Laggard Apple lets Leopard virtualize

Apple has tweaked its Mac OS X Server software license for Leopard, allowing the operating system to run legally in a virtual environment for the first time. The change could be a telling relinquishment of control in Apple's traditional manic dominion of all its gear. Or it's a sign of the Apocalypse. Tough call. We'll know …

[Alan Lukaszewicz]

Time to reflect?

Perhaps it is about time for El Reg and Apple to make friends?

[Anonymous Coward]

I see a new business opportunity!

"Apple-labelled" eh?

Shouldn't be a problem - just print off a sticker with "apple" on it, whack it on the server chassis and you're done. Quick, simple, and easy licence compliance.

I wonder how long before we start seeing fancy "Apple labels" on eBay.

(Apply joke/sarcasm tagging as appropriate.)

[Geoff]

VMWare

Is likely to be first to Market here, with a version of ESX for Macintosh, that uses EFI instead of BIOS. It would be such a tiny change for them, ESX probably even supports EFI already.

The question is... how long before Apple buys Parallels and starts shifting bigger boxes to carve up a later "Big Cat" OS into many Kittens? It would be interesting to see an Apple take on a VDI model for distributing media around your house from your Apple iHome (TM) media hub, it could potentially mean cheaper end devices with less hardware.

[Abdul Omar]

Well that explains it

When I was saddled with an OS X Powerbook I spent considerable time trying to get it to virtualise without success.

That woman's computer simply would not do what it was told even with a beating.

Then I switched to Vista which virtualised perfectly right out of the box.

I strongly suspect (but stress I have no proof of this, someone here may like to elaborate) that Apple is once again copying features from Vista.

Sadly, there's one Vista feature that Apple seems totally unable to copy.

Quality.

[Player_16]

Your 'business opportunity' will go bust in no time.

If you own a iPod you received 2 Apple stickers. Need I say more.

[James Dore]

@ New business opportunity

Huh. So that's what the two white Apple stickers in my Leopard Server box were for. Instant licenses for OS X on my ESX box :->

[Anonymous Coward]

Apple labels

They usually give you two logo stickers in the box when you buy Apple kit! ;)

[Anonymous Coward]

re: Well that explains it

Yawn!

"I strongly suspect (but stress I have no proof of this, someone here may like to elaborate) that Apple is once again copying features from Vista"

You certainly don't need to stress that - if you had evidence to back up your claims, you would cite it.... or at the very least sound like you know what you're talking about.

[Register Reader]

Huh? Microsoft Shill alert?

"Sadly, there's one Vista feature that Apple seems totally unable to copy.

Quality."

Methinks you are a little confused.. o_0 Microsoft have always been the company copying Apples ideas. Duh.

[Scott Mckenzie]

@Abdul

You appear to have forgotton the huge Joke Alert icon at the start of your post, at present it looks as though you're suggesting Vista is not only a quality product but also that it's better than anything Apple produce.

Perhaps you should correct your humongous error?

[Frank Bough]

Apple Labels

..of course, if you knew anything at all about Macs you'd know that every Apple computer comes with a lovely little Apple sticker. They're hardly rare items, though they are rather nice.

I still have a bevy of proper, rainbow Apple stickers kicking about.

Come on Apple, bring back the rainbow.

[David S]

@Abdul

"Sadly, there's one Vista feature that Apple seems totally unable to copy.

Quality."

Comedy genius. You even managed to deliver the line with a perfect deadpan expression. Brilliant...

[Mo]

The intent

Given that Apple already talks up Parallels, the intention is clearly for Xserves to be the virtualisation platform du jour, whether you want to run Mac OS X Server, Windows, Linux, or something else. It wouldn't sell too well as a value proposition if you can't virtualise Mac OS X on your Xserve.

There's clearly demand, and all Apple has to do is tweak the license to allow it: it's a no-brainer from their perspective, and doesn't impact on their bottom line in any negative way.

[Anonymous Coward]

Virtualization

So much for Steve's comment that OS X would never be virtualized. Think Bill's sweating yet? Think he even knows how? Wonder how many chairs Ballmer broke over that news... Bet the idea of OS X on PCs gives him nightmares... then no one would want to buy his 21st century version of Windows Me...

No one deadpans like Abdul...uh, that was a deadpan, wasn't it? Wasn't it?