Running Mac OS X On Standard PCs

ZDOne writes "ZDNet's reviews team have been tinkering with the various ways of running OS X on standard PCs. They found that with the right hardware components, a standard PC running Mac OS X Leopard is, at first sight, no different from a genuine Apple Mac. Special CPU extensions such as Intel VT-x provide support for software solutions like Parallels Desktop for Mac. Even Adobe Photoshop, which queries a Mac to verify its authenticity, runs fine on a standard PC thanks to EFI emulation. However the article points out that it's a pretty technical proposition to get OS X running on non-Apple hardware, beyond all but the most powerful power users. And then there is the legal question. Don't even think about trying to put OS X on your PC without first purchasing a legitimate copy of Mac OS Leopard."

But if your time has no value...

[Anonymous Coward]

...why not just stick with Windows?

Re:MacOS on PCs...

[Zero__Kelvin]

"MacOS X on PCs is like Linux on microwaves: it's very cool"

... as opposed to Windows for Microwaves, which keeps your food very cool ;-)

I went there

[tripmine]

Don't even think about trying to put OS X on your PC without first purchasing a legitimate copy of Mac OS Leopard."

Oh, I thought about it...

Don't think about it?

[b96miata]

Fuck that, I'm thinking about it, right now.

Not gonna do it, since all I use my PC at home for these days is playing games (old ones, the only ones it can run very well), and I don't think MS has released Rise of Nations for OSX yet.

Still, I'll think about it all I want.

Re:Pre-empting the fanboy spin

[somersault]

Not if you put an apple sticker on your PC!

Re:MacOS on PCs...

[Anonymous Coward]

"MacOS X on PCs is like Linux on microwaves: it's very cool"

... as opposed to Windows for Microwaves, which keeps your food very cool ;-)

Don't forget that Windows for Microwaves brings a whole new meaning to "blue screen of death".

iGroundhogDay

[SimonGhent]

Here we go...

posts as follows:

"Apple won't release Mac OS because they can't tightly control the hardware"

"That doesn't matter, it's down to the device drivers"

".. but will it run Linux"

"The Mac Book Air doesn't have a removable battery so it's shit"

"Why would you want to run OS-X, the earth is only 3,000 years old"

Re:Never mind the buying part...

[dfm3]

Because even if you pay for it, the EULA forbids you from legally running it on non-apple branded hardware.

That's what the Apple stickers that come with your iPod are for...

Re:MacOS on PCs...

[AndrewNeo]

"What smells like blue?"

Re:I went there

[hansamurai]

It's kind of like breathing, you don't think about it until someone brings it up.

By the way, you are now breathing manually.

Re:Think about XP SP3 for a second

[Lonewolf666]

I would predict they have a long road of nuiscance planned for EFI crackers. They only need to plan about 5 years worth of them, because in 5 years there will be new hardware nuiscances that spwan a whole new list of software nuiscances.

I agree about the 5 years, but for a different reason:
Considering how much progress in user-friendliness Linux has made in that time, I guess it will catch up to the Mac OS X of today in another five years. So either Apple has something new and shiny by then, or cracking OS X will be pointless for most purposes.

Re:MacOS on PCs...

[Anonymous Coward]

Reminds me of the joke about the only product Microsoft may release that doesn't suck: a vacuum cleaner.

Re:I went there

[Koiu Lpoi]

You are now imagining your mother naked manually.

Re:Perhaps Apple should begin licensing OS X

[Dogtanian]

Its nice to call Apple and get a call center in the US, not in Bangalore India.

Unless you're actually an Indian from Bangalore.

In which case, having your support inquiry routed to the US would probably suck. Those idiots can't even speak proper Hindi! :)