XP can be booted on the Intel Mac

So now I have a really good reason to buy a new Intel Powerbook: I will be able to boot Windows XP on it.

[from Windows XP-on-Mac contest declares winner]

A Macintosh enthusiast has apparently managed to load Windows XP on an Intel Mac, nabbing a nearly $14,000 prize.

For some days, there has been discussion that the person who goes by the handle “narf” had managed the technically challenging feat. Photos were posted on Flickr, and much debate ensued. However, narf’s method had to prove replicable before the contest was officially ended.

On Thursday, though, the contest ended, and a winner was declared.

“Contest has been won—updates to follow shortly,” reads a short message on the contest’s Web site.

The contest, which has been running since just after Apple Computer announced the first Intel-based Macs, collected donations from individuals and companies to raise the prize money.

Although both Macs and Windows PCs now use Intel chips, the task of loading Windows on the Intel Macs has proved more complicated, in part because both use different means of booting up. There had been hope that the next version of Windows would make things easier, but an Apple executive last week said booting Vista on Macs may not prove that easy, either.

Vista? Geez, that’s not until 2007 at the earliest. These guys will figure that out next year.