url URL date not supplied daniel berlinger has noticed NUMBER that mac software shops are starting to move to os x only development this makes sense for two reasons first most people who pay for software have new computers so while os x may only have a small fraction of the installed base it has the majority of the population of people who are opening their wallets second if os x isn t successful the mac is _ over_ it s not like system NUMBER is getting any more popular then again there are very few conditions under which it is actually the right business decision to develop software for the macintosh developing for the mac is not a whole lot different than creating a web site _that only works on netscape_ given the market share of macs NUMBER about NUMBER NUMBER and the market share of netscape NUMBER about NUMBER NUMBER that is not a silly comparison robb beal wrote NUMBER try this test go to a venture firm angel or big company with a mac os x product concept prototype do they consider the fact that it s a mac application a net plus no well _duh_ your product would have to appeal to _NUMBER times more mac _users_ _ as a percentage than windows users just to break even in other words if your windows product appeals to NUMBER in NUMBER windows users you have to appeal to NUMBER in NUMBER mac users to make the same amount of money now you may want to make an _emotional_ appeal to developing for the mac that s fine if you like macs and you re doing it for fun more power to ya but as long as we re talking _investment_ you have to tell me why you re going to get NUMBER times as many users maybe there s less competition in your category on the mac maybe you re in a niche like graphics where it seems like macs dominate they don t it just seems that way because the elite graphics people in big american cities use macs maybe your product can t sell to mixed environments unless it runs everywhere but if you want to make an investment in mac software be prepared to demonstrate how you re going to overcome that magic NUMBER multiplier NUMBER URL NUMBER URL NUMBER URL NUMBER URL 