HD For Indies

Apple - Boot Camp

Well, interestingly enough, just a few weeks after the indie geeks got XP running on Intel Macs, Apple has announced their own bootloader that will allow an official and supported path to get Windows XP running on Intel based Macs (Intel Minis, MacBook Pros, Intel iMacs).

Apple will not sell or support Windows, but you'll be able to install your own separately purchased copy of WinXP on an Intel based Mac. Officially, this is just beta software. Leopard, the next major OS release due next year, will include this feature AFAIK.

From Apple's site:


Here's how it works:

First, you need to make sure your Intel-based Mac has the latest version of Mac OS X and the latest firmware update. These provide technologies that make Boot Camp possible. It%u2019s also wise to print out the Installation & Setup Guide.

The Boot Camp burns a CD with the drivers Windows needs to recognize Mac-specific hardware. It is very important to do this before starting the Windows installation.

The software also helps you set aside hard drive space for the Windows installation, without moving any of your Mac files around. Just drag the intuitive slider to choose the size that%u2019s right for you. Boot Camp also helps you remove the Windows partition, should you so desire.

Next, insert your Windows installation disc, restart and follow the Windows installation process. The only tricky part is selecting the C: drive manually. Be sure to get this right, or you could erase your Mac files accidentally. Remember, Apple Computer does not sell or support Microsoft Windows.
After the installation process is complete and your Mac has booted Windows, you'll need the Macintosh Drivers CD you burned previously. When you insert the CD, it will automatically install the drivers. Follow the instructions in the Installation & Setup Guide for helpful hints.


Other goodies: it'll include drivers for:


Graphics
Networking
Audio
AirPort wireless
Bluetooth
The Eject key (on Apple keyboards)
Brightness control for built-in displays

-it'll let you install WinXP Home Edition or Professional with Service Pack 2.
-USB mouse and keyboard (Apple's for sure, third parties unknown), no Bluetooth definitely
-gotta have latest firmware and 10.4.6
-gotta have at LEAST 10GB free on your drive
-it will let you partition a drive WITHOUT reformatting it, so if you have your current Intel Mac already set up, it'll "make room" for a Windows partition - THAT'S a biggie! Dunno if FireWire is supported for boot.

Be sure to check out the Requirements, Installation, and FAQ document as well.

Other coverage:

macosXrumors.com coverage

Think Secret - Apple adds Windows booting feature to Mac OS X

AppleInsider | Analyst says Apple's Boot Camp could be "game changer"

MacInTouch: timely news and tips about the Apple Macintosh

Macworld UK - Apple software lets Intel Macs run Windows XP

Lengthy user discussion on MacinTouch.

Mike's comments -

Well, this totally rocks, and for creative professionals this could be a Really Big Deal.

Somebody asked me what the big deal was when the indie geeks got it working a few weeks ago with a complex workflow, and I said this would allow creative professionals to have one box to do all their work.

In a perfect world, you'd have virtualization software that would let you run an instance of XP at the same time as OS X, but we aren't there yet.

What you COULD do, for instance, is run software under Windows that you can't under OS X, especially 3D software. Imagine doing 3D renders with Max, or heavy After Effects composites (since no Intel native OS X AE until next year) under Windows - you render to QuickTime, then reboot and can edit in Final Cut. Smooth as possible? No, but it does give you the option of running ONE box instead of two for the budget impaired.

For business users, the ability to run their Windows only apps and still be able to reboot to run the other stuff will be a nice feature as well. Indie/freelance types that buy their own laptops would consider it as well - Windows during the day, OS X at night. But I wouldn't expect most purchasing offices to be so generous as to pay for Apple's premium hardware AND a freestanding (NOT cheap!) Windows XP install just for convenience's sake. But this WILL make it easier for creatives in large companies to get Macs I should imagine. They can just stipulate that it's a Windows box with special needs or something. : )

However, this does expose Apple to a risk akin to the dire fate of OS/2 from IBM years ago - if you can run Windows on the box, and developers already have Windows apps, why should the developers write OS X native apps for that "extra bit of convenience?" (Truthfully it is WAY more convenient, but that may not be the perception). The move to Intel makes it easier to make OS X Universal Binaries, and to port Windows apps to OS X, but the risk of Boot Camp is that it may disincentivize them to do so.

-mike