Apple’s Boot Camp Makes Nice with Microsoft Windows

For die-hard users of Apple computers who have always harbored a tiny curiosity about Windows, they will soon have a chance to see what life is like on the other side of the OS.
Apple’s Boot Camp Makes Nice with Microsoft Windows
By Linda Orlando

Apple knows that more and more people are becoming purchasing and using Macs for work and for play, so they’ve created a plan to lure dedicated PCers to their way of thinking. And at the same time, they can introduce their die-hard fans to the Windows environment.

Apple recently announced that the next major release of Mac OS X, called Leopard, will include technology that lets you install and run the Windows XP operating system. The new software, called Boot Camp, will allow users to restart their computer to run either the Mac or Windows XP operating systems. Once it is installed, the user just holds down a key (the Alt key) during startup to select the operating system they want to use. After starting up, the Mac will run Windows natively, and to return to the Mac OS, simply reboot.

The beta test version is now available to the public as a free download, and the company said that it will be a permanent part of its next major operating system upgrade for its newer Intel-chip based Macs.

Apple says that the new technology is a response to requests from many customers, but the company makes it very clear that it does not sell or support Windows. Users who want to run both systems must have an installation disk for Windows XP. Windows can be installed without having to move or delete Mac data, and after installation, Boot Camp will burn a CD of all the required graphics, networking, audio, and other drivers for Windows.

The Boot Camp technology is the result of a recent online contest where a coding team won a $13,000 award for creating a way to "dual boot" one of the new Macs. To use the software, you’ll need an Intel-based Mac with the latest version of the Mac OS X, Tiger v10.4.6, and the latest firmware update. You’ll need 10GB of free hard disk space, a blank recordable CD, and a printer for the instructions, as well as an installation disc for Windows XP, Service Pack 2, Home or Professional.

For more information about Boot Camp, visit http://www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp.

By Buzzle Staff and Agencies
Published: 5/4/2006
 
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