[Kosh]

http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/0302/19.macbu.php

I didn't see that one coming.

It sounds like they are going to maintain the thing too... I would have thought they would have bought it to axe it. But I guess Micro$oft isn't worried about those using it, since you still have to install a version of Windows on VPC. In fact they'll make more money than on a PC user, you have to buy VPC with a copy of Windows.

 

[gordguide]

You don't have to buy or install a version of Windows to run VPC. Connectix supported RedHat Linux, and DOS 2000 is not a Windows OS.

I have to say this is very distressing news; time for the "other" emulators to pick up the ball and get a product out that is as mature as VPC.

I guess Linux on VPC is out the door now.

 

[Tomac]

When I saw that, I freaked -- another example of Microsoft "buying out the world." BLAH. I hope M$ sticks to their words (from CNET article):

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>A Microsoft executive said the company did not purchase the software to kill it, nor does Microsoft plan to stop developing its native Macintosh software, such as the Mac OS X version of Office. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Why do I even care about VPC? Kazaa.

 

[dthompson101]

Yup, this is bad bad news. You know what 2 things I can see happening with this...

#1 - All versions of LINUX for VPC....gone! Since Micro$oft hates linux and despises the open source community as they have called it a cancer, there will be no way to install a version of Linux in future versions...

#2 - VMAC - Yup, they will take the virtual PC container and recode it to run the Mac OS on PC based systems to try and help the mac faithful in making the move to Windows... sort of like the Mac on Linux that is out there.

I say it's time someone else does pick up the slack and work on the emulation software. I for one will never purchase VPC again since I try my best to not purchase any M$ software and support the company that is destroying the computing environment that I love so much.

Thank you BIll Gates and company for being such monopolistic a$$h0les in this world!

 

[elmer]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by dthompson101:
#2 - VMAC - Yup, they will take the virtual PC container and recode it to run the Mac OS on PC based systems to try and help the mac faithful in making the move to Windows... sort of like the Mac on Linux that is out there.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Not likely - emulating PowerPC on x86 is much harder than emulating x86 on PowerPC.
Search on Google - you will find mostly negative comments about the validity of such projects. #EDIT: actually a high performing one has supposedly been demonstrated#
But anyway - there is really no reason Microsoft would want to do this - maybe Intel would want to do it as a joke, but that's about it.http://www.google.ca/search?q=powerpc+emulator

Mac on Linux only runs on Macintosh and other PowerPC computers. Adding a powerpc emulator to the bottom end of it is a pipe dream, IMHO.

 

[Tomac]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>monopolistic a$$holes<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Damn straight!!!

 

[MacNutt]

I said this a long time ago...back when I first came onboard at ehmac, and I'm saying it again.

Apple should develop their own emulator. One that would allow any software from anywhere to run on a Mac. Then we would have complete compatibility with all systems.

Quite a drawing card for those who want to "switch" but who have a significant investment in non-Apple SW.

Just my dos centavos worth.

 

[elmer]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by macnutt:
...
those who want to "switch" but who have a significant investment in non-Apple SW.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
IMO, what Apple needs to do is make that investment depreciate faster, by coming out with software that completely obsoletes those investments. This is the goal of Microsoft, also.

 

[jfpoole]

elmer wrote:
Not likely - emulating PowerPC on x86 is much harder than emulating x86 on PowerPC.
Search on Google - you will find mostly negative comments about the validity of such projects.

Most of the negative comments seem to stem from the fact that such an emulator would be slow, not that such an emulator is impossible.

Plus, I'd imagine the number of x86 users that want to run PPC code is smaller than the number of PPC users that want to run x86 code, hence there may not be enough of a market to justify the expense of writing a PPC emulator.

 

[Chealion]

Help us, somebody help us!

Well its possible that MS might do a better job at it by optimizing the code better as they will have access to the Windows code, but I wouldn't count on it

 

[MACSPECTRUM]

Gee, maybe a good marketing idea is to make the PC emulation on the Mac slow by putting in some "wait loops" into the code. Then blame the Mac platform and say that Windows can run much better on a PC. Yeah, that would be a good strategy. Unbelievable, you say? They would never pull a stunt like that, you say?

Remember how slow your MS-Word 6 was? Then magically MS-Word 98 - va va va voom! as far as MS-Word can voom.

 

[MacGenius]

Maybe MS is fed up with Apple's tactics with releasing their own software to compete against theirs.

Buying Virtual PC will allow them to release the next verion of Office without having to code for the Mac, they'll simply load Office for Windows on it and say "here you go".

Oh, its slow? No worries just buy a new Pentium IV PC with our new "costs-less" Windows XP and you can run it at full speed.

 

[MACSPECTRUM]

Yeah, and don't be surprised when M$ ships a coupon for a DELL with every VPC for Mac sold.

 

[Chealion]

Get the Dell and then sell it to some hopeless soul who won't convert. $$ for us

 

[PosterBoy]

Just to play the devil of the conversation:

I kind of think this is a good thing in a few ways.

One, as pointed out by Ars Technica the people with the source code have the emulator as well. They might be able to push VPC further (in terms in integration with OS X) than connectix could.

Also, I don't think that it would stop supporting Linux, because all VPC does right now is emulate an x86 environment for an operating system to run in. I imagine it is possible to make linux not work in it, but I dont seem then making any fundamental code changes to effect Linux any time soon. Besides, most people I know who run Linux in VPC run it right beside Windows in VPC, so it is an extra incentive to buy it.

The MacBU has been churning out some pretty good OS X software (albeit going about it slowly), so I dont think this will be much different.

For a more Balanced article, check out this:

http://arstechnica.com/archive/news/1045715739.html

I don't think Apple should make their own emulator for the same reason they havent yet. What is the point of buying a Mac if you are just going to run Windows on it? maybe if they had bought VPC and sold it as a separate package, but not as a default install.

--PB

 

[dthompson101]

Well, I don't know, Apple is no better sometimes at just buying up companies than Microsoft is, but if you look at the companies that M$ seems to scoop up they are always companies that will effect the Mac community.

Games companies, connectix, no soul companies that just create software for Windoze, but companies that output software for the Mac OS as well. Just sort of sad that they are slowly shutting down the Mac OS by buying up all the resources that we still have.

Maybe Apple and Adobe should join and stop making software for Windows

That would learn em and keep M$ out of the professional markets..well probably not!

 

[elmer]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by jfpoole:
elmer wrote:
Not likely - emulating PowerPC on x86 is much harder than emulating x86 on PowerPC.
Search on Google - you will find mostly negative comments about the validity of such projects.

Most of the negative comments seem to stem from the fact that such an emulator would be slow, not that such an emulator is impossible.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Sorry - I meant "hard" for the computer, not "hard" for the programmer.
I have to admit, as time goes by, the validity of these projects is increasing.

 

[Sandy McMurray]

I love conspiracy theories as much as the next guy, but I think Microsoft is much more likely to eliminate VPC for Windows than VPC for Mac.

For years, users have wanted an easy way to install and boot into multiple operating systems. Third party solutions are out there, but Windows fights it. If Microsoft thought this was A Good Idea, they could have built it into Windows XP. But they didn't.

I don't think the Connectix deal is specifically about Mac or Linux as much as it is about controlling what users can do in Windows. And I think MS wants users to use just one version: the latest one, whatever that is.

The official -- and most likely -- reason for this acquisition is the fact that Connectix was about to release a product called Virtual Server. Now Microsoft now controls the features and direction of that product.

 

[jfpoole]

Sandy McMurray wrote:
For years, users have wanted an easy way to install and boot into multiple operating systems. Third party solutions are out there, but Windows fights it. If Microsoft thought this was A Good Idea, they could have built it into Windows XP. But they didn't.

Ah, but Microsoft is planning on bundling Connectix VPC with an upcoming version of Windows. The idea is that you can run the latest and greatest version of Windows on your server, yet run older versions of Windows on "virtual machines" in order to preserve application compatability.

Microsoft does want you to run the latest version of Windows. They're just trying to make the upgrade path easier by allowing you to run older versions of Windows at the same time.

The only thing I'm skeptical about is how long VPC will be able to run non-Microsoft operating systems. While I doubt Microsoft is dumb enough to write code to lock them out, I don't think Microsoft will spend time making sure they work, either.