Apple today unveiled plans to run the Windows OS on Apple Macs under a project it is calling Boot Camp. 

"More and more people are buying and loving Macs. To make this choice simply irresistible, Apple will include technology in the next major release of Mac OS X, Leopard, that lets you install and run the Windows XP operating system on your Mac," said a statement by Apple. 

Apple released a public beta of the integrated system which will let users follow a step-by-step guide to set up Windows XP on a Mac. 

The procedure will also let users choose which of the two operating systems to use when they boot up the Mac.

The announcement comes just a few weeks after a private individual worked out a way to boot up Windows XP using the new Intel-based Apple Macs. 

Users with an Intel-based Mac planning to enter the beta test will need to be running Mac OS X Tiger v10.4.6, the latest Mac firmware update, have at least 10GB of free hard disk space, and an official Windows XP installation disc.

However, the Boot Camp project will not run on Media Center versions of Windows.

Unfortunately, anyone expecting to escape from Windows attacks by running it on a Mac will be disappointed.

"Windows running on a Mac is like Windows running on a PC. That means it'll be subject to the same attacks that plague the Windows world. So be sure to keep it updated with the latest Microsoft Windows security fixes," said a statement on the Boot Camp website.