Louderback is back with a tired argument (and ThinksSecret)

What is the single most recycled argument that PC pundits lodge at Apple? If you guessed “sell Mac OS X for any PC”, you guessed right. Surely the millions of words written for and against have made it moot by now.

Think again. Jim Louderback, who’s fond of calling people “suckers”, is now reviving the old argument. This sounds familiar. Hmmm. Insulting Apple fans, then arguing that Apple should license its OS. I’ve got it! John C. Dvorak. He even works for PC Magazine. Will wonders never cease.

Now that Dvorak’s formula has been found out, he must have given it to Louderback. Sneaky. Jim footnotes his article with the fact that Nick Deplume of ThinkSecret will be joining the staff. Let’s break apart Louderback’s article a little more.

I’ve never been the biggest Apple booster.

I couldn’t tell.

In the past, I found its overpriced machines and limited third party software off-putting and the attitude of the Mac faithful odious.

We’re big fans of your attitude as well.

Insert obligatory compliments.

We know how the formula goes. Get to the point.

I’m still not sold on OS X as an alternative to Vista, but others are less hesitant. In fact, Apple has a significant opportunity to trump Vista as the desktop OS—if only it would stop insisting on being the sole hardware supplier for the operating system.

It’s not wishful thinking. I’ve talked with top execs from two of the top ten PC makers recently, and both said they’d be more than happy to sell PCs running OS X. One was Michael Dell, who promised to start selling OS X-based machines as soon as Apple opened the doors. The other will remain nameless, but went even further, claiming he’d chuck Windows out of the building in a New York minute, and deliver a 100% OS X lineup. If only Apple would let him.

Yeah, Dell really changed its tune from back in the day. Could it possibly be because Apple is beating them in the hardware market now? As for the other company, the recent MacBook wireless hack debacle has made me skeptical about this whole “trust me” thing. Put up or shut up.

I wonder whether Apple realizes how much Windows angst is out in the market. Forget the failed Power Computing experiment from the mid-nineties. Now is the time for Apple to do OS licensing right. And they should go further than just licensing the OS to PC vendors. Why not let the alpha geeks build their own OS X machines too?

Sure, let’s just skip over the fact that Apple’s foray into clone was a complete failure. As for those alpha geeks, considering how they’re trying to save money, can Apple count on them actually buying a copy.

Will the next PC I buy (or build) actually run OS X 10.5? I’m tempted to pick up a Mac Pro today, as the pricing is pretty good for such a powerful machine. I’d still run Vista on it—at least at first. And I’m still a bit hesitant to purchase an Apple Computer for the sole purpose of running Vista. Others aren’t as hesitant, though. Robyn Peterson, top gun at PCMag.com, has been chronicling his experiences on making the Windows to Apple switch.

Here it is: Apple is not going to license Mac OS X for generic PCs. Want to run OS X? Get a Mac.

But Apple has a much broader opportunity than simply making and selling its own machines. First, they should certify the Mac Pro as “Ready for Vista.” And then they should really open up the OS market to anyone with the money and commitment to Apple’s standards. Because Microsoft is vulnerable, the Windows empire has cracks, and the products coming from Infinity Loop have broad appeal.

Right, the way to beat Microsoft is to pay Microsoft to claim “Ready for Vista” and then commit money and manpower to supporting Windows formally. Good plan.

I’m not sure the company’s own ego will allow itself to embrace the opportunity. But—Apple, are you listening?—now is the time to seize the day.

What opportunity? The opportunity to pay Microsoft money? The opportunity to take on the huge, expensive activity of supporting OS X on a myriad of hardware combinations with varying degrees of quality put together by people with varying levels of skill? The opportunity to watch profits plummet as the hardware sales slow (because Apple is primarily a hardware maker)?

There are too many holes in his argument. The counter-arguments I present are nothing new and have been out there for a long time. And yet, Louderback doesn’t make the slightest effort to address them.

And if it does decide to embrace openness, chances are Nick DePlume will be the first to know. The editor of the popular “ThinkSecret” site, Nick’s been a thorn in Apple’s paw for years. He’s broken more confidential Apple stories than anyone; the company even took him to court to force him to stop. So I’m excited to announce that Nick and the ThinkSecret team will be writing a regular Apple rumors update for PCMag.com. You’ll find it every other week right here, full of the latest rumors, secret stories, and analysis of where Apple will be headed next. You can find the first one right here. Don’t miss it!

Nick has also been wildly inaccurate. If you throw darts at a dartboard long enough, you’re likely to hit the center once or twice. Heck, if you repeat the same rumor long enough, eventually it may happen (and then you can claim “I knew it all along”). I understand this announcement needed to be broadcast some way, but was really tenuous.

Consider Louderback outed as a Dvorak sequel. I think it’s safe to start ignoring him now.