What is Digg?134 Comments
- ronnsprocket, on 07/23/2008, -3/+63starting a company based on a loophole is ***** crazy.
- santaliqueur, on 07/23/2008, -6/+46Come on, Apple. Release a mid-priced tower with easily upgradeable graphics cards and all these companies will go away.
- sambapati87, on 07/23/2008, -1/+28I wish I could start a company who's only path to success involved a legal loophole against a multi-billion dollar company.
Also good god their website is hideous. - arjie, on 07/23/2008, -2/+25One could argue that accountancy firms that help you out with taxes prove that bit wrong.
- fintheman, on 07/23/2008, -6/+23Competition = Good
- norman619, on 07/23/2008, -2/+18How is it illegal to sell Mac OSX ready systems? These are simply regular computers being marketed as Mac OSX compatible. Nothing about them is infringing on anything Apple. This is a non-story.
- HonoredMule, on 07/23/2008, -1/+13Their business model is proven to leave gaps others are willing to fill even under threat of legal action. That's not exactly high praise.
- serif69, on 07/23/2008, -0/+11Tell that to Velcro.
- cbeach, on 07/23/2008, -2/+12OS X is more stable than Windows because Apple controls the hardware choices and drivers. Apple support is better than that of the PC clone market because the Apple platform is standardised.
Take away these advantages and aside from the improved user experience of OS X over Windows, you lose two critical selling points of OS X. - Palaceguard, on 07/23/2008, -0/+9All the stories on how linux is better, easy to install la la la, but people cry that there should be an cheap alternative to Apple Macs. Go Figure
- mharroun, on 07/23/2008, -2/+11Apple relies on hardware lockin as their main source on income, and stability. The reason apple runs more stable then windows is because the hardware os and drivers are locked in together. Did you know originally 30% of vista crashes were do to nivida drivers?, not something you can blame MS for.
For apple to compete with windows directly it would need to sacrifice some of the things which make it seem superior. If dell sold osx and used generic sound X, with ***** drivers... osx will be prone to crash as well, making it just as instable as windows. - raynar, on 07/23/2008, -4/+12if you start giving people the option to add their own hardware, then you lose the whole 'it just works' motto.
- ronnsprocket, on 07/23/2008, -0/+7touche.
- Myztry, on 07/23/2008, -1/+8I don't see the problem as long as people install the retail version of OSX.
In most countries retail pruchases are governed by retail consumer sales law. A purchase agreement between you and the retailer for the transfer of goods. Condition of which are set out under consumer retail legislation. If the retailer neglects to include the agreement terms posed by the OEM apon the retailer, then that is between those two parties. Not the purchase.
Contract (EULA - psuedo contracts) on the other hand are an attempt to bind an end user to a contract while not involving the two parties with each other, failing the bargaining power requirements, failing the indentity verification requirements, failing the the signatory requirements.
Even your all powerful bank can't form a contract with you without obtaining an agreement via signature. What makes software manufacturers unique. Nothing. that's the crux of the issue. At least banks sell a service, rather than a commodity item. All commodoity items are subject to fair use in civilized non-corrupt countries.
You don't want me to change the engine in my car. Sit on this, and rotate. It's fair use. You have no right to tell me what to do with my goods once ownership has been transfered by means of sale. Otherwise, you should have got me to SIGN a contract waiving my rights. - RetepNamenots, on 07/23/2008, -0/+6And yet people complain when Windows bluescreens with their hardware, or Linux doesn't work with their wireless card?
Wooh, I hate Windows/Linux, I love being locked into being able to buy from only one company! - TnTBass, on 07/23/2008, -0/+6I've been looking around on the site, and the closest they come to selling Apple products is this line:
"The Open Tech XT is capable of running most popular operating systems."
I do not see anywhere on the site that even mentions Apple. Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see where they got any of the information listed in this article. - inactive, on 07/23/2008, -0/+6So couldn't we all do this without issue?, I will sell you a computer i built, and then give you instructions on how to run osx86 on it yourself. Sounds legal? after all i just provide the hardware that osx86 will run on, its up to you as to what os you put on it. As long as i don't sell you a (modified) leopard, or profit from any osx86 instructions. If you purchase a legal copy of leopard, and i tell how you to install it, thats legal.
- mrsteveman1, on 07/23/2008, -0/+6Not really, you just certify hardware and make a hard distinction between stuff that will work and wont work, then you prevent companies from attempting to market hardware as compatible when it isn't and you educate consumers to look for certification.
Besides, the mac pro is already upgradable, it wouldn't be their first upgradable machine. - BadAsh71, on 07/23/2008, -0/+5While they do appear to be "over-priced" if you compare apples to apples between a Mac and its equivalent PC on Dell's web site you will astonishingly find out that the Mac is a deal.
Seriously... don't forget to add all the right components and software for the full "apples to apples" comparison.
A friend of mine always said they were "over-priced" until he did the "Dell Challenge" and bamm... he was hooked, he nabbed a MacBook and has been happy ever since.
Apple adds really good hardware to their Macs and the prices are very competitive in that regard. - badmigraine, on 07/23/2008, -0/+5Isn't Apple already making a fortune?
- schneb, on 07/23/2008, -2/+7If Apple would have made a configurable half-height Mac-Prosumer model that geeks could pimp and would satisfy the average Prosumer like myself, they would never have had to worry about such upstarts. This is Apple's fault for dropping the ball and leaving such a glaring gap in their product line.
Jobs made the same mistake starting Apple by making it a closed-architecture and an overpriced proprietary hardware. PCs won. Jobs was kicked, then PowerComputing filled the gaps with better hardware at a lower price. Jobs came back in and stopped PowerComputing's successful trend and returned Apple to overpriced proprietary hardware. Sorry Steve, no way to stop an avalanche that you started. - m00nmaster, on 07/23/2008, -2/+7Says the one not in the niche. Use the right tool for the job. WHATEVER that is.
- Palaceguard, on 07/23/2008, -1/+6So are Mercedes and BMW's. But People buy them
- drlha, on 07/23/2008, -0/+5Looks like they might have removed the language from their website. Type this into Google and you'll see references to running Leopard:
site:freewebs.com/iopentech - Tek12, on 07/23/2008, -1/+6Yes but the onus then is on the end user and not the company selling you the computer. If a company sells you a computer and you use it to build a bomb, can the government come after the company who sold you the computer? No.
- TheUngod, on 07/23/2008, -1/+6Really? I believe they would fail miserably when it started crashing constantly due to all the different possible hardware configurations.
- monkeyrun, on 07/23/2008, -1/+5lol. There's nothing wrong with selling a gun, but it's a problem when you sell a gun with instructions on how to rob a bank in 10 easy steps with a gun.
- orangefly, on 07/23/2008, -0/+4support would be a bitch though....
- diggymow, on 07/23/2008, -0/+4To be fair, it's not the same people...
- maxbeatty, on 05/01/2009, -2/+6+1 for '***** crazy'
- colincornaby, on 07/23/2008, -0/+4To be fair, what this company is doing isn't much different than buying a computer from say... Dell. They won't pre-install OS X, only send you directions on how to install it, meaning they're not going to be supplying you updates or say... supplying fan drivers. If you're going to get a Hackintosh, why would you buy from these folks vs. another company?
Regardless, Apple can sue them because they're using copyrighted terms without Apple's permission (at the very least, Apple will ask them to stop using the terms "Mac OS X", they'll refuse, Apple will unleash the lawyers, and so on...) - aliguana, on 07/23/2008, -1/+5to a large proportion of the population, it's what goes on inside the box that matters, not how shiney and curvey the case is. oh, and the price.
- Qrange, on 07/23/2008, -1/+5There are very few similarities between a Dell XPS and a Macbook Pro. Do a quick search to find that although Asus participates in the assembly and manufacture, each solution is unique to their manufacturer.
Simply because a Jaguar is made by Ford doesn't mean that is has the same engine as a Focus.
Software. Design. Stable Operating System. - Thats why I bought the MBP that I am typing this comment on. - CMiYC, on 07/23/2008, -1/+4If you are going to try and sell something, why would you use a free web host provider? Are these guys from 1990 or something?
There are hosting providers that cost - aliguana, on 07/23/2008, -1/+4apparently the company sells machines that are OSX compatible, and give you a "kit" so you can go out and buy a copy of OSX then install it. Methinks the "kit" is the bit that will get them into hot water. Anyone can make a machine out of OSX-compatible parts. It's how you market it.
- fangorious, on 07/23/2008, -0/+3The goal isn't just cheaper hardware, it's running OS X on cheaper hardware. Running Linux doesn't meet that goal on any hardware.
- inactive, on 07/23/2008, -0/+3Freewebs? Really?
Also I assume the loophole is just building computers that can run OS X and letting the consumer buy the OS from Apple... Because it doesn't mention OS X anywhere on their site. - aliguana, on 07/23/2008, -0/+3No, they're not selling pirate OSX. The point is you go out and buy it. They just give you.. dunno, a disk with the modified Darwin kexts or something, so you can install the OSX you bought on your machine.
If they even ARE giving away a kit. I read that somewhere yesterday, not verified it or anything - Greengoo, on 07/23/2008, -0/+3Wow... strong retort...
- wellyuk, on 07/23/2008, -0/+3Your belief is why you're sat on digg making comments on how you believe Apple could make a fortune and Apple are out there making a fortune.
- norman619, on 07/23/2008, -0/+3Are they selling people pirate copies of OSX?
- Khast, on 07/23/2008, -2/+5Funny thing... I can see a lawsuit over pirated software....I can't see lawsuits over legally purchased software running on "unauthorized" hardware.
I BOUGHT THE F***ING SOFTWARE WHY DO I HAVE TO SUCK YOUR ***** IF I CAN BUILD A BETTER COMPUTER.
It's like Microsoft saying Windows will only run on an Intel Processor....oh wait, they already tried that...and failed due to complaints from users....
Too bad Apple users can't grow balls. - digiguy, on 07/23/2008, -2/+5The bottom line is this------Apple MacOS and Macs are a package. Buy it from Apple or find another OS as an alternative.
- fangorious, on 07/23/2008, -0/+3no
- MacParrot, on 07/23/2008, -0/+3I've said before that I would buy a Core2Duo Mac in a mini-tower and I meant it. But what I was looking for in such a configuration was additional storage. I'm not going bother much with upgrading graphics cards every six months or so because for what I use the computer for it wouldn't make that big of a difference unless it was a really monster upgrade.
All I really want is to be able to replace, upgrade, or increase the internal storage of my Mac. I've made do with eSATA, FireWire, and USB2 enclosures and sure it works, but there are certain limitations that Apple has either purposely or unknowingly put into OS X that make this less than ideal.
Example: My 2.16 24-inch Intel iMac has an internal 250GB drive. Fine and dandy, plenty of room for my apps and most of the documents I use, but for digital video and audio it is far from ideal. Also, I currently use VMWare with Ubuntu and XP Home for situations where OS X comes up short, like with games and other Windows-only programs. VMWare does a pretty good job and I could use CrossOver Mac as well and not even bother with having Windows installed, but if any Mac user tells you there's not a tradeoff using virtualization, they're lying.
I could use BootCamp, but then I have to give up a pretty good chunk of my internal drive (because BootCamp doesn't work with external drives or even with external drives that you can boot with) and that is not acceptable for me.
So, why not just put in a bigger internal drive? Because I can't without voiding my Apple warranty. I can have an authorized Apple service center do it, at their typical hardware markup, their labor charge, and God forbid I want it quickly an additional fee for that.
Just...to...have...a...bigger...internal...drive.
Yes, the Mac Pro will let me do just what I'm talking about. As long as you have the price of admission. I've got a house with a mortgage, 2 kids just a few years away from college, and buying a $2500 computer just to be able to switch drives isn't exactly a priority.
Any long-time Mac users remember the Pismo? The last G3 laptop before the G4 PowerBooks? Fantastic design with two slots in the front that you could drop an extra battery, or optical drive, or...yes...another internal hard drive.
Keep the iMac case design. It works well. But there is enough room with very little re-engineering for the internals that you could have one or two additional drives. Why does this have to be so difficult to comprehend Apple? - se1zure, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2Your absolutely right apple is in a negative avalanche and has not had tremendous success and growth with it's ***** business model at all.
Do you not every pay attention to stocks? - se1zure, on 07/23/2008, -1/+3Yeah but certified hardware means $600 ram and a $1000 hard drive.
- Numbski, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2Competition is good, but loopholes aren't permanent. I think what these guys are counting on is that EULA's aren't enforceable. I think they're right, but do they have the resources to stand up in court?
If they win, it just means that you'll have to sign an agreement when you buy the software rather than agree to the EULA after the fact, which is in fact a win, but the loophole still closes. - norman619, on 07/23/2008, -1/+3No there is no true competition between Mac and main stream PC's. Care to take another look at the actual market share of Windows vs. OSX? How is Apple winning when Windows still has over 95% market share? The current install base of Vista is already larger than the number of OSX machines out there.
- se1zure, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2A company would not be allowed to sell you a kit to assemble your own atomic bomb.
This company is encouraging illegal behavior, which is not how any company should act. And unless they have handfulls of warnings against the legality of the kit and using it, they they face lawsuits even from end users who were unaware of the illegality. -
Show 51 - 100 of 134 discussions
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is