Spotlight: News.com readers on Apple and Microsoft

June is supposed to be a slow month for news, but things definitely heated up this week when Apple Computer confirmed that it would switch to Intel processors, while Microsoft unveiled a slew of initiatives at its annual TechEd conference.

The Apple-Intel deal brought the most reactions from News.com readers, but other issues also prompted spirited responses. Here's a sampling of more interesting opinions for the week. (Note: Readers' names could be pseudonyms.)

Complete coverage
Apple's new core

Read all of News.com's stories on Apple's dramatic decision to switch to Intel processors.

• "Your loyal customers are worried right now. Can you keep the same high standards for design, stability, security and ease of use?
Is this going to hurt the developers? What about the price?" -- Andrew Harden

• "No really, this is not good. Undoubted long-term, core strategic error. God, he could at least have gone with the Opteron... Demmit, Jobs, what were you thinking of?" -- Andy Asdasda

• "I'm a bit relieved that this news came before I could buy a PowerBook." -- Onizuka

• "Just because Apple switched to Intel doesn't mean that our choices are relegated to AMD and Intel. Amiga is almost complete in its transition to PowerPC." -- Dennis Catt

• "Well, it looks like this will be my last Apple computer. I have been buying Apple Macintosh Computers since the Mac Plus came out, but I won't buy a computer with an Intel processor ever." -- Roy Clarke

• "It's just a processor. Intel wasn't the one who lost the antitrust lawsuit. That was Microsoft, not Intel. What's your beef with Intel?" --Miket

A few readers also theorized that Apple could become a customer for the long-suffering Itanium processor.

• "Itanium is a far superior CPU architecture and Apple's OS X running on Itanium makes much more sense and Apple gets the added benefit of kicking sand in IBM's face. I would buy an Itanium workstation running OS X." -- Charles Nelson

Click here to read more responses about Apple's Intel maneuver.

Banter about Ballmer
Readers also responded to an interview with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who sounded off on a perceived pickup on IT spending, why students should choose IT careers, and competing with Red Hat. Readers said:

• "The IT world is getting worse and worse due to the total ignorance of IT management and their lack of common sense and reality. Just like all the BS Ballmer was putting out. Hell, these people can't stop a Blue Screen on their own operating system." -- CR Black, Orlando, Fla.

• "I predict that Longhorn, when it is released, will be the end-all, be-all of computer operating systems. Longhorn will deliver dynamic convergence and optimize cutting-edge networks while incubating next-generation action-items...In case you are totally clueless, I am being sarcastic." -- Anonymous

• "Look, Ballmer is just doing his job, his responsibility is to the stockholders and the company, love him or despise him or laugh at

[michaelrcorley]

MAC OS on non-Apple Hardware

I wonder if Apple let its OS be installed on non-Apple hardware
running an Intel processor?

I am new to Apple (bought a PowerBook a few months back) and I
will never return to the Microsoft OS. My PowerBook did crash once
however; while using MS-Excel.

[clpdan]

Also New

I too am new to Macintosh. Bought my first Mac in November 2004
and my second (powerbook) in March 2005. I too will never return
to Windows OS. The move to an Intel CPU is a welcomed move in
my opinion. This will provide Apple with the latest, fastest chips
without any supply delays like have been witnesses with IBM's
PowerPC. Go Apple and Intel!

[michaelrcorley]

MAC OS on non-Apple Hardware

I wonder if Apple let its OS be installed on non-Apple hardware
running an Intel processor?

I am new to Apple (bought a PowerBook a few months back) and I
will never return to the Microsoft OS. My PowerBook did crash once
however; while using MS-Excel.

[clpdan]

Also New

I too am new to Macintosh. Bought my first Mac in November 2004
and my second (powerbook) in March 2005. I too will never return
to Windows OS. The move to an Intel CPU is a welcomed move in
my opinion. This will provide Apple with the latest, fastest chips
without any supply delays like have been witnesses with IBM's
PowerPC. Go Apple and Intel!

[clpdan]

Very Positive Comments from Mac Developers

I noted that all the responses on this page seem to be negative.
But, that happens when the comments are made by those with
little insight into what this move to Intel means, especially when
the responses are mostly emotional.

Read up on what Mac Developers are saying about this move --
how they approach this is much more important to me than
some few overly emotional consumers:

http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/06/08/saying/
index.php

[Jim Harmon]

Negative responses

Sadly, people seem to believe that the processor has any noticable effect on the way a computer runs. It doesn't. The biggest factor in determining how a system will operate is, not surprisingly, the job of the Operating System! The processor also has no influence on the way the user interfaces with the computer. That job is handled by (GASP!) the Graphical User Interface.

The only real difference that happened in switching to Intel chips is the machine code instructions. There's even the chance that the OS source code is largely the same with the new processor (but I'm only guessing at this - theoretically it's very possible).

[clpdan]

Very Positive Comments from Mac Developers

I noted that all the responses on this page seem to be negative.
But, that happens when the comments are made by those with
little insight into what this move to Intel means, especially when
the responses are mostly emotional.

Read up on what Mac Developers are saying about this move --
how they approach this is much more important to me than
some few overly emotional consumers:

http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/06/08/saying/
index.php

[Jim Harmon]

Negative responses

Sadly, people seem to believe that the processor has any noticable effect on the way a computer runs. It doesn't. The biggest factor in determining how a system will operate is, not surprisingly, the job of the Operating System! The processor also has no influence on the way the user interfaces with the computer. That job is handled by (GASP!) the Graphical User Interface.

The only real difference that happened in switching to Intel chips is the machine code instructions. There's even the chance that the OS source code is largely the same with the new processor (but I'm only guessing at this - theoretically it's very possible).