closely.
This is worth attention and could be very big news. Soon.
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