Apple Computer Inc.'s move to support the use of Windows XP on its Mac computers leaves developers with a tough decision: Ramp up development of Mac-compatible software or give up on it altogether.
By emphasizing Mac applications, developers are betting users will abandon Windows machines in droves. Others, however, may choose to focus exclusively on Windows programs now that the Microsoft operating system has cracked the Mac market.
Yesterday's release of Apple's Boot Camp software, which makes it easier to run both operating systems on a Mac, took many developers by surprise. While most don't know how the new software will affect their development processes, many are optimistic the new marriage will do more good than harm.
"It's a good thing for customers," said Gail Scibelli, spokeswoman for Ottawa-based Corel Corp. Boot Camp now gives Mac users the option of using Corel's software for either operating system and gives software vendors more flexibility. But Ms. Scibelli said it's too early to predict just how the new setup will affect Corel's development mix.
For larger companies such as Corel, Boot Camp's impact may not be as significant as for smaller developers. Even if Apple's gamble works and more people buy Macs, it's unlikely the company will seriously compete for dominance with the Windows-based PC. Apple currently holds 3 to 5 per cent market share in the personal computer market.
Many large software companies are taking a wait and see approach and won't be inclined to shift millions of dollars from one development department to the other until they see real signs of change at the consumer level.
However, smaller companies, especially those that develop software exclusively for Apple's operating systems, are optimistic their customer base will increase.
"It was a surprise," Marketcircle Inc. president Alykhan Jetha said of yesterday's announcement, "but it was a pleasant surprise. You could see the writing on the wall, looking back."
Marketcircle develops contact management, project management and scheduling software for Macintosh computers.
A spokesman for Apple Canada said the company has no comment on how or whether its outreach program for independent software vendors will change following the release of Boot Camp.
Microsoft also had little to say about the announcement.
From Mr. Jetha's perspective, Boot Camp will make some purchasers question what would otherwise be a straightforward decision to buy a Windows PC from a company such as Dell Inc.
The possible negative consequences for Apple -- and Mac developers -- are limited because the difference in user experience between Microsoft and Apple operating systems is so stark that users won't readily abandon Mac operating systems for Windows.
"I don't think it's going to happen," Mr. Jetha said. "I think users will likely gravitate towards [Apple's operating system]."
It's a little like the iPod. Users who bought the iPod, when it came time to buy a new computer, started thinking, let me take a look at a Mac."
But the impact on developers may well be determined not by a company's size, but what kind of products it produces.
Many of the consumers expected to give Boot Camp a shot are those who use a handful of specific programs that run only on Windows, but are content to run everything else on a Mac.
If those users eventually switch exclusively to Apple operating systems, developers who make those Windows-only programs may suffer.
As for day-to-day programs such as e-mail clients and calendars, Mr. Jetha said, users will likely find it too much of a hassle to constantly switch from one operating system to another. Many users will likely switch all their daily applications to the operating system they prefer, something that could prove a boon for a company such as Marketcircle.
"[Boot Camp] may not impact us right away," Mr. Jetha said, "but further down the production cycle I think it will have a positive impact."
