Apple releases Bonjour for Windows

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
Apple today released Bonjour for the Windows operating system. Formally "Rendezvous," and also known as zero-configuration networking, Bonjour enables automatic discovery of computers, devices, and services on IP networks. The technology uses industry standard IP protocols to allow devices to automatically discover each other without the need to enter IP addresses or configure DNS servers. The 14MB release requires Windows 2000/2003 or Windows XP. Make sure you have the latest Service Pack installed for your computer using Windows Update. While this release may turn some heads and spark insightful discussion, it should be noted that Bonjour technology has been present in iTunes for Windows for some time. The development of the Windows-compatible version reportedly dates back sometime, to when the technology was still called Rendezvous.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 16
    aplnubaplnub Posts: 2,605member
    That's great but until Rendezvous stop's working on my wife's XP machine, I am not touching a thing. Rendezvous for printing was the best thing Apple (Tiger) ever did for the Mac husband who has a Windows Wife.



    Quote:

    Originally posted by AppleInsider

    Apple today released Bonjour for the Windows operating system. Formally "Rendezvous," and also known as zero-configuration networking, Bonjour enables automatic discovery of computers, devices, and services on IP networks. The technology uses industry standard IP protocols to allow devices to automatically discover each other without the need to enter IP addresses or configure DNS servers. The 14MB release requires Windows 2000/2003 or Windows XP. Make sure you have the latest Service Pack installed for your computer using Windows Update. While this release may turn some heads and spark insightful discussion, it should be noted that Bonjour technology has been present in iTunes for Windows for some time. The development of the Windows-compatible version reportedly dates back sometime, to when the technology was still called Rendezvous.
    [ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]




  • Reply 2 of 16
    danielctulldanielctull Posts: 586member
    I personally think Rendezvous/Bonjour is the best thing Apple has given us. I still cannot believe they have ported over to Windows at all, let alone not even charging for it. Of course this has made my life easier, as before the Rendezvous beta, Windows couldn't use my Airport Express connected printer. It took all of 3 minutes with restarts to get it up and running!
  • Reply 3 of 16
    halsehalse Posts: 53member
    lets see..... what sort of mass market device could use bonjour, H.264 and wireless and be about the size of a mini and....... and isn't this the year of HD?
  • Reply 4 of 16
    skatmanskatman Posts: 609member
    Quote:

    Of course this has made my life easier, as before the Rendezvous beta, Windows couldn't use my Airport Express connected printer.



    That's because you don't know what you're doing. It's very easy to connect Windows XP PC to AE printer.
  • Reply 5 of 16
    sandboxfacesandboxface Posts: 15member
    This is a good move by Apple. By providing good software that actually works, they will invite people over to the Mac OS X platform.
  • Reply 6 of 16
    telomartelomar Posts: 1,804member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by skatman

    That's because you don't know what you're doing. It's very easy to connect Windows XP PC to AE printer.



    You pretty much just highlighted the greatest strength of Bonjour, somebody who may or may not know anything about computers can network very easily.
  • Reply 7 of 16
    digitaldavedigitaldave Posts: 445member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by skatman

    That's because you don't know what you're doing. It's very easy to connect Windows XP PC to AE printer.



    I'm with danielctull on this one. I don't consider myself a computer noob (but neither am I a great expert), and I just couldn't get my wife's PC to connect to the Airport Express printer by using the normal Windows XP tools. Then I found the Bonjour / Rendezvous for Windows beta, installed it, and had printing working in minutes. So whilst it may have been easy to get it working in your system, it was a major problem on mine .
  • Reply 8 of 16
    danielctulldanielctull Posts: 586member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by skatman

    That's because you don't know what you're doing. It's very easy to connect Windows XP PC to AE printer.



    How is that my friend??? I had previously connected an XP machine to our old HP printer, but it wasn't having any of it when we changed our printer to a Cannon. In the end it was actually more because the windows printer utility wouldn't pick up the right driver (it didn't include it in the list you HAVE to pick from), even though they were fully installed, as proven when they showed up with Bonjour



    Windows changes it's mind from device to device, which is where further benifits of Bonjour come in.
  • Reply 9 of 16
    sethmonstersethmonster Posts: 29member
    This is why we love Apple: they create awesome technology that makes everyone?s life better (Mac and Windows). As an IT manager in a mixed environment, I can tell you that this piece of technology is going to make life easier for me. Oh, and its free too ? good times all around.
  • Reply 10 of 16
    carniphagecarniphage Posts: 1,984member
    Has anyone successfully shared a printer on a Windows machine using this technology?



    As far as I can see, Bonjour for Windows allows Windows machines see shared Mac printers - but not the other way round.



    Carni
  • Reply 11 of 16
    sam_dlgsam_dlg Posts: 24member
    Quote:

    This is a good move by Apple. By providing good software that actually works, they will invite people over to the Mac OS X platform.



    Common, to make a cult-like blanket statement like that of apple these days is funny. I'm a lover of all things mac, but please to say that all apple software works is a crock!



    g3 ibook/15gb ipod
  • Reply 12 of 16
    aplnubaplnub Posts: 2,605member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by sam_dlg

    ...but please to say that all apple software works is a crock!



    Are you be serious or sarcastic?
  • Reply 13 of 16
    akhomerunakhomerun Posts: 386member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by sam_dlg

    Common, to make a cult-like blanket statement like that of apple these days is funny. I'm a lover of all things mac, but please to say that all apple software works is a crock!



    g3 ibook/15gb ipod



    so name a piece of apple software out today that doesn't work as intended
  • Reply 14 of 16
    sethmonstersethmonster Posts: 29member
    I think that you are reading into my statement a bit there, Sam. I don?t hold the opinion that all Apple software works perfectly. I was only stating that Apple makes awesome technology and that Bonjour is going to be very useful for me in a *mixed* environment (Mac, Windows, Linux).
  • Reply 15 of 16
    maccrazymaccrazy Posts: 2,658member
    Bonjour works seamlessly and is therefore very Apple. A brilliant product but it will not bring switchers - it's to help the Mac faithful who have to work with Windows; not to entice people.
  • Reply 16 of 16
    sam_dlgsam_dlg Posts: 24member
    :-)



    I agree.

    bonjour doesn't work flawlesly on windows...not too sure why. But my airport express will disapear every once in a while.
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