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April 11, 2007

windows

Pointing out the obvious: the Boot Camp beta will expire

Posted Apr. 11, ’07, 6:19 AM PT by Derik DeLong
Category | Windows

Boot Camp Since Boot Camp’s release as a public beta, people have been rediscovering the fact that it is, in fact, expiring beta software. Apple has been up front about this. They’ve said it will be included with Leopard. There have been no express or implied intent to support the current incarnation of the software. CNET is still making hay with this aspect though.

This is yet another mind boggling piece. It even features an analyst. Let’s dive in.

Those considering setting up a Windows partition on a Mac using the test version of Apple’s Boot Camp might want to pay close attention to the licensing terms that accompany the beta software.

I’m sorry. Shouldn’t all users of any software always pay attention to the licensing terms? You’re clicking agree for a reason.

According to the terms, which are posted on Apple’s Web site, the software is licensed only until Apple comes out with a commercial release of Boot Camp, or until September 30, whichever comes first.

Released as a public beta in April 2006, Boot Camp allows owners of Intel-based Macs to set up a separate Windows partition and boot into either Windows or the Mac OS. Apple updated the test software last month to add support for Windows Vista. The company has also said it will build a final version of the software into the next Mac OS release, dubbed Leopard and due out later this spring.

End of story. Good bed time reading. Wait, there’s more?

“The Windows installation on a user’s Mac will continue to work after the Boot Camp license expires,” said Apple spokeswoman Lynn Fox, in response to a query from CNET News.com. However, Fox said the Boot Camp Assistant software, which helps set up and manage Windows partitions, will not work after the beta period ends. Also, Fox said that Apple will not provide further driver updates for beta users.

Riiiight. Ok. I’m still not seeing the conflict in this story.

The fact that the beta Boot Camp Assistant software will cease to work is noteworthy because that tool has a simple way for users to delete their Windows partition. There are ways to do it without Boot Camp, but it is a more difficult and potentially thorny process.

“The ability to create and manage partitions is important,” said Current Analysis research director Samir Bhavnani. For example, Bhavnani said early users of the software might create a small Windows partition to try out the operating system, but after upgrading to Windows Vista or Office 2007, they might decide they need a larger Windows partition.

Fancy. Not only is Samir an analyst, he’s a research director (read as “expert analyst”). Now that we’ve established Samir’s qualifications, let’s continue.

“That’s probably the most common thing that someone would need to do, is change the size of their partition,” he said.

Boot Camp is particularly important for Apple in its attempts to appeal to small businesses, a key target market. “Boot Camp for a small business is the difference between making that purchase and going over to a Mac, or not,” Bhavnani said.

I’ve seen this movie before! I remember where. It was on Apple’s support site linked directly off Boot Camp’s page.

Warning: Boot Camp Beta is preview software licensed for use on a trial basis for a limited time. Do not use Boot Camp Beta in a commercial operating environment or with important data. You should back up all of your data before installing this software and regularly back up data while using the software. Your rights to use Boot Camp Beta are subject to acceptance of the terms of the software license agreement that accompanies the software.

Now, unless I’m mistaken, I think a small business still qualifies as a commercial operating environment. Are the owners of small businesses so cavalier with what they make a necessary component of their business? Further, do they not plan in the cost of OS upgrades into their business plan? Seriously?

Bhavnani also said he expects Apple will not leave Tiger users in the lurch.

“Apple is a company that listens to its customers,” Bhavnani said. “If they start getting negative publicity around this (and) if they have a sense that customers aren’t ready to upgrade, I am confident they will do something to help support them.”

Oh good, we can indeed count on Apple to protect people from themselves.

Here’s the quick summary for these mythical users. Boot Camp is a beta. It is unsupported. Do not expect it to work now. Do not expect it to work later. Do not use it as part of a business. Expect to use it only as part of Leopard reliably.

Now both Apple and I have told you.


2 Comments

Jack said:

It seems funny that you're pretty much defending an action which would force MAC users to upgrade to Leopard should they want to use a dual boot Windows/OS X enviroment, yet were Microsoft to do anything similar, you'd berate them endlessly for their ruthless and devious ways! Of course, there's never any 'Distortion Field" led psychosis that makes all Apple does to earn them extra money a worthy and heartfelt benefit to the user and not, dare I say it, a way to increase profits???!!!

April 11, 2007 9:17 AM
Derik said:

Why are strawman arguments so popular on the web?

I'd say the same thing if Microsoft did something similar.

Where's your argument now that I've taken away the imaginary foe you constructed?

April 11, 2007 10:20 AM

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