Originally Posted by mayonaise
...?
Answering your last question first, because Novell is desperate, their NOS (network operating system) has been made virtually useless by the strong networking features of Win2K and XP. Their server platform is outdated and frankly, complete trash. (This coming from a CNA.) They're spinning around the bowl and need something new. In addition, I'll correct you by stating that SuSE's primary product is services, not their OS.
As for the rest, note that all the companies that you stated have a stake in Linux (Sun, Novell, IBM), or felt that their contributions would make *nix compatible with their own equipment (Cisco). Again, benefit to the developer, not the user.
Originally Posted by Epoch
Oh hellll no... it's one of the best business decisions Apple has made to date. Why? Because there is NO WAY Apple can compete in that market. You can rest assured that if Apple moved over to an x86 platform, Microsoft and Dell would start dumping their products at the lowest possible cost to eliminate Apple from the market entirely.
With a BSD base, Apple could port Mac OS X to x86 for very little. And then guess what... make it free. Bam, you undercut Microsoft, and you'll pick up a crapload of Linux users who only use Linux because they hate Microsoft. Once people are familiar with an Apple operating system, they'll be far more likely to purchase a Mac for their next system. In addition, software for the Mac will become much more widely available because software vendors will know that if they design for OS X that it will work on both PPC and x86. Right now many hold back from the PPC platform simply because the demand isn't there.
Have that base version free, give everyone a taste of it. Subsequent versions would be sold identically to their Mac equivalents... which are vastly less expensive than Microsoft's operating systems.
Originally Posted by mxl36o
BTW apple is never port its OS X to Intel...simply because Apple is a HARDWARE COMPANY! ... they make software to sell their hardware...
Horrible mistake on their part. IBM learned its lesson about being just hardware. They've moved to encompass software and knowledgeware. Apple should follow their lead.