MacOS on Intel Opinion
So is the MacOS running on an Intel (or compatible chip) a good idea? As a technology consumer, I don't see why not. You can argue about the elegance and engineering of the PowerPC vs Pentium all day, but it still comes down to costs. I want to buy Apple technology but pay a competitive price. Will MacOS on Intel do it? Here are some things to consider--pro and con:
--Most computers in the world run on an Intel chip. If the PowerPC disappears from the consumer landscape, that will effectively leave two competitors in the consumer PC chip market --AMD and Intel. I believe this to be bad since a lack of competitive pressure has a negative effect on innovation. Witness the outcome of the breakup of the Bell System in 1984 and the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Without those two events, it is likely that we would not have DSL, cable internet, ubiquitous Internet access or the deep penetration of cell phones.
--Just because Apple might make systems that use Intel chips doesn't mean that BillyBob can buy $400 worth of components and build his own Mac. A Mac will still be made by Apple. No clones, no how, no way. They would just require OpenFirmware on the board vs CMOS/BIOS, right? No license to Dell; what would be the point? In my unscientific opinion, the end use wouldn't see any difference between an Intel-based Mac and a PowerPC-based Mac, execept price and speed. Aqua will only run on a Mac and won't be open sourced. That means that Office X for Mac will only run on a Mac, not a Darwin install running on an old Dell with an nVidia card.
Think and email me: srk@mac.com
2:13:07 PM 
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