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Dvorak Predicts Apple Will Switch to Windows

pcmag.com — In a surprisingly compelling speculative argument, John C. Dvorak makes the case that Apple will drop OSX and become a hardware vendor shipping with Windows systems. I don't quite believe it, but read the full article before criticizing his argument.

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  • SidewalkPilot, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3That is stupid
  • SidewalkPilot, on 10/12/2007, -5/+3That is retarded
  • videolab, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4If they did such a thing they would destroy their loyal user base.
  • dburka, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1Videolab: while that's an obvious potential fall-out of such a switch, their loyal user base makes up less than 5% of the overall market. So, they'd be potentially shedding that 5% but gaining access to that other 95% who are loyal to or beholden to Windows. I still doubt this is ever going to happen, but it would potentially broaden their market, not limit it.
  • FearNLoathing, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11His argument is not compelling at all. He is comparing Apple to IBM, in that IBM dropped OS/2 for Windows. That is pretty funny, actually, because IBM lost money after that and eventually sold off their PC manufacturing business. I think it is far more likely that Apple would sell OSX for x86 before it sold Windows machines.
  • MoonDogAFO, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2FearNLoathing...is there a real connection between the failure of OS/2 of the sell-off of the IBM personal computer segment to Lenovo? Wasn't the PC business sale a direct result of the commditization of the PC, and the erosion of profit margins associated with manufaturing the hardware?

    Anyhow, if you alienate your loyal 5%, how many of the other 95% of the computer purchasgin market would buy an attractively packaged computer that was now compatible with their devices and existing older software? I think it is an interesting idea, but one that would be ballsy in the extreme. I think I would sooner expect to see Apple drop computers altogether to devote resources to their new cash cow.
  • eddieo, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0Does enywun uze spel chekk?
  • geekologist, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6No way in hell. We will never live to see the day. In fact, no one will.
  • pdavis, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6Steve Jobs would sooner piss on a spark plug as to ship a Mac with Windows. Apple is not IBM.
  • osmaker, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5Dvorak's calendar must be reading April 1st or something...
  • panique, on 10/12/2007, -3/+14Dvorak is a master troll, don't feed him any page hits.

    Apple will destroy Windows before switching to it. Dvorak obviously has failed to read about how it is still impossible to boot Windows on a Intel-based Mac. If Apple were going to switch, they probably would have provided the necessary firmware to boot the OS, no?
  • chriszma666, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5Wow. This man is retarded.
  • Hydro, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Apple won't do it. They stand out because they're the "PC's Done Right" company. If they destroy that image by shipping Windows, then they destroy any credibility they might have had. And what about all the improvements and builting-up of OS X to be a complete, anyone-can-use-it desktop? Why throw that all away? It'd be easier just to build a Windows API emulator.
  • CreativeGuy, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1Obsurd.
  • motionblur, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Dvorak is entertaining to read and nothing more.
  • willhoy, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1Finally
  • idean360, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Microsoft is more likely to start making hardware for OSX lol. OSX is the greatest OS's out there, thats why people switch, not a lot has too do with hardware.
  • GeneHACKman, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Thanks. This is the funniest thing I've read all day. You can always count on Dvorak for a weekly dose of humor.
  • xedeon, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5What the hell!! what is Dvorak smoking?? gimme some!
  • SparQy, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0

    No way would it be easier to emulate Windows API. Why not just replace the Windows (Vista) shell with Apple look and feel? With the WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) -- the new Windows graphics sub system -- it would be really easy to create a jazzy UI.

    After all, the OSX head runs on a BSD body right now... so why not Windows and increase market share 5 fold?

  • TidusX, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This was posted before. But anyway Dvorak some times gets things right and some times gets the wrong. I'm positive this time its the second option. The reason I use a Mac is because of OSX, sure I love the desighn but I am able to get some nice laptops that use windows. Its all about the software.
  • Ozmotear, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1He talked about this in the last TWiT.
  • Guyute, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2I love Dvorak because he isn't the super fan boy of Apple like just about everybody here. Like on the last Diggnation, Apple could make an ***** on a stick Ipod and all you fanboys would eat it up.
  • MixedSpleens, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Dvorak likes to get you thinking, will this happen? Snowballs chance, but its an interesting thought. I remember a article where he said that Microsoft could pack up shop and stop developing, because from a business standpoint they have been stagnant for years. Hasn't happened (yet) but its an interesting thought that from a business standpoint its feasible.
  • dongiaconia, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0its only impossible to boot XP on an intel Mac, isn't Vista going to support the EFI bios?
  • xedeon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I smell sarcasm !!
  • generalleoff, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0The only thing is this world more loyal (and thus annoying) then a Nintendo fan is an Apple fan. They will start WW III and IV if Apple did this.
  • spike1201, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0It's an interesting argument, I agree. But the argument is week. I'm not convinced.
  • rstarr, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0Well...They are right about one thing...They would make a ton of cash. Windows users outnumber...well...everyone...like a million-to-one. Regardless of OS, the style of Apple is second to none, and everybody and their pet has an iPod...I don't think it's a good idea for the quality of future OS's, but no one can deny it would be a good business move for Apple...
  • moron, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Dvorak - Makes lots of predictions about everything, usually wrong, but when he does get one right, no one is louder and more vocal about his brilliant predictions!

  • lerover, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I agree this is nonsense. What will allow Apple to sell "high margin" computers if OS X is not on them?

    Also, I didn't get his argument about non-functioning DVD players etc. I actually bought my Mac after a few days of battling *both* Windows and Linux trying to get them to use the scanner and the printer I'd bought earlier.
  • TheAttacks, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Cool article, but I don't think it would ever happen.
  • punch, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2Dvorak rules, he's a good writer who likes to get people talking about these kinds of things.
  • jaredkipe, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2It makes sense, but Apple will never do it. Jobs would rather run it into the ground than switch to Windows. So until Jobs dies and Bill Gates makes a violent coup in Cupertino, then Apple will never 'switch'.
  • smoknyreyz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2dude needs to lay off the crack
  • steppjr, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3“By maintaining its own OS, Apple would have to suffer endless complaints about peripherals that don't work.”

    I think this is why you will never see OSX for sale as an OS at your local Best Buy! Does not matter if it is Intel or IBM making their CPU’s if they keep there OS on there own hardware then it is still proprietary.
  • SniperGX1, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1More likely, apple will drop the hardware and ship OSX for any x86 computer. Although I don't care too much for the Apple fruit I must say that between what I have seen in Vista vs OSX...OSX beats the ***** out of Windows. The DRM infestation inside Vista didn't help their case any
  • infinitespecter, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4THAT was the compelling argument that he was talking about on TWiT? There is almost nothing compelling about that argument at all. His entire basis is that some people won't switch because their peripherals don't work. He then goes on to make a rather off point remark about how Linux users can't figure out how to use their DVD burners... why? In the days of OS 9, everything he said makes perfect sense. But in this day and age, with OS X having support for a multitude of peripherals in one way or another, it simply doesn't.
  • xutopia, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Dvorak is hilarious sometimes :-D

    No it won't happen.
  • paddler, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Thats just stupid. They don't want to go head to head with Dell . Can you imagine Apple having to sell a $499 computer (I doubt everyone would be flocking to the Mac Mini). May as well just release OS X into the wild and make some real money.
  • griz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I won't waste my time clicking on his page to read such useless drivel. I don't use Mac OS X because of the chip it runs on, I use it because it offers the best user experience for me without all the hassle of Virus, spy-ware and ad-ware utilities.
    Just happens that Apple offers great platform design that resonates in their OS.
    Would suck having to run Windows on nice Apple hardware. It won't happen.
    I think he is just looking to make another "I told you so" prediction like the prediction of Apple's Intel Switch. In this case however, he will be wrong.
  • acceptab1euname, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2He predicts things like that because he's an addle-brained hack!
  • mgreenwald, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0Does enywun uze spel chekk?

    no I tihnk ti taeks to logn. :)
  • System84, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Dvorak needs to shut his word hole.
  • sman, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I fail to see how anyone could predict this. A lot of people switch to Apple workstations from PCs because of OSX, not for the hardware. At least that is what me and many of those I know who made the switch say was our primary reason. You can read countless articles/blogs/etc about why people strayed over to the OSX desktop. Generally it is was due to user experience which is difficult to define, but includes more than just hardware. In fact, the average user could care less about what is running in that box beside/on/under the desk. They only care about what they see on the screen and whether than can do what they want with the tools provided. I still keep my linux/windows machines handy, but prefer the OSX experience for daily grind that no one has been able to emulate or improve 100%. Just my 2 cents. Regardless, Dvorak is always entertaining to read.
  • L2006, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1Dvorak is the *****. He's could very well be right. He did predict Apple switching to Intel chips.
  • zodster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Seems weak to me, I heard his reference to this on TWiT also, he said the "article was compelling", "read it first", etc. I read it. I am not compelled. The only other interesting tidbit is that Adobe said they will not ship native Intel/Apple software until 2007... now why would that be....????
  • gamete, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Silly boy... but he does know how to get attention, doesn't he!!
  • diggerphelps, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Is it possible Dvorak hasn't slept in 33 years?
  • JTMON, on 10/12/2007, -4/+7Dvorak likes to make multiple dumbass predictions, not make you think. Nobody in their right mind would think this way. At the end of the article he states how Apple could just tweak the GUI and leave the gruntwork of the OS to Microsoft. That statement show exactly how out of touch with reality he is. To think that apple would allow MS to handle the back end..something MS already does badly..but then we'll brand it with an apple gui? This is one of the dumbest articles Dvorcrap has come up with lately. And please, comparing IBM OS/2 to OSX at this point is apples and oranges, no pun intended. OS/2 was NEVER as big and as widely used as OSX is, it was always more of a business OS. Add to the fact that we aren't in the beginning of computing anymore, the landscape isn't even the same. He even states that "Linux never took off" as if it's not still growing and is an old throwback. ***** YOU DVORAK.
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