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US sources close to the project indicated that the company was actively considering selling Marklar as a retail product, effectively allowing users to replace Windows with OS X. Apple is contemplating the move because it sees an opportunity to win market share from Windows when Microsoft introduces Palladium, a version of its operating system that implements digital rights management. Palladium could prevent users from copying any copyright material, such as music or video, without the explicit permission of the rights owner.

Marklar would have no such limitations built in, allowing Apple to appeal to Windows users frustrated by the restrictions on how they use their computers. Apple has taken the

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stance that users should be free to use their computers how they wish, and that it is up to copyright holders to encourage people to use them responsibly.

A second scenario in which Apple would release Marklar concerns its relationship with Microsoft. Although relations between the two companies are good, it is understood that if it worsens significantly, Marklar would be released in an effort to hit Microsoft's core operating system business. One source suggested that Marklar's release could be triggered by Microsoft cancelling the Mac version of Office.

However, launching Marklar would present some significant dangers to Apple's business. Users would be free to buy generic PC hardware instead of Macs, potentially hitting Apple's highly profitable hardware business. The company would be taking a gamble on many users continuing to prefer its stylish hardware over that of PCs.

Marklar itself is understood to be at an advanced stage of development, with builds matching those of the PowerPC OS X. Apple's bundled applications, including iTunes and iChat, have versions that run on the product.

However, Marklar requires that OS X-native Carbon and Cocoa applications are recompiled to work on Intel processors, and there is no support for pre-OS X Classic applications.