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'PearPC' looks to mix Apples and Wintel oranges
CNET News ^ | May 19, 2004 | Ina Fried

Posted on 05/19/2004 3:37:21 PM PDT by Leroy S. Mort

Though there's long been a relatively stable application for running Windows-based software on Apple hardware, using Mac-centric programs on Microsoft-minded machines has rarely been possible.

A duo of enthusiasts is attempting to buck that trend by launching an open-source program called PearPC that lets PCs built around chips from Intel and Advanced Micro Devices emulate a machine running the Mac's PowerPC chip.

The software can also run various flavors of Linux, though most of the interest has focused on its ability to run the Mac OS on a PC. Early testers say the software works but that it runs very slowly.

Sebastian Biallas, who created PearPC with help from Stefan Weyergraf, acknowledged the software's limits, warning that it's prone to crashing and runs at only a tiny fraction of the speed of the host PC.

Still, Biallas and Weyergraf's effort would appear to be the best yet at getting Mac OS X to run on anything other than a Mac. Throughout the Mac's history, others have tried to run the operating system on the PC, with varying success, as chronicled on the site Emaculation.com.

(Excerpt) Read more at netscape.com.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: mac; osx; powerpc
Interesting but (1) why would anyone with a PC want to run MAC programs and (2) how are they getting around the OS X EULA which specifically prohibits loading OS X on anything but Apple hardware?
1 posted on 05/19/2004 3:37:23 PM PDT by Leroy S. Mort
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To: Leroy S. Mort
Still, Biallas and Weyergraf's effort would appear to be the best yet at getting Mac OS X to run on anything other than a Mac. Throughout the Mac's history, others have tried to run the operating system on the PC, with varying success, as chronicled on the site Emaculation.com.

Not sure I really want to be "Emaculated".

2 posted on 05/19/2004 3:43:14 PM PDT by Still Thinking
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To: Still Thinking

LOL....Apparantly Apple has a lot of Emaculated users ;)


3 posted on 05/19/2004 3:45:22 PM PDT by Leroy S. Mort
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To: Leroy S. Mort

That't been my experience, with a couple of exceptions.


4 posted on 05/19/2004 3:49:28 PM PDT by Still Thinking
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To: Leroy S. Mort
LOL....Apparantly Apple has a lot of Emaculated users ;)

You mean like Rush Limbaugh? He's been a Mac user for many years. He even "evangelizes" for them, despite his political disagreement with Steve Jobs.

Or do you mean like me? I too am a dedicated Mac users. I guess I'm missing out on the best of the computing world by choosing this platform - like all those lovely worms and viruses....

5 posted on 05/19/2004 3:52:33 PM PDT by TheBattman (Leadership = http://www.georgewbush.com/)
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To: TheBattman

No reason to get snippy....(laffs)


6 posted on 05/19/2004 3:58:46 PM PDT by Leroy S. Mort
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To: Leroy S. Mort
(1) why would anyone with a PC want to run MAC programs

The Mac programs and operating system are better quality software. Unfortunately, running them on a low-quality Wintel PC will not be a satisfactory user experience.

(2) how are they getting around the OS X EULA which specifically prohibits loading OS X on anything but Apple hardware?

They're not getting around it, they're violating it.

7 posted on 05/19/2004 4:20:55 PM PDT by HAL9000
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To: Leroy S. Mort
Hehehe...

I use to practically preach for the Mac OS, but started to back off because I felt that it was a pointless fight.

But with the recent high-profile Windows worms making nearly daily headlines, I have begun to come back out and doing a bit of "bragging" - especially at the high school where I teach - when the Windows lab is in constant trouble - and I have not had any difficulties at all...

But I still mean it in fun. Folks should use whatever they are most comfortable/productive with. They just shouldn't come whining to me when they have such difficulties.
8 posted on 05/19/2004 4:26:29 PM PDT by TheBattman (Leadership = http://www.georgewbush.com/)
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To: Leroy S. Mort
No, no, no! Bad idea, mixing the two on one platform. I've owned both Macs and Intel PCs. My recommendation is if you want the best of both worlds, buy both but keep them separate. Can't afford to? Then settle on one.

I've done work on helping people resolve problems on dual platform machines, and it's always a headache. One police lieutenant was always calling me for help on his Mac where he was running Windows programs; he was constantly threatening to shoot the beast (I told him he should). Same situation - an emulator always runs slower and introduces lots of extra bugs to hamper you.

9 posted on 05/19/2004 4:57:03 PM PDT by roadcat
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To: HAL9000
The Mac programs and operating system are better quality software.

Seems a subjective opinion. What makes Mac software "better quality"?

They're not getting around it, they're violating it.

When can we expect the lawsuit to be filed? I can't imagine Jobs giving up Apple's "vertical monopoly" so easily.

10 posted on 05/19/2004 5:11:09 PM PDT by Leroy S. Mort
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To: HAL9000
They're not getting around it, they're violating it.

Assuming it's even valid.

11 posted on 05/19/2004 5:20:32 PM PDT by B Knotts
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To: HAL9000
They're not getting around it, they're violating it.

In Germany that EULA is specifically not allowed by law. So technically you could buy a German version and install it on your system (OSX of course can be run in many different languages).

12 posted on 05/19/2004 7:24:36 PM PDT by ikka
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