Say hello to LaGrande (or what dongle will Apple use?)

smirclesmircle
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Up to now, Apple has used the CPU as a dongle to keep users from running their OS on a non-Apple computer. This was easy because other PPC designs were either more expensive or less powerful than the Macs sold.



This is going to change, soon. With the switch to x86, the dongle is no longer there - 97% of all computers sold could run OS X. Sure, Apple talks of drivers, and luckly (for them), IOKit is way different than other driver architectures. Nevertheless, it would be possible to hack a wrapper for Windows or Linux/x86-Drivers to run under OS X/x86. This is even easiers as Darwin (the OS X foundations) is OpenSource.



So what are Apple's options? Price cuts to make running on other brands less attractive or introduce another dongle. Enter LaGrande, intel's DRM solution built into the CPU come 2006 or 2007. It would allow Apple to make absolutely sure that no pirated or bought versions could be installed on a Dell.



Will they play tough with their users? We don't know, but I am convinced they will not like the idea of their hardware sales tanking...

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 2
    yeshehyesheh Posts: 2member
    The CPU has not been the only dongle that apple had to keep macos from running on other boxes. Indeed, IBM and a small number of independant manufacturers have always made ppc computers running AIX or Linux (eg PegasosPPC) Apples (at least old world macs) have a special rom called the Mac Toolbox Rom. This however, has alreadly been hacked (eg Mac On Linux, PearPC). I too am curious over what sort of drm apple will use, although I thought Intel would not be putting drm on its chips yet. I would not be suprised to hear that Mac Toolbox Rom is back; I would like to install tiger on our AMD64 very badly though....
  • Reply 2 of 2
    nvrsaynvrnvrsaynvr Posts: 64member
    I'm sure Apple will do MUCH to block this from happening cause they MUST sell hardware to succeed as a company with their current share of the PC market.



    "Look at our *NEW* boxes. Desire our *NEW* boxes and BUY our *NEW* boxes to get the best OS on the market!"



    If Apple plays it's cards properly, they will produce systems that are more visually appealing (Apple style) with pricing very close to the competition and control of their OS while meeting or exceeding industry standards.



    This will of course gain them much needed market share to the point that when the hacks do happen, (which they will) Apple will be ready to exercise their option of becoming predominately a software provider dropping the (PC) hardware and truly dominate the industry with ALL of their software products. They can then focus on other consumer electronic developments.



    The last key in the plan to this becoming a reality is the software DEV's. It's in the cards!





    "Think Alike...BE Different!"
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