Mac OS X Lion to include browser-only boot

Here's an interesting bit of news for the conspiratorially minded: Apple's soon-to-be-released Mac OS X 10.7, aka Lion, will allow you to boot directly to the Safari browser, bypassing the desktop and Finder entirely. But before you go all Chrome OS all over yourself, however, thinking that Apple is about to mimic Google and …

[LawLessLessLaw]

give it a month

and it will be broken open via a download rendering it not only useless but dangerous

[David Simpson 1]

UMM?

If someone stole a Mac (or any laptop) the first thing to do is format and reinstall, who cares about the average users files anyway, this feature seems more as a convenient way to let a friend browse the web without seeing your files or messing with your Facebook.

[Chris 3]

I think

You're rather over-estimating the intelligence of the average thief. Or underestimating their desire to immediately update their Facebook status. Either way, it'll catch a small percentage of twerps.

[Cameron Colley]

RE: UMM?

Why would they reformat and reinstall? I would expect most young men* to look for porn, games or logged in Facebook sessions -- the slightly more tech-minded (those who have their own PCs) might even try to get into Amazon or the like to see if they could order stuff. I don't know why a normal, dumb criminal would need to reformat at all, even if they knew how, seeing s they'd be selling it to a fence, drug dealer or one of their mates down the pub anyhow. Thieving scum are just as likely to be curious as the next man.

*The most likely burglars, I think (I've not seen the crime figures so correct me if I'm wrong please).

[fn0rd]

Open Firmware.

...and this is why you should set up a Open Firmware password.

[Anonymous Coward]

However...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4oB28ksiIo

[zonky]

Or given Apples modest security success with safari...

It's an easy way to root a system and gain access via a browser exploit.

[nyelvmark]

it appears that there's no hidden Jobsian control-freak agenda.

Don't worry, Rik - we'll find one.

[Anonymous Coward]

Sounds more like...

Sounds more like ASUS Express Gate me.

Hardly news.

[Shane Kent]

I would think...

a reboot option stating no modular nightmare piece of s#!t Internet would be better. Just think, you could iWork without crap hitting ports in the background.

[sT0rNG b4R3 duRiD]

Or...

It could be something as innocuous like Asus's 'quick' ExpressGate boot.

Or not.... Who knows?

[Anonymous Coward]

VFS filesystem???

Feeling redundant today? I guess we know why that app isn't in the iAppStore store.

[Anonymous Coward]

its like the totally useless asus thing

has anyone used that thing where you can quickly boot to just a browser? i usually turn its availability completely off, just another boot thing to wait for.

troll because i like his pretty face.

[hj]

i did

Until I found out I can not use it with a wireless network (card).

[Christian Berger]

Yes, but what's the point?

If you only need a browser there are other alternatives. Now if Apple would have invested in hardware reliability they might still have a chance in that market.

[twunt]

Express Gate!

Ha - the first time I tried it I thought the laptop was broken! Ugly, useless gimmick.

[Anonymous Coward]

But this is Apple

So it'll be a useless but very pretty gimmick.

Paris, useless but pretty.

[Anonymous Coward]

Hmmm

...no, still not seeing the "must have it" value of this feature.

Much like the rest of Lions 'new features' - a significant number are lifted from iOS without any real proper thought about how useful they would actually be on a desktop/server OS.

Sorry, an avid mac user I may be, but I'm seriously underwhelmed with Lion. At least it'll be cheap.

[Mark Serlin]

One good thing...

about Lion - resize windows from any edge. Welcome to the 1980's, and about flippin time.

[George 24]

Browser choices

Will the EU force Apple to offer the feature with multiple browsers???

[CD001]

yes

When Apple becomes a monopoly in the OS space. *sighs*

[IGnatius T Foobar]

Safari? Feh...

All of the Mac users I know ditched Safari a long time ago and are now running Google Chrome on their Macs. It's a Google world now, Mr. Jobs, get used to it.

[Ivan Headache]

Chrtome? Feh...

Most of the mac users that I know that tried chrome ditched it.

Many tried Firefox - and quite a few stayed with it, but the majority use Safari - and find it a very pleasant experience.

(Mac trainer - knows hundreds of mac users - so not talking out of his .... nevertheless he will no doubt get down votes)

[Steve Coburn]

Network Access

Will it prompt for a network key automatically or does this depend on the 'thief' accessing an open network? From my experience you need to have admin rights to log on to a network for the first time. (Assuming wireless networks used).

[Gareth Gouldstone]

I guess ...

that this allows you to access the web to troubleshoot when your system goes wrong. How many times have you seen 'for help go to our support website' when the help you need is how to get connected.