Back last summer when Apple announced it was moving its Macintosh computers from PowerPC processors (manufactured by IBM and Freescale) to processors from Intel, it didn’t take long for two obvious questions to be asked. First, since the Mac’s operating system would need to be rewritten to run on the Intel architecture, would the system run, on, say, a Dell or HP branded PC?

The answer from Apple to this first question was a resounding “No!” “Not only No, but heck no!” Unlike Microsoft, which builds operating systems but not the computers they run on, Apple derives the majority of its revenue from hardware, not software. Apple will certainly do everything it can to prevent Mac OS X from running on anything but an Apple-built-and-branded computer.

The second, and converse, question is: since the new Macs use Intel processors, and PCs use Intel processors, can you run Windows on a new Intel Mac?

From the get-go, Apple engineers said they would do nothing to prevent Windows from running on Macs, but at the same time they were not going to actively pursue it themselves. That would, of course, be left to the hackers. Certainly a juicy challenge, to say the least.

Not that you haven’t been able to run Windows on a Mac for a long time. Once upon a time there was a software company called Connectix. They developed a program called “Virtual PC”, which, as its name implied, created an emulated PC environment on the Mac in which a full-fledged, certificated, virus-capable version of Windows could be booted.

Although later versions were reasonably fast, emulation took a heavy toll on the Mac’s processor and resources. It worked pretty well with “low-power” applications like browsers and proprietary business programs, but you certainly wouldn’t do Photoshop or graphic-intense video games in the emulated environment.

Virtual PC worked well enough that Microsoft saw fit to (as they have been known to do) buy Connectix and make Virtual PC their own. There’s been one major update since Virtual PC was “assimilated”, and some believe that Microsoft will take advantage of Apple’s Intel shift to make an even faster version of Virtual PC. What have they got to lose? Every sale of Virtual PC brings a sale of Windows.

Anyway, back in January a self-professed Mac lover offered a monetary award for the first person to figure out how to boot Windows XP on an Intel Mac. He put in $100 of his own money, and built a web site offering others the opportunity to add to the prize. Last time I looked the prize had grown to over $12,000 – mostly from small patrons, some giving only a penny through PayPal.

Now, before you head down to New Hampshire to get a new iMac Dual Core and put on a pot of coffee for a long night of hacking, I can tell you that the prize has been claimed, by two San Francisco Bay area software developers.

You can read the “how-to” instructions for yourself at the project web site at http://onmac.net. I can save you the trouble, however, and summarize the procedure in a few words: not for the faint of heart. Here’s a general overview.

It’s a two-step process, is 95% automated by software downloadable for free from the web site, and more-or-less requires you to have a PC running Windows already. It involves making a custom Windows XP installation CD, then modifying the installation instructions as you go along. Having an expert-level Windows background will be a big help. If you’re a “visual learner”, there’s even a video tutorial available online.

Ain’t technology grand?

© 2006 Peter F. Zimowski