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VirtualBox Beta Supports OS X As Guest OS On Macs
milesw writes "In addition to a slew of new features, VirtualBox 3.2.0 Beta 1 offers experimental support for Mac OS X guests running on Apple hardware. Got to wonder whether Larry Ellison discussed this with Steve Jobs beforehand, given Apple's refusal to allow virtualizing their (non-server) OS."
Does anyone know if this works with all hosts? Can you run a virtualized Mac OS X guest on a Mac from a Windows or Linux host? Or can you just run OS X guests with an OS X host?
Pretty good is actually pretty bad.
Oh yeah, nothing sheep-like at all with running Windows...
OS X has been working for quite some time on VMWare with a Windows/Linux host. It's been even hacked to work with AMD processors on the host, so from a technical standpoint, nothing new.
Frankly, I'm getting really tired of all the artificial limitations that Jobs is placing left and right for developers and consumers alike. A bit offtopic, but yesterday I realized that while quicktime pro can export to MP4 as well as MOV, if you want to use H264, you need to use the MOV container. Why? When Microsoft did that with WMA vs MP3, people complained. Loudly.
How will they stop it from running on non-Apple hardware if all the code is in place to 'virtualize' it on a hypervisor?
A libertarian shat on my carpet once. Claimed the free market would sort it out. -Ford Prefect(8777)
Than what about the Apple approved boot camp? VMware Fusion, and a bunch of other products?
Granted those have a host OS of OSX and a VM of something else. Still why can't someone buy OSX 10.6 and put it in a VM? I know quite a few people who would do that. They have a need for OSX. However, that need does not justify buying an all out Apple computer. A VM for the use would fit the bill better.
I know it is related to support. Jobs is afraid of people having OSX issues and people complaining about OSX. This would go against the belief that OSX is perfect and never crashes or has problems. Simply put in a disclaimer: If you run OSX on non Apple hardware or in a VM you are on your own for support. Or is that against the law?
I know this will never happen, but I would love to have mythical "attesor" some day.
I currently have Snow Leopard 10.6.1 running on Ubuntu Lucid x64. USB support is a little dodgy, but it works from time to time with the iPhone SDK. Updating to the latest version currently causes kernel panics but oh well. Its running ok on my old ASUS m50. (Even works on Win7 x64 on a Phenom 9600)
I have been running OS X virtualized in VMWare for the last 6 months now. Unfortunately Apple won't release their SDK for Windows, so I had to look into it. Oh and its running on an AMD host as well. Heres the (30 minute) guide:
http://adbge.org/installing-snow-leopard-as-a-virtual-machine/
It is a CLOSED SYSTEM.
But we won't complain too much because they brought us the iPad.
PUKE!
I'm not buying a mac until I can see myself it's any good.
Please tell this to the people that produce movies in quicktime format that require quicktime
Not to encode...
There are at least a lot of open source h.264 encoders, why not just use one of them?
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
MP4 and QuickTime MOV are the same container format, actually. You could have renamed the .MOV extension to .MP4 and the world will not notice a tree falling in the middle of a forest.
I once had a signature.
Whoo yay, now we can virtualize OS X -- inside OS X! Wake me up when I can do it from Linux.
Actually, if it worked with no problems whatsoever, the mystique wouldn't go away, as MacOSX *is* all that, or at least much better than other OSs I've tried (Win XP,Vista,7, Linux) for basic usage. Although a big advantage is that you always run it on good HW :)
Buy an older generation Dual-core MacBook. Use it for a month or so, turn around and sell it.
If you liked it, reinvest the proceeds in the next Macbook, or wait until it's released and buy the current generation three months afterward.
There's always demand, and the prices always trend toward the absurd.
There was a supreme court ruling in 1985 that dealt with installing software on unsupported hardware
The problem here is that, in addition to EULA, there's encryption involved too (Mac OS X relies on a key inside the TPM chip of the target mac).
And although USA did apparently consider EULAs invalid, according to the case you cite, the USA's DMCA law doesn't not allow enough provisions to circumvent that DRM (although in Switzerland, it would have been probably possible).
So you could install Mac OS X legally on any hardware you would like, but there's a lock that prevent you from doing it and this lock can be legally broken in the USA.
Seek another jurisdiction where the local DMCA-clone and EULA validity are both adapted to your situation. Probably at least in eastern europe that should be the case.
"Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
You shudder, but I'll see you one better: Our primary server at work is some kind of Mac tower with two quad-core Xeon processors. It runs Windows Server 2008 R2 which in turn uses Virtual Box to host CentOS VMs for routing, DHCP/DNS, a LAMP stack, and a firewall.
Linux on Windows on Mac. We call it "Turducken."
If you add Solaris, you can then create a zone/container that is able run Linux binaries via ABI emulation. Similarly FreeBSD also has a Linux ABI layer.
Why is installing MacOS so painfully slow...
A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
This is a promising start, but to what end? Everything I'd do on a Mac is done much better on either Windows or Linux. I triple boot on a Dell Mini10v, and I never boot into mac anymore. Recording Music and Editing Video are way better in Linux Mint (and faster, and easier). And games are all obviously better and easier and faster on Windows. I have Firefox on all 3 platforms, but it still seems to run best on Windows. Frequently I actually run Firefox on a VDI of MicroXP, just so I can have all my bookmarks and passwords on all 3 OSes.
Can somebody explain to me what the killer App is of OS X? I've tried iLife and some other stuff, and really come away thinking that OpenShot and Kompozer are better, easier, cheaper, and faster.
I hold very few opinions. I hold information based on observation and fact. If you wish to disagree, please use facts.
You can dislike Windows all you like, but Windows 7 is actually pretty good.
I plan to install Ubuntu on my Mac, but unless Microsoft stops requiring Activation and all the spyware I will not install Windows on any computer I own if I don't have to. Activation, Windows Genuine Advantage or WGA, phoning home, and other spyware are some of the reasons why I switched from MS Windows.
What disappointed me about the VirtualBox article is that it doesn't say how to install OS X in a VM. I plan to set up my Mac to dualboot and I want to install VirtualBox or another VM in both Snow Leopard and Ubuntu so I can run one while booted into the other OS. A setup like that would be quicker and better when either the second OS is only needed for a short period, intermittently, or both are needed. Other Guests has some threads about installing OSX as a guest, one provided the How to Install Snow Leopard on VirtualBox link however that's for VirtualBox on Windows.
You should give it a try some time, maybe run it in your virtualbox.
I'd try NT4 but the version I have is for DEC Alphas.
Falcon
Should there be a Law?
This shows how the only way the world manages to deal with the insanity that is so called "intellectual property
I agree. However they include a quote by Thomas Jefferson, who started out as opposing patents. His friend James Madison convinced him patents could encourage progress though, and Jefferson eventually took out some patents himself. Jefferson was the one who determined how long patents should last, using actuary or Life tables he calculated they should last 14 years with one 14 year extension possible.
Falcon
Should there be a Law?
Apple's money comes from hardware and software both.
and by restricting their software to only run on their hardware
Apple releases software for Macs and Windows. QuickTime 7 Pro for Windows. Apple even has iTunes and Safari for Windows. While not much there are some Windows software from Apple.
they are creating a consumer insentive to buy their hardware.
Insensitive? I switched from MS Windows PCs to Linux and Macs and I have not had as many problems with my Mac in the almost 3 years I've had it than I had with all but one of my Windows PC had in 1 year. Of 4 PCs within the first year two had to have the motherboard and hard disk drive replaced. A third PC was a laptop the LDC cracked on about 3 months after I got it. The only PC I got I did not have hardware problems with is a DEC Alpha running NT4. I constantly had software problems with them as well, most Windows. For my money Apple hardware is more reliable.
Falcon
Should there be a Law?
I know it is related to support. Jobs is afraid of people having OSX issues and people complaining about OSX. This would go against the belief that OSX is perfect and never crashes or has problems. Simply put in a disclaimer: If you run OSX on non Apple hardware or in a VM you are on your own for support.
Jobs is also concerned about Apple losing money allowing OEMs to install OS X on non-Apple hardware. Apple already tried that.
Falcon
Should there be a Law?
Perhaps it is time to give academic institutions the same breaks that Sun and Microsoft gives. To change the long standing relationship with Academia that Sun has established may become detrimental to your longevity. I very disappointed in Oracles changes to agreements such as Virtualbox and Solaris 10. I guess it shows what type of company it is. Profits rule.
Installing OS X take me less tyme than installing MS Windows did. And that's on a Mac laptop versus a PC tower.
Falcon
Should there be a Law?
If true, this would mean you can run Linux most of the time and occasionally start up an OS X virtual machine when you need it. Sweet! I might even have a reason to buy a Mac now.
-- Ed Avis ed@membled.com