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Next G5 Multitasks Operating Systems

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the little-bit-of-this-a-little-bit-of-that dept.

squiggleslash writes "IBM has big plans for the 970, Apple's so-called "G5". The CPU will support partitioning, similar to IBM's mainframe systems, allowing multiple operating systems to run at the same time on a single CPU. A Mac built around this chip could theoretically run OS X, GNU/Linux, Mac OS 9, and the PowerPC version of Windows NT, all simultaneously and independently."

3 of 449 comments (clear)

  1. What about the rest of the hardware ? by Bluesuperman · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So what about the rest of the hardware ? Now you have two OS's accessing the same hard drive. There goes the IO ... unless you had two SCSI drives .. now it gets interesting. Michael.

    --
    Linux: For those able to think out side of a window
  2. My Conspiracy Theorist view by Kraegar · · Score: 4, Insightful
    1) IBM Partners with apple to make the g5
    2) IBM Sells off its intel based PC & Laptop line
    3) IBM incorporates more features into the g5 to make it a bigger competitor to intel / amd
    (begin conspiracy)
    4) IBM pushes linux more heavily on the apple g5
    5) IBM pushes the idea of apple desktops paired with IBM servers running linux or AIX

    Could a stronger IBM / apple partnership be the culmination of technologies (power processors, apple desktops, IBM servers, the marketing engine of both companies) that finally steps up and pushes an all *nix platform to challenge Microsoft?

  3. Interesting, but questionable. by YouHaveSnail · · Score: 3, Insightful

    A Mac built around this chip could theoretically run OS X, GNU/Linux, Mac OS 9, and the PowerPC version of Windows NT, all simultaneously and independently.

    That sounds cool and all, but I don't multitask nearly as well as even the current G5. One OS running a few applications is about all I need most of the time. Until Apple (or someone else) starts selling extra terminals that can connect to my machine, I can't really share the machine with other people (aside from providing various services, or letting them log into a command line environment). And no matter what, I don't want a copy of any version of Windows running on even a sliver of my machine, thanks very much.

    What would be much more interesting, for developers at least, would be to run multiple copies of the same operating system. I could run my app in one copy of the OS and debug it "remotely" from a second copy... two machine debugging in one machine!