Alternatives for new MAC buyers with issues :)

FMiguelez · Post by **FMiguelez** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 9:36 pm

.

Hmmmm.... they started with the left foot already.

pcm · Post by **pcm** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 12:26 am

Apple will likely try to stop them, but if they can't (and in addition even if they can), new updates will break these machines. Just like the iPhone hacks, the iTunes FairPlay hacks, etc. Anyone buying these machines will find themselves either stuck with an older OS, or endless waiting for hacks.

Frodo · Post by **Frodo** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 1:00 am

No doubt Apple will try to stop them. Job's has been conspicuous in his silence on the topic, which *could* mean one of three things:

1. They're expecting Psytar's general sloppiness and their clear lack of business savvy to self-destruct (ie: the credit card company fiasco among other things) which might bring the matter to an end.

2. Apple will take the high road and keep any court orders and settlements out of the media during a time when Apple's headlines would otherwise favor their own success stories with music distribution and new products.

3. Apple will make an example out of Psystar to discourage other companies from taking the wrong approach when attempting to address a need (real or imagined) for a manufacturing a cheap iHac or a HacPro.

DISCLAIMER... what follows is only one hobbit's musings on the matter, not rooted in known fact, however plausible... Other hobbits may feel free to chime in at will.

It wouldn't surprise me if Apple's own lawyers brought the details of product misrepresentation to the attention of the credit card processing company. I mean, what better way to rain on Pystar's parade but to stop their cash flow?

Instead of getting into a big fight with Psystar over semantics, ethics, and legal word parsing in a series of drawn out court hearings and depositions, addressing the rules of online mercantile exchange directly with the card company and leaving Psystar more or less out of the picture was a very un-messy way to approach the matter when you think about it.

In fact, holding the card company liable as an accessory would have near-instantaneous results in a cease and desist request, as it apparently has. As we know, word gets around quickly and reports of Psystar's credit-bility will spread like wildfire through credit reporting agencies.

It seems to me that any word on Mac cloning would be first heard from Apple as the company puts the initial call out and would even "approve" a potential legit cloner. But, the high profile of Jobs putting an end to Mac cloning 11 years ago could only be bookended with Jobs himself giving his blessing to the contrary-- which apparently ain't gonna happen.

Timeline · Post by **Timeline** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 7:04 am

If apple in any way negotiated with any credit orgs to stop their credit system then Apple would end up having to buy the company out or face lawsuits of unimaginable amounts so that would not be on the table.

The only legal path for Apple is use of their software which is the path they are taking. If Psytar really wanted to hurt Apple, as CEO, I would solicit IBM for Linux operation sales and maybe even sell the company to them so deep pockets would exist.

I think that's their strategy, a buyout. Ya think?

Others do well on open source:
http://www.logicsupply.com/system_solut ... agodd0F95A

http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segt ... lid=519234

David Helpling · Post by **David Helpling** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 5:18 pm

It appears to be a hoax according to new sources:

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08 ... maker.html

Timeline · Post by **Timeline** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 5:50 pm

HAHAHAHA

Thanks great. A hoax. Whataya know. Very funny.

That's a great prank on Apple then.

Frodo · Post by **Frodo** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 6:30 pm

I guess the liabilities for false or misleading advertising are lower than those of infringement.

The hoax theory will go out the window if the company actually took money from unsuspecting buyers. Granted, credit card customers could fairly easily dispute any charges, but isn't it just as illegal to advertise and to sell merchandise that doesn't actually exist?

Someone associated with Psytar is in big trouble one way or the other, I would think.

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 6:51 pm

What a hoot. I'm hoping it was just a hoax... otherwise it was fraud. But pretty stupid if the guy put up the real address to his house initially on the site... LOL

Timeline · Post by **Timeline** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 7:07 pm

Maybe not. They can probably sell PC clones no problem. Anyone can make one of those. If they took money for Mac clones then ... your right

aletheian-alex · Post by **aletheian-alex** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 7:36 pm

I thought that it was just a classic Macintosh April Fool's Joke with publicity stunt underpinnings! I have gotten so used to it over the decades that I can't take seriously any Mac-related product that comes around in April.

emulatorloo · Post by **emulatorloo** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:01 am

Timeline wrote:these pricey investments we have to make with Apple.

The prices for Apple's base configurations are very competitive with other mainstream computer manufacturers.

Configure a similarly speced machine at the Dell site to a Mac Pro and you will see what I mean.

(Apple seems to make their money in add-ons -- extra ram, upgraded video cards, extra harddrives etc. So don't add any of that stuff in as you make this comparison. In the real world you can buy that stuff any wear.)

HeadMaster · Post by **HeadMaster** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:33 pm

FMiguelez wrote:.

This is just so STUPIDLY ridiculous:

1. The EFI Emulator (PC_EFI v8 by Netkas in this case) is installed on the target computer, after the hard drive is formatted either using the GPT or MBR partition Scheme. This emulates a very limited amount of functionality that would be found on a real Mac - Netkas did not give permission for this, and has actually re-released his work under a license forbidding commercial use of it.

So this hacker expects that his "not giving permission" is respected and enforced, yet he feels he has the right to HACK OSX and disregard THEIR permission and license usage??????

I don't even know what to call that...

How is that for retardation?

If Jobs is smart here now, or even if Netkas is smart, they close a deal, Apple buys PC EFI....

Then Open Computer is dead.

Though I like the idea of an open mac, I just want to make sure it's not the hoax of the decade, then I will order one.

. . .
HM

HeadMaster · Post by **HeadMaster** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:36 pm

Timeline wrote:Maybe not. They can probably sell PC clones no problem. Anyone can make one of those. If they took money for Mac clones then ... your right

If they where a little bit more intelligent in their setup, they'd sell the computers as "multi os open computers", not mentioning osx or apple at all, and then instead start a blog (that could be linked on somewhere on their site), of course under an other name etc. about how easy it is to install osx on those computers...

AND they should have closed the deal with Netkas, too many loose ends here, this smells like a disaster heading Florida-ways...

. . .
HM

Frodo · Post by **Frodo** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 7:37 pm

I'm not so sure the whole Mac clone thing is a hoax--- from this article, it sounds as if Psystar is pretty serious about moving forward with it.

http://www.macworld.com/article/133087/ ... ystar.html

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 8:31 pm

Real or not they're going to be in for a world of hurt from Apple. I wouldn't do it... not for all the tea in China. And what would you bet that Psystar's credit card processor bailed after Apple's lawyers called them and said that they'd happily name them as a co-defendant? Their service fee on for processing the orders isn't worth the hassle.

This still smells bad.