X on Intel? What a Stupid Idea!

Can anyone think of any good reason why Apple would cut its own throat by doing this?

MacUser UK says, "Demand grows for OS X on Intel" and then cites that the so called "demand" is generated from signatures (now numbering 17+ thousand) on the OSX on Intel web site.

First of all, head over to their site and check out some of the most inane, idiotic and softheaded thinking you're likely to experience outside of a Philosophy 101 University class.

Secondly, if you have signed that petition, stop reading this column right now, go into your bathroom, soap up your neck and pull your head out of your ass!

There is nobody with more than three functioning brain cells who believes that this would not be a death knell to Apple's hardware sales.

Although, we've found 17+ thousand people who have to concentrate real hard on walking and chewing gum simultaneously.

"They have it, we want it." Well, we want multi-processor G5 Cubes and dual 44" Cinema Displays. Now you know what it is to want.

"You know, perhaps the open-source crowd could come up with some nice OpenGL interface over BSD if Apple won't come through." Hey, there's an idea. The "open source crowd" are justifiably proud of their independence. Why not ask them to build you a GUI?

"The ball is in your court Apple; would you like a real piece of the desktop pie (not just high-end implementations)". Tell you what, Barney. Why don't you come back into the World of the Grown Ups once you understand what you're talking about.

Apple does have a "real piece" of the desktop market. Apple has high-end market share, consumer share, SOHO share, etc. Now, maybe it doesn't have as much as you guys would like but you've already proven the sky in your world isn't even blue.

"Apple wants to sell G4s, plain and simple." It's this line that proves these guys are smoking low grade pot, not even the good stuff.

Apple doesn't "want" to sell G4, Apple must sell G4's.

As much as pundits want to argue about whether Apple is a hardware or software company, the bottom line is all that matters. Keep in mind, Apple makes approx $500, on average, with every CPU sale. Granted, its margins on software are higher (around 90%) but how many copies of OS X and at what price do you think Apple would have to sell in order to make up for the lost hardware sales?

And, make no mistake about it, OS X on Intel would kill Apple's hardware sales.

The vast majority of Mac users would love to be able to use the Mac OS on a box that costs a third of the one they are using now. The vast majority of average consumers have already proven that they will buy cheap Compaq and HP's over the style of Macs.

If consumers run out and buy cheap boxes to run a cool OS on, where do you think Apple will get the dough to pay Jonathon Ive and the rest of his design gnomes? Apple's R&D is already cut to the bone. If Apple loses the money it presently makes on its own hardware, R&D will be cut even more and probably end up solely focused on software. The spiral would begin.

Leaving all of this aside, Mac users have spent many years being the brunt of jokes and abuse from Intel users. This is our chance to tell them, Na-na-na-na-na!

So, join us in telling all those whiny PC users that we've always had the better OS, we've always had the cooler OS and we've always had the easiest to use OS. Now that we've got what the OS Geeks want to use, they can damn well go out and buy a Mac just like we did to use it on!

Until next time, Loose Cannons Out!

cannons@applelinks.com