Microsoft working with Apple on future of Virtual PC
Just days after renewing its commitment to develop Office for the Mac, Microsoft revealed that it is also working with Apple to bring Virtual PC to its new Intel-architecture.
According to MacNN, Microsoft said any new version of the Windows emulation application would have to be developed from the ground up for Intel-based Macs because the software is not compatible with Apple's Rosetta emulation environment.
Microsoft reportedly plans wait for receipt of the first shipping machines to better evaluate Virtual PC for Intel Macs as well as determine a release date for Office and Messenger for Intel Macs.
"Virtual PC 7 remains the top emulation software for Mac PowerPC users. However, applications like Virtual PC that are highly dependent on the OS will not run under Rosetta," said Roz Ho, General Manager of Macintosh Business Unit (Mac BU) at Microsoft.
"These types of products require a dedicated team and a lot of work to rebuild them for an entirely new architecture. That said, we know that using Windows-based applications on Macs is important to our customers, and we?re working with Apple to figure out the best way to bring this technology to Intel-based Macs. We?ll have a better idea once we have the new machines and can accurately evaluate just what is required to transition the product."
The company also said that the Universal Binary transition may affect the timing of the next release of Mac Office and Mac Messenger. Although it plans to deliver Entourage and Messenger updates in March, they will not be universal binaries.
"We typically deliver new versions every two to three years, as this timeframe is when the majority of customers are ready for new productivity software. Moving to universal binaries will naturally impact our schedule, but we?re dedicated to bringing Office for Mac and Messenger for Mac to customers and making sure we deliver the highest quality products. We?ll know just how much the schedule will need to shift as soon as we?re able to fully test our current and forthcoming solutions on Intel-based Macs," Ho added.
She said the Mac BU will focus on file format compatibility -- the primary conern of its users -- by delivering new XML file formats and improving the layout engines and graphics. Additionally, Ho said the Mac BU will work with Apple to identify new technologies that will benefit its customers.
Earlier this week, Microsoft both vowed to deliver new versions of Office on the Mac for the next five years and announced that it has halted development of Windows Media Player for the Mac.
According to MacNN, Microsoft said any new version of the Windows emulation application would have to be developed from the ground up for Intel-based Macs because the software is not compatible with Apple's Rosetta emulation environment.
Microsoft reportedly plans wait for receipt of the first shipping machines to better evaluate Virtual PC for Intel Macs as well as determine a release date for Office and Messenger for Intel Macs.
"Virtual PC 7 remains the top emulation software for Mac PowerPC users. However, applications like Virtual PC that are highly dependent on the OS will not run under Rosetta," said Roz Ho, General Manager of Macintosh Business Unit (Mac BU) at Microsoft.
"These types of products require a dedicated team and a lot of work to rebuild them for an entirely new architecture. That said, we know that using Windows-based applications on Macs is important to our customers, and we?re working with Apple to figure out the best way to bring this technology to Intel-based Macs. We?ll have a better idea once we have the new machines and can accurately evaluate just what is required to transition the product."
The company also said that the Universal Binary transition may affect the timing of the next release of Mac Office and Mac Messenger. Although it plans to deliver Entourage and Messenger updates in March, they will not be universal binaries.
"We typically deliver new versions every two to three years, as this timeframe is when the majority of customers are ready for new productivity software. Moving to universal binaries will naturally impact our schedule, but we?re dedicated to bringing Office for Mac and Messenger for Mac to customers and making sure we deliver the highest quality products. We?ll know just how much the schedule will need to shift as soon as we?re able to fully test our current and forthcoming solutions on Intel-based Macs," Ho added.
She said the Mac BU will focus on file format compatibility -- the primary conern of its users -- by delivering new XML file formats and improving the layout engines and graphics. Additionally, Ho said the Mac BU will work with Apple to identify new technologies that will benefit its customers.
Earlier this week, Microsoft both vowed to deliver new versions of Office on the Mac for the next five years and announced that it has halted development of Windows Media Player for the Mac.
Comments
Though I think their operating system needs some work (I'm actually typing on it
I think also that this could help get many switchers - most PC users do admit that Macs have a sexy and nice OS. There's no reason NOT to switch if they could run most applications on Virtual PC! (Maybe I could get my parents or grandmother to switch - on my dad's PC, it takes well over three minutes to open Word! And my grandmother's PC is seven years old now - it has a 3GB hard drive and she's always calling asking why she doesn't have any space.)
EDIT: MODS: Please delete the comments from Robin Hood's to melgross' second comment. It'd be nice if readers could actually see comments that have to do with the article :P
Originally posted by Robin Hood
You are a waste of space.
dude, wtf warranted that?
dude, wtf warranted that?
lol i think he's one of those militant extremist mac fans. facists!
Originally posted by rok
dude, wtf warranted that?
He might've seen my post before I edited it.
I was going to write a long post, but I had a sentence down, and I accidentally hit submit.
Edit: If there's a mod nearby, we should probably just delete this thing from Robin Hood to here so people can see the real comments.
He might've seen my post before I edited it.
if this guy saw ur post BEFORE you edited it, what the hell did you say that was worse than callling him a waste of space! lol
Originally posted by nay_acharya
if this guy saw ur post BEFORE you edited it, what the hell did you say that was worse than callling him a waste of space! lol
I said something about my second post and that was it.
I really meant to write more.
It's true he shouldn't have been so mean, but he did have a point. Most people want to see an informative post rather than spam.
Virtual PC should be halfway there by now.
Originally posted by nay_acharya
if this guy saw ur post BEFORE you edited it, what the hell did you say that was worse than callling him a waste of space! lol
You seem to have it backwards.
Robin Hood called HIM "a waste of space".
You seem to have it backwards.
Robin Hood called HIM "a waste of space".
ahhh so right you are! i am sorry! its 2:40am over here and i just took my glasses off! lol
sorry dude! i love you all!
As for VPC, it's on my "buy" list unless something better comes out sooner.
* Windows on virtualized hardware means no Windows virus can decide to reformat my Macs' HD! I like my OS X security the way it is
* No rebooting means I can use Mac and Windows app TOGETHER.
* Intel CPU means VPC can now be full speed, or close enough for me.
The only reason I truly need Windows is for occasional testing of apps and web stuff I create, so I can wait until VPC comes out. My ActualPC will serve until then.
Either that or work via virtualization technology which Intel's chips support at the hardware level to run both OS X and VPC at the same time. In that way, VPC could simply transition to the services needed to allow generic Intel based Microsoft OS's to run alongside OSX but with full native access to the hardware layers (including full use of the Graphics card) to give native execution speed.
The more choices the merrier.
Originally posted by hmurchison
I hope VMWare is looking at the prospects of Virtualization on OS X.
The more choices the merrier.
Yes, there's nothing like choices. Hopefully, it will make them all better for it.
It's totally inexcusable that there has been access to Intel developer kits for months now and that nobody has even began coding a new version of VPC. I dread hearing this woman speak because each time it's full of bullshit.
Here's my prediction: a number of other developers have already started working on x86 virtualization software for OS X on Intel, MS knows this, and will just announce the end of VPC whenever someone else releases their product (VMWare seems like a good candidate).
Rather than just say that though, you get the normal MacBU filler responses.
Also, a complete rewrite?? How about Virtual PC for Windows?? Wouldn't that provide the groundwork for Virtual PC for Mac/Intel??
This is quite pathetic.
Originally posted by bedouin
For how I feel about the MacBU see this post.
It's totally inexcusable that there has been access to Intel developer kits for months now and that nobody has even began coding a new version of VPC. I dread hearing this woman speak because each time it's full of bullshit.
Here's my prediction: a number of other developers have already started working on x86 virtualization software for OS X on Intel, MS knows this, and will just announce the end of VPC whenever someone else releases their product (VMWare seems like a good candidate).
Yes and no. I first thought MS was just stalling as usual but then did the developer kits have EFI? As far as I know not. For an app like VPC that is deeply wired to hardware there might be non-trivial differences between the developer kits and the shipping Intel-Macs.
Furthermore, other emulator apps that seem to come out now much faster than VPC might take (and have taken) a simpler approach to it, not going as deep into the system (that might be why they had worse performance than VPC so far).
Originally posted by noirdesir
Yes and no. I first thought MS was just stalling as usual but then did the developer kits have EFI? As far as I know not. For an app like VPC that is deeply wired to hardware there might be non-trivial differences between the developer kits and the shipping Intel-Macs.
Furthermore, other emulator apps that seem to come out now much faster than VPC might take (and have taken) a simpler approach to it, not going as deep into the system (that might be why they had worse performance than VPC so far).
There's nothing like VPC that is faster.