Apple Patents Putting Ads Into the OS
Buckle up, 'technology fans'! While Microsoft launches Windows 7 today, Apple may be quietly working on an ad-supported Mac OS X.
The concept of advertising-supported services are nothing new. Magazines that you buy and television shows that you watch are largely subsidized by advertising. Even the web publication that you're reading now is supported largely through advertising (thanks our wonderful sales team who leaves editorial completely independent).
But what about ad-supported software? That's also nothing new, as some of the free software we use today on our computers feature ads in some form. Apple could be exploring uncharted territory with an ad-supported operating system.
In a patent originally submitted last year, Apple details a system where ads are presented to the user of the operating system. Unlike ad-supported applications, the ads are pervasive throughout the OS. The end result could end up being the ultimate nag ware, but the tradeoff is an OS that's at a reduced cost or completely free.
The abstract reads:
Among other disclosures, an operating system presents one or more advertisements to a user and disables one or more functions while the advertisement is being presented. At the end of the advertisement, the operating system again enables the function(s). The advertisement can be visual or audible. The presentation of the advertisement(s) can be made as part of an approach where the user obtains a good or service, such as the operating system, for free or at reduced cost.
Macnn has some diagrams that show that it may be possible for users to control when the ads display, along with the option to delay them. Crafty hackers would probably find a way to disable ads altogether, but such an ad-supported system could lead to more affordable public internet terminals and kiosks.

Where does this end? Sorry but no thanks, I'd pay full price for an OS before this ridiculousness.
Where does this end? Sorry but no thanks, I'd pay full price for an OS before this ridiculousness.
"...but such an ad-supported system could lead to more affordable public internet terminals and kiosks."
Lol, cause there are no free OS's today, right? L.I.N.U... Someone finish the rest, I'm tired.
You will first need to pay the apple tax to get their hardware, just to have the privilege of having your computer show you ads. Good luck with that.
Good thing they patented it, wouldn't want others getting a hold of your ridiculous idea.
Linux?
So you can be working or whatever on your computer; then have to stop what you are doing and listen/watch the advertisement before you can continue using whatever program that was interrupted.
Am I reading this right?
If Apple actually implements this; I think it will be settled that Apple is NOT providing competition to the other vendors and Microsoft, but rather leading the way for making the computer restrictive and expensive for the user.
I for one, would never stoop to using an Ad supported Operating System.
As another user put it, I would rather pay Full Price for it.
All this is going to do is open the flood gates for the Hackers to openly start hacking OS-X and not only that, but it's going to provide an extra push to the OSx86 project.
So what we'll start seeing is More OS-X (Hacked) running on Intel (non-Apple) Systems.
Let the Rebellion Begin!!!