I'm shocked. Just two days after I wrote a post about the difficulties of booting the Windows OS on a Mac, Apple Computer has released software to do just that. (I'd read that Apple was recalcitrant, but obviously that's not the case) The software is a free download called "Boot Camp":

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Suddenly, the unthinkable: Macs, with Intel chips, running Windows.

Apple Computer introduced a free download yesterday that lets people choose whether they want Apple's latest computers to act like Macs or Windows PCs each time they hit the on button.

It is a major shift for a company that has long implored consumers to "Think Different" and shun mainstream computers based on Microsoft and Intel technology.

The software, dubbed "Boot Camp," is Apple's latest attempt to woo customers from rival computer-makers. The Cupertino, Calif., company set the stage for the move last year, with the announcement that it would begin equipping computers with Intel chips instead of those from IBM.

The process of outfitting a Mac to run Windows comes with hassles and costs. Consumers must spend about $200 for Windows XP Service Pack 2, and spend an hour or more installing it. Then, they must restart the Mac each time they want to switch between operating systems.

Apple said Boot Camp was created in response to requests from Mac users, and potential Mac consumers.

Analysts predicted that Apple's new Windows option would lure some consumers who want a Mac but have hesitated because of a need to use Windows for work or to run a specific program. Wall Street endorsed the strategy as shares of Apple shot up nearly 10 percent. Apple's market capitalization grew to $51.9 billion - an increase of more than $5 billion - after yesterday's announcement.

"It's very audacious of them. It is bound to increase Apple's market share," said Richard Doherty, an analyst with Envisioneering Group. "The whole blurring of the Mac and the PC is complete. It now raises the bar for manufacturers of not only notebooks, but the living room and desktop PCs."

("Boot Camp" may be downloaded here.)

DISCLAIMER: No one paid or influenced me in any way to write the previous post or this post, and I neither own a Mac nor any stock in Apple Computer. I know nothing about these things, and the post about dual and triple booting operating systems was just coincidence.

(It would be interesting to install the Mac OS on a PC, though....)