14 DAY TRIAL // The future of Windows Vista and Windows XP is intimately connected to that of the next version of Mac OS X. At least as far as Apple is concerned. Because for the Cupertino-based company, the line that separates Windows Vista and Windows XP from Mac OS X 10,5 Leopard is very thin, and quite blurred. But one thing is for sure, users of Mac computers that are looking to continue using either Windows Vista of Windows XP on Apple's proprietary hardware platform, will have to upgrade to Leopard.
If you remember, back in April 2007, Apple had made available Boot Camp build 1.2 beta, and the Cupertino-based company also included an expiration date for the software in the Software License Agreement for Boot Camp Assistant Beta. Specifically, Apple revealed that the version of Boot Camp offered at that time would expire as of September 30, 2007. Well, with build 1.4 of Boot Camp, Apple has changed the Software License Agreement for Boot Camp Assistant Beta to read December 31, 2007, but also presented a reference to leopard dropping in October.
"The term of this License shall commence upon your installation or use of the Apple Software and will terminate automatically without notice from Apple upon the next commercial release of the Apple Software, or December 31, 2007, whichever occurs first. Your rights under this License will also terminate automatically without notice from Apple if you fail to comply with any term(s) of this License. Upon the termination of this License, you shall cease all use of the Apple Software and destroy all copies, full or partial, of the Apple Software," reads the Term of License fragment of Boot Camp's Software License Agreement for Boot Camp Assistant Beta.
"Boot Camp Beta versions 1.0 through 1.2 expire[d] on September 30, 2007. Boot Camp Beta is licensed for use on a trial basis for a limited time. To continue previewing Boot Camp after September 30, [download and] install the latest version of Boot Camp Beta. You do not have to reinstall Windows. This new beta license will allow you to continue using Boot Camp until Mac OS X Leopard is available (expected October 2007)," reads an announcement posted on Apple's official website related to the Boot Camp Beta Expiration date.
Although Apple has released the beta of Boot Camp for Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, the fact of the matter is that the company emphasized from the get go that this was a feature planned as an integral aspect of Leopard. And in this context, the only way for Mac users to continue running Vista and XP is to upgrade to Leopard.