Core 2 Duo Mac - Isn' that a PC?!?!

[maverick77_uk]

Hi all,

I'm a bit behind the times, but the other day, I saw the new Imacs are going to be based on the Intel Core 2 Duo CPU. Now, call me thick, but up to now, they've been using the PowerPC CPU's ie not X86 compatible, thus a different OS / different compilation for software etc. Therefore, aren't the new Imacs just going to be PC's? By having thore 2 Duo CPU plugged into them, aren't they by defination going to be X86 compatible, thus could have Windows installed???

Apple have even created a bit of sotware (forgotten what its called) which basically emulates the PowerPC to allow old Mac software to run on the Intel chips - but very slowly!

I find this a bit ironic - Does this mean the PC "won" the age-long battle? The new Macs are just PC's in a Mac case?????

Please confirm the comatibility issue as I'm intrigued!

Cheers!

[Bluecube]

Did a Google before you posted this message didn't you? To confirm, yes, the new Macs are pretty much just PCs these days apart from the BIOS. And yes, you can now run Windows on the Mac using Boot Camp.

[MadduckUK]

a PC is: Another name for a microcomputer designed for use by a single user.

the term PC has just been stolen by the x86 crowd. but even the powerpc macs were personal compters.

[Funkstar]

we've had WinTel PC's for years, noy we have MacTel PC's. Until the hardware change they were MacOrolas...or something

[MadduckUK]

or something

would an amiga be a pc......?

[Bluecube]

would an amiga be a pc......?

Yup. Along with Spectrums, Ataris, MSXs and every computer built for home use. It's a computer for personal use therefore it's a Personal Computer (PC). Logical or what?

[muddyfox470]

The only thing is that you wont be able to get macosx on a pc for a long long time, if at all!

Ian

[shaithis]

The only thing is that you wont be able to get macosx on a pc for a long long time, if at all!

Ian

Not officially

[Bluecube]

Not officially

Really? I'd read that there was a flakey hack out there that let you put MacOSX on a PC but that was all. Any links?

[Funkstar]

if you can run windows on an Intel Mac, there will be a way to get OSX to run on a regular off the shelf PC. It just depends how involved the hack is.

[charleski]

Really? I'd read that there was a flakey hack out there that let you put MacOSX on a PC but that was all. Any links?

Well, it's not strictly legal, so I don't know if I should post it, but think of it like this: You want OSX on an x86 platform, so put those together and plug it into google.

BTW, although Macs have been using Intel CPUs for over 6 months, there are a few significant differences from the standard PC architecture, most notably the use of EFI rather than the old BIOS.

[Bluecube]

And here was me slagging off the OP for not using Google! Tut! Lesson learned...

[spazman]

Seems that EFI is rather expensive seeing as you pay a tiny fraction for the same spec with that old BIOS chip in there. Macs are a total ripp.

[charleski]

If you need the power of 2 Woodcrest chips, the MacPro actually works out to be *very* competitive. It's true that Apple's prices lose out lower down the line.