Apple used to tout the prowess of the PowerPC processor as compared to Intel processors but once the Core Duo line came out, that was the end of PowerPC inside Macs as Intel processors were proven once and for all to be faster, a lot faster.  This has lead to many users running Windows through BootCamp or through Parallels but some hidden code suggests OSX might be capable of running Windows apps without Windows.

ArsTechnica has revealed some interesting information that Leopard contains an “undocumented loader” for portable executables which is used in 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows.  What’s more is Leopard’s loader looks for Windows DLL files when attempting to load a Windows binary (executable file).

It is suspected but not confirmed that Apple could one day use that to add a Windows compatibility layer right inside OSX.  Of course, it might take a little more work than that, OSX might still need some Windows files so it would be like having Windows installed without actually installing it.

It’s not hard to picture Steve Jobs hopping up on the stage at MacWorld and announcing this as “one more thing.”  My prediction is that this will never happen but many (including myself) said Apple would never use Intel processors.

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Entry was posted on Friday, November 30th, 2007 at 10:33 am under Apple, Mac, OS X, Windows.  Print This Post

Read more entries by Jonathan Schlaffer.
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