Apple updates Rendezvous for Windows, Linux

Apple Computer has published updated source code to its Rendezvous network-configuration technology for use in Windows, Linux, Unix and Java applications.

The move is designed to entice developers to use the code to incorporate the "zero configuration" technology into their own applications. The software allows network devices to automatically connect to other components of a network and to communicate what features they have to offer. The technology competes with the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) technology that Microsoft has developed.

Apple made the announcement Tuesday during its annual Developer's Conference in San Francisco.

While Apple open-sourced the code to Rendezvous for the Mac OS X and the underlying Unix-like Darwin operating system almost two years ago, the latest development release adds new tools for users and expanded functionality.

"By supporting an open standards process and providing open-source software that is available today, Apple is encouraging the rapid adoption of Rendezvous technology," Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, said in a statement marking the original release of the code.

The current release includes full support for linking to other devices using standard Internet protocols and allows Windows machines to advertise and discover Web servers and file servers on a local network using Internet Explorer. A printer setup wizard allows Windows networks to use Rendezvous compliant printers.

The Linux development kit is a bit more raw, but includes three components that allow Unix, BSD, Linux and Solaris computers to communicate with other Rendezvous devices.

The software can be downloaded from Apple's Web site.

[Jon N.]

About Operating Systems...

Everyone is on the right track when they say that XP is really the worst OS that has been concieved. Truly, its internet flaws, instability, & mutiple errors, are a end users worst nightmare.
If Mr. Gates can't get it right with the next Service Pak, #2, then you might just see thousands more windows users running to open source, (i.e., SuSE/Lindows/Solaris) just like the Germans just did recently.
Apple Computers', Mr. Jobs, is in the battle for your platform solutions, but I don't know why he hasn't made a x86 version of OS X Jaguar, or Panther? Apple is quite successful with iTunes, & iPod MP3 Player for Windows. Why not an OS offering from Apple that works on the Intel & AMD processors?

I need input.

Jon N.

[wrwjpn]

Why do it?

For one thing the chip designs are different. Also whay doesn't Ferrari switch their cars over so they can run on GM engines. Just because the chips are cheaper doesn't manke them better. MAybe Mr Jobs wants to stay as a niche maker. Less worries of viruses, worms, and trojan horses. Maybe he likes to build a better computer or likes his customers to have a better experience than being the Mc Donalds of computers.

Why switch to other chips when the OS works fine on the chips now? Remember the old saying:
"Don't fix it if it isn't broken."

[iKenny]

Simple

It's simple. Apple makes vastly more money off its hardware
than its software. If they were to switch to Intel processors and
allow any computer to run OS X, even if there was a huge rush to
purchase boxed copies of OS X, that still wouldn't be enough
time to keep Apple afloat and turn them into a software-only
company. They can slowly move away from making their own
hardware, but a sudden shift would kill them, even if everyone in
the world was buying the OS.

[Llib Setag]

They call me Mr. Chips

O.K.:
Since Apple made the move to Open Source / Unix / Darwin / BSD with OS X things have gooten interesting. Remember when Jobs had NEXT OS & Hardware (UNIX) after Apple?
Rumor has it that an x86 chip version of OSX is alive & buried in the vaults of Apple Cupertino. Think about it. NEXT + Apple = OSX Unix Darwin.

What if Apple MADE a HYBRID Mac with Intel/AMD chip AND G5 RISC Chip? You could run Mac OSX & PC software simultaneously on box? Mac + Window + UNIX + Linux in an all in one box?

What if Apple made a X86 Mac OSX box with a proprietary Apple/IBM V-CHIP that would run an X86 version of OSX AS LONG AS the V-Chip was on the motherboard. Appl still makes hardware & software, but you could also run WIN-Linux-Unix programs as well...

That would be the computer of the Millenium that only Apple could pull off.