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Apple's Bonjour Available for Windows

inblosam writes "Apple's Bonjour ('also known as zero-configuration networking, enables automatic discovery of computers, devices, and services on IP networks') is now available for Windows! A Bonjour icon shows up in Internet Explorer to enable Bonjour browsing, along with the Bonjour Printer Wizard. Developers can download the Bonjour SDK. The benefits would appear to be for Apple customers (more Bonjouring with more networks) and to gain Apple switchers by enticing Windows customers."

40 of 550 comments (clear)

  1. Bonjour? No point by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The americans will rename this to Freedom Discoverer anyway.

    1. Re:Bonjour? No point by Alex · · Score: 5, Funny

      The americans will rename this to Freedom Discoverer anyway.

      And GWB will call it Discovererer

      Alex

    2. Re:Bonjour? No point by rca66 · · Score: 4, Funny
      And GWB will call it Discovererer

      No, no, he will of course call it "Bonjour" - and he will point out the interesting fact, that the french have no word for "Bonjour".

    3. Re:Bonjour? No point by nametaken · · Score: 5, Funny


      The americans will rename this to Freedom Discoverer anyway.

      And GWB will call it Discovererer


      And Al Gore will claim to have invented it.

      And Kerry will claim to have supported its creation, then retract.

      And FoxNews will tell the world that Bonjour is an attack on our freedom created by the Democrats.

      And CNN will claim that Clinton wrote it while he was getting head. ...can we stop the lame political jokes now and just call it a day?

  2. Re:Um.. okay by tkokesh · · Score: 5, Informative

    The name. Apple got sued by Tibco about the Rendezvous trademark, so they changed the name to "Bonjour".

    --

    A pride of lions.
    A gaggle of geese.
    A murder of crows.
    A vista of bugs.
  3. Re:Bonjour? by torpor · · Score: 5, Insightful

    the fact you can't see it and don't know much about it means that its doing its job.

    zeroconf (the IEEE name for bonjour, which is just an implementation of the standard, Apple-extended...) means zero configuration. the user doesn't need to know how to connect to a device, she just uses it.

    this is one of those technology's which, if used properly, won't get much notice. its not supposed to.

    --
    ; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
  4. Re:Is this a first? by michaeldot · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Is this the first time Apple releases software that works on Windows?

    QuickTime...
    iTunes...

    Now the question is wether we'll eventually see Mac OS X for x86...........

    Rumor is that Apple does indeed do internal builds on x86, in case some day they have to switch processor architectures like they almost did before IBM took up the PowerPC slack.

    But since Apple is primarily a "whole box" company, it's unlikely they'd use it for anything other than a x86-based computer of their own design, not a normal PC.

    Though it'd be nice to think some day they'd license clone makers again... An "HP Mac" would be an interesting concept.

  5. Uh oh... by dysprosia · · Score: 4, Funny

    What happens in the evenings?!

    1. Re:Uh oh... by Motherfucking+Shit · · Score: 5, Funny
      What happens in the evenings?!
      No worries, launchd has it all figured out. At 6pm localtime, bonjourd is automatically kill -9'd by bonsoird.
      --
      "BSD: Free as in speech. Linux: Free as in beer. Windows 10: Free as in herpes." --Man On Pink Corner in #52607549.
  6. Okay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    And what about Linux?

    Or is it just assumed "Zero configuration" and "linux" are inherently incompatible concepts

    1. Re:Okay by Reverant · · Score: 5, Informative

      There is a Posix-compatible version of Zeroconf for Linux. Just download it from Apple's CVS (You will need an ADC account). Under bash: export CVS_RSH=ssh export CVSROOT=:ext:apsl@anoncvs.opensource.apple.com:/cv s/apsl cvs co mDNSResponder Then use your ADC ID and ADC password as a password, like this: my_adc_email@host.com:my_adc_password I've been using Zeroconf on my Linux laptop with no problems whatsoever, eg. Safari sees my laptop as a web server (I run Apache for site demos) and there is no need to manually enter the server's IP. Unfortunately, there is no Printer Wizard bundled. Duh.

    2. Re:Okay by TheRaven64 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Apple already released their ZeroConf stack for POSIX-like systems under an open source license.

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
  7. Re:UPnP by jcr · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sure: Bonjour works. Any more questions?

    --
    The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
  8. KDE has it too by m50d · · Score: 5, Informative

    KDE added support with 3.4, for example the public file server advertises itself over zeroconf (same protocol, different name). So this is starting to look like a good technology for those in a heterogenous environment

    --
    I am trolling
  9. Re:UPnP by wargolem · · Score: 5, Informative

    Here's a good comparison of UPnP and Zeroconf. Zeroconf is the base of Apple's Bonjour.

  10. Re:UPnP by TheRaven64 · · Score: 5, Informative
    Bonjour, a.k.a. Rendezvous a.k.a. ZeroConf is much more light-weight than UPnP. It is also more low-level - defining the mechanism, rather than a complex set of profiles. ZeroConf is purely service discovery - it is used for advertising the existence of other, existing, protocols, rather than for actually performing any communication directly. As such, it is very easy to add ZeroConf to an existing server or peer-to-peer protocol - you just advertise the port people connect to and the protocol they should use, rather than having to modify any existing networking code.

    Note that I am far more familiar with ZeroConf than with UPnP, so I may have miss-characterised UPnP in this post.

    --
    I am TheRaven on Soylent News
  11. Re:Is this a first? by FidelCatsro · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Apple wont be doing that ,The clone macs caused apple alot of problems mostly related to the fact that it cut proffits by brobdignagian ammounts.
    Quite simply , apple makes a hell of alot more off of hardware and support(not so sure about support though) than they do off of software so it would not be in their best intrests.

    --
    The only things certain in war are Propaganda and Death. You can never be sure which is which though
  12. Linux! by xiando · · Score: 4, Informative

    It made me very happy to find that Linux has support for it and that even better support is under way. http://dot.kde.org/1114696139/

  13. Nice MacOS X advert... by troon · · Score: 4, Insightful

    From TFA:

    Now anyone using a Windows PC can take advantage of the effortlessness of Bonjour for free. The Bonjour Setup Wizard makes setting up a printer under Windows as easy as Mac OS X (we can't make it as beautiful, unfortunately).

    Cool.

    --
    Ydco co ,df C erb-y go. a Ekrpat t.fxrapev
  14. Re:WTF? An "MSIE" plug-in? by xiando · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I agree that all browsers available should be supported generally, but the issue here is: zero-configuration networking, enables automatic discovery of computers, devices, and services on IP networks. These things are Operating System issues, the only reason they call it Internet Explorer plugin is probably that it is the file-manager. Opera and Mozilla are not file managers, thus they do not need a plugin to browse available printers etc on the LAN, and they will not work unless the underlying operating system has configured the network etc. :-)

  15. The printer wizard is very interesting for HPusers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    ..since all networked HP printers built in the last few years have Bonjour support built in to the JetDirect software.

  16. Programs and ease of use by puregen1us · · Score: 5, Informative

    ZeroConf is the official name, Apples used to use Rendezvous, now it's Bonjour.

    You won't have seen it advertised explicitly, it simply sits and works.

    It is used for sharing in the iApps:
    iTunes
    iPhoto
    chatting in iChat
    Finding servers to use in the Server Admin tools,
    Transmit (the Panic FTP client) supports it,
    It is used to find file shares on the network, using AFP

    Anywhere networking just happens, without having to do anything more than simply turn it on chances are Bonjour is behind it.

    Alex

  17. Bye, bye! by BigYawn · · Score: 4, Funny

    Bonjour has invoked an illegal operation and will be shutdown. Windows needs to be rebooted.
    Au revoir!

  18. Re:UPnP by quigonn · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually, zeroconf is more than service discovery.

    zeroconf consists of:
    - automatic allocation of IP address without DHCP
    - name resolving without a central DNS server
    - service discovery without a central directory service

    --
    A monkey is doing the real work for me.
  19. Re:Say.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    There are many printers now that work with this technology. It's actually pretty good stuff. I am surprised that this was not already in Windows. Apple usually isn't the type to just release free software for a platform other than theirs, unless of course something is in it for them. Possibly wider ZeroConf adoption in devices? Possible another pc compatible device that apple wants to release, but requires this?

  20. Re:"After installing Bonjour, you must restart..." by RupW · · Score: 4, Informative

    Why, in this day and age, is it necessary to 'restart' the whole friggin machine?

    It's necessary when you're trying to change a file that's currently in memory. But the windows installer framework, for several years now, gives you the chance to shut down applications using locked files so you don't have to reboot. You can refuse and you'll have to reboot.

    In this case I can't imagine it needs a reboot; it's probably hooking something into IE or explorer, or maybe installing a device driver or service - they're probably skimping on testing by only supporting service start-up on reboot, it's cleaner environment to work from. Even if they're hooking something deep into the IP stack they could easily restart all networking on the machine.

    Is there a multi-user version of windows yet? Why do I have to log out as 'user' before I can log on as 'administrator'?

    Yes, Windows XP lets you switch between users and separate desktops unless it's attached to a domain. But you can only be one user at once, and remote-desktopping in (XP Pro only) kicks off the console user.

    You can always use "runas /user:administrator".

  21. Great... by clamx · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Just tried Bonjour on Windows, and it automatically detected our two network printers : one's an HP LaserJet 3030 (with a network box) and the other is a Lexmark C510N. I'm really glad I can at last uninstall all the crap that comes with the drivers to make them work... And I won't have to define network ports that crash or fail to detect network names again! Nobody will come ever again to tell me "the printer doesn't work"... I'll switch all our computers to Bonjour as soon as I can. Thanks Apple.

  22. TiVo support by timbloom · · Score: 5, Informative

    On my Mac, I can can browse bonjour sites on my local network in Safari. What is really cool is that my TiVo shows up. If you have the latest TiVo software (the version that added support for TiVoToGo) You can actually browse and download the .tivo files without using TiVo Desktop. If you are already doing this by http://ip/ you may like that bonjour makes it so you don't need to know the IP address, you just bookmark the *.local address. I assume that this also works with bonjour for windows. It's very useful.

  23. Re:Bonjour? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's spelled "Rendezvous".

    No. It used to be spelled "Rendezvous". Now it's spelled "Bonjour".

  24. Problems with Bonjour: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    I've run into a few bugs with Bonjour:

    I keep getting IM coupons for French Roast Coffee.

    When I play German music on iTunes, all the Bonjour connections surrender and vanish.

    QuickTime unexpectedly opens a connection and begins playing Jerry Lewis films.

    iTunes insists that I listen to European Jazz Internet Radio at least once a day.

    And Bonjour works best only in trendy art café hot-spots while the end user smokes clove cigarettes.

    I'm sure Apple will correct these issues when they update OS X 'Tiger'
    to
    OS X 'La petite femme'.

  25. Re:BSD/Linux? by Chucker23N · · Score: 4, Informative

    The source code of Bonjour has been available since August 2002, including implementations for BSD and Linux.

    http://developer.apple.com/darwin/projects/bonjo ur /
    Bonjour Source Code
    The Mac OS X mDNSResponder source code is available from the Darwin CVS repository. This package includes platform specific code for implementing Bonjour on Mac OS X, Windows, Windows CE, Linux and VxWorks, and also includes helper applications for browsing and advertising services. Hardware device manufacturers are encouraged to embed the Darwin open source mDNSResponder code directly into their products.

  26. Innovative by rev_karol · · Score: 5, Informative

    This is some of the coolest use of the technology: SubEthaEdit lets a group of people work on a document at the same time using Bonjour. This is the way networking should work. If the boys there get their act together and create a Windows (and Linux) version, this app could be used everywhere!

  27. Re:Is this a first? by As+Seen+On+MTV · · Score: 5, Funny
    We will never allow OS X to run on commodity hardware. I know because over lunch yesterday in Cupertino, SJ and I had a long chat about this very issue.

    After the meal, over a delightful little bottle of 1992 Pinot Grigiot, he leaned over and said to me in a conspiratorial tone, "Hermann, for that is your true name, why do you insist on stalking me, you pompous delusional fuckwit? We're not having lunch; rather you have just prostrated yourself on the ground in front of me in an attempt to slather on my boots. As an intern in accounts receivable, you have no more right to use the royal "we" than a cockroach. Begone filth".

    Jobs has a way of being tangential, elusive, not saying what he really means. I recall, back when we founded Apple in my garage in 1976, etc etc ...

  28. Re:UPnP has patents and Bonjour does not... by fdobbie · · Score: 4, Informative

    The APSL gives you an automatic royalty-free license to any Apple patents which might cover any of the code, too.

  29. Re:UPnP by prefect42 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I throw 20 people and their laptops into a room. With zeroconf they all automatically notice each other, sort out what IPs they're each going to use, offer their printers to each other (as defined by policy), and magically become a network of machines.

    In dumb speak, it just works. DHCP is much better for an organised network, this is much better for an ad-hoc one.

    --

    jh

  30. I thought the "Windows" trademark was revoked? by circusboy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    not so much that French is hip, but "something-you're-not" is

    my brother tells me the story of when bicycling through belgium, he came across a guy customizing a hod-rod car. on the side were painted the words "sweet girl." when asked, the belgian responded that he wanted something that looked/sounded exotic. A U.S. equivalent might be "cherchez le femme" (or "churchy lafemme" for you Pogo fans...)

    I think that it just has to be in a different language. it promotes the need for some one to ask you what it is. makes you feel smart (though possibly only relative to the person asking... (think bad lawyers and latin.)) I suppose it helps that in the U.S. certain languages/accents have come to be hung with certain stereotypes. BBC style British accent=intelligent, French accent=sexy (or stuck-up (or both, for that matter)), Italian=short tempered gangster/lothario. But in all of these cases the primary thing that the accent or the foreign word implies is simply the sense of the exotic.

    In the rest of the world, French was/is frequently considered the international language. though with the advent of airtravel, and by necessity international air-traffic control, that has been moving to english for some time. (most computer languages also have their basis in english (keywords and syntax rules for instance.) I find it fairly interesting that ruby, (developed, as far as I know) primarily in Japan, still uses english for the major keywords.)

    Finding a name that is not "sue-able" or offensive is a tricky thing. Exxon spent a lot of time and money looking for a new name when Esso was broken up and managed to find that the XX was uncommon or non-existent in all known languages. The fact that Exxon itself eventually became something of an epithet is unrelated, (but pleasantly ironic.)

    Rendezvous, at least, had come into relatively common english parlance.

    --
    -- it's ridiculous how many people misspell ridiculous... (damn, damn, damn...)
  31. Re:UPnP by DrPizza · · Score: 5, Informative

    "What's wrong with DHCP?"

    It needs a DHCP server.

    This is why MS invented APIPA (automatic private ip addressing), in the 169.254.0.0/16 range, which made its debut with Windows 98. If a network adaptor is set to DHCP but no DHCP server responds, it picks an IP in that range. This allows ad hoc local networks to form.

    ZeroConf takes APIPA and adds to it multicast DNS (again, because ad hoc networks don't have DNS servers that they can publish names to). Any machine on the local network can listen to the mDNS requests and respond accordingly; it uses specially formed DNS names to publish services (in a manner broadly equivalent to, but IIRC incompatible with, SRV records).

    UPnP uses a different mechanism for service discovery (it uses multicast HTTP instead of multicast DNS). It also goes a step further and allows devices to publish known, standardized interfaces.

    ZeroConf lets iTunes search for other local iTunes and share media libraries. IIRC only iTunes knows how to talk to these other iTunes instances, because there's no ZeroConf standard "media library" facility.

    UPnP lets *media players* search for other local *media players*. These media players are, as long as they conform to the right interface, mutually compatible; it doesn't matter if a "Media Library" is a SAN or a program like Winamp or WMP or some putative networked iPod or hifi system; it just conforms to a standard "Media Library" interface and can stream files accordingly. Likewise the "Media Renderer"; I can control a Media Renderer without caring about its exact nature (it might be a hifi or a PC or something else entirely).

    UPnP works well, and can do everything ZeroConf does and then some; it's probably most widely used for Internet Gateway Devices; you get your nice cheap combined cable modem/router box from Linksys, and Windows can see and recognize the device, allowing it to report on connection status, provide a "built-in" link to the device's management web page, and so on and so forth.

  32. Re:Um.. okay by Golias · · Score: 4, Funny

    but I'd consider it for a "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?".

    Isn't it a little early in the morning to be breaking out the Patty LaVelle?

    Now I'm going to have the goddamn "Hey sistah, soul sistah..." riff stuck in my head until at least lunchtime.

    --

    Information wants to be anthropomorphized.

  33. Re:Bonjour? by tbone1 · · Score: 4, Funny
    No. It used to be spelled "Rendezvous". Now it's spelled "Bonjour".

    But it's pronounced "Throatwarbler Mangrove".

    --

    The Independent: Reverend Spooner Arrested in Friar Tuck Incident - ISIHAC, Historical Headlines
  34. Re:Um.. okay by shotfeel · · Score: 4, Funny

    It has nothing to do with them being French -- consider the trademark on "Windows", for instance.

    Word!