Dual-Boot OS Options Almost Extinct

PC Vendors that ship Windows-ready machine can currently offer two Windows flavors preloaded onto a hard-drive. New users can simply select the version they want, and then boot directly into that OS. But Microsoft is about to pull that option, and require PC vendors to only install a single Windows flavor on each PC they sell.

Apple has already moved to eliminate the OS 9 or OS X option in new Macintosh computers, which has led to a bit of an outcry among its users. Apple wants everyone to use OS X, and will stop shipping machines with the prior OS next year.

However, Quark Inc. is telling its customers that Apple will still sell OS 9 Macintoshes until mid-next year to support Quark's Xpress software application -- because a native OS X version is not ready.

Still, both Apple and Microsoft are eager to push users into their latest OS versions -- but resistance, so far, is high.

Read our complete story about Microsoft's plan to eliminate dual boot, and Apple's apparent backtrack, for a complete understanding of the dual boot situation.

Copyright © 2002 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in ExtremeTech.