On Nov 7, 2011, at 9:20 AM, Charles Dyer wrote:
> > On 07 Nov 2011, at 02:39 , Chris Murphy wrote: >> >> Mac OS X has next to no chance to take over any of those systems, none of >> which run Windows. > > Err... you sure about that? I've seen vast numbers of all of the above > displaying BSDs and other Marks of the Microsoft Beast. And I just did a > quick Google on just one of 'em: Point of Sale software. The first five hits, > which was a far as I bothered to go, were Windows-based systems. I'd say that > a _lot_ of POS and other similar systems are Windows-based. I _know_ that the > local branches of Chase, Wells Fargo, and SunTrust all use Windows for their > ATMs, having seen the Mark of the Beast on 'em many a time. A cursory search reveals hilarity of my haste. It could be that Windows makes about 3/4s of the POS market. But brief research also reveals how fractured the solutions are, and also that Windows is not free. Apple is completely untrustworthy directly entering this market. They'd have to not only allow Mac OS run on non-Apple hardware, they'd have to actively make it run well on targeted non-Apple hardware. Then they could compete aggressively on OS licensing and see if new or existing POS developers switch from Windows to Mac OS. I think that is a tall order to expect in any significant percentage. So I'll stand by the first part of my statement, while laughing at the 2nd part of my statement. In any event it's moot because there is no movement by Apple to even allow the OS to run in a VM on non-Apple hardware, let alone as a host on actual non-Apple hardware. The former is much much easier for them to do and yet they aren't doing it. Chris Murphy _______________________________________________ MacOSX-admin mailing list [email protected] http://www.omnigroup.com/mailman/listinfo/macosx-admin
