Apple releases Bonjour for Windows

AppleInsider · May 5, 2005 4:32PM

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 ]

aplnub · May 5, 2005 5:39PM

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 ]

danielctull · May 5, 2005 5:56PM

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!

halse · May 5, 2005 9:43PM

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?

skatman · May 5, 2005 10:14PM

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.

sandboxface · May 5, 2005 11:14PM

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.

telomar · May 6, 2005 1:24AM

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.

digitaldave · May 6, 2005 2:35AM

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

.

danielctull · May 6, 2005 2:57AM

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.

sethmonster · May 6, 2005 9:55AM

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.

carniphage · May 6, 2005 11:17AM

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

sam_dlg · May 6, 2005 2:11PM

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

aplnub · May 6, 2005 4:17PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sam_dlg

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

Are you be serious or sarcastic?

akhomerun · May 7, 2005 6:15AM

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

sethmonster · May 7, 2005 12:48PM

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).

maccrazy · May 8, 2005 1:59PM

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.

sam_dlg · May 9, 2005 7:27AM

:-)

I agree.

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

Apple releases Bonjour for Windows

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