# Why won't anyone bundle PC and Mac versions of software? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 24, 2010, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-anyone-bundle-pc-and-mac-versions-of-software/540543 "2010-05-24T05:23:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-anyone-bundle-pc-and-mac-versions-of-software/540543/21 "2010-05-24T20:47:17Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > If they are already offering both versions, I don’t see why it hurts to put them both on the same disk. They’re really selling the license, anyways. I actually used to work for Filemaker, mentioned upthread. In addition to the risk of gray marketing, there is the not insubstantial cost of managing two separate products to release and market and support at the same time. I know they paid me a pretty penny and a half specifically because I could handle both Mac and Windows aspects of what I was working on, and keep them on schedule together. Also note that there are, for many products including FM Pro, non-English versions released simultaneously as well. In the case of FMPro, the source code base was pretty similar but not identical for Windows/Mac, and at the time anyway, the Mac users were mostly upgrades, not new users. The real growth was in the Windows market, but Filemaker being an Apple subsidiary, it wouldn’t do to be releasing Windows-only products. Much of this is a management issue more than a software engineering issue, and not all companies have the management skill to see such a project through, and of those that do, they may decide it is not in their best interests to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-anyone-bundle-pc-and-mac-versions-of-software/540543/22 "2010-05-24T20:51:17Z")
Most of the bulk of any game will be data files that can be shared from platform to platform: Textures, sprites, 3D models, maps, tables of things like weapon damage, and so on. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-anyone-bundle-pc-and-mac-versions-of-software/540543/23 "2010-05-25T01:45:55Z")
Rosetta stone lets you I know. They format the cd in such a way that you see Pc install files if used on a PC and Mac install files on a mac. It’s still garbage though. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-anyone-bundle-pc-and-mac-versions-of-software/540543/24 "2010-05-25T04:25:39Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > Rosetta stone lets you I know. They format the cd in such a way that you see Pc install files if used on a PC and Mac install files on a mac. It’s still garbage though. Oh? Not to derail my own thread but since you say that - I’ve generally heard good things about RS, why do you say it’s garbage? ---
**Author:** ![NOLA\_Cajun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea666f/32.png) [@NOLA\_Cajun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NOLA_Cajun)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-anyone-bundle-pc-and-mac-versions-of-software/540543/25 "2010-05-26T01:22:49Z")
I’m curious about the Rosetts Stone software too. Was thinking of purchasing it. Can you elaborate? I haven’t used a Mac in many years but I was under the impression you could install some sort of Windows emulator and run Windows software packages? Or am I way off here? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-anyone-bundle-pc-and-mac-versions-of-software/540543.md?page=1)