Things have been a little crazy lately in the day job so I’ve not had much time to keep up on Mac news. Tonight I decided to take catch up with my RSS feed and was surprised to see so many posts and articles concerning Psystar’s Apple clones. Apparently a few of them are in the wild and everyone seems very excited about it. I must admit, I’m baffled.
So it is great that folks have gone commercial with the hackintosh concept but I can’t understand why anyone would want to buy one. They may be slightly cheaper but then again, they may also just turn into a brick with the next software update. Furthermore, they really aren’t that much cheaper. I remember back to 1987 when getting a new Mac and printer would run you about four thousand dollars minimum. Back then a hackintosh would have had a toehold. But these days Apple’s prices are not that bad. On the low end, a Mac Mini is very affordable. On the other end there really isn’t that much difference (either in hardware or price) between a MacBook Pro and a Dell XPS which can cost up to $4300.
Call me a fan boy but I’m sticking with Apple hardware. I’ve got 20 years of trench warfare experience on the PC side fighting hardware, software, and operating systems made by different people with no intention of cooperating. To the arguable extent you are paying a premium for Apple products, you get it back in saved time almost immediately. With Apple’s current pricing, I will be very surprised if any of these commercial clones get any traction.
Here here! My feeling is that if you are buying one of these systems, it’s probably because you want to be able to upgrade later on. If you can upgrade a CPU, graphics card, hard drive, etc.. then you could potentially build a system just like this yourself. So if you’re doing it for ease of use, buy Apple hardware… otherwise, just build yourself and then you can control what’s in the setup and also the cost, plus you have better support with the components individual warranties. Psystar could be around for many years, but I doubt it. Which then leaves you with no support what-so-ever.
Here here! My feeling is that if you are buying one of these systems, it’s probably because you want to be able to upgrade later on. If you can upgrade a CPU, graphics card, hard drive, etc.. then you could potentially build a system just like this yourself. So if you’re doing it for ease of use, buy Apple hardware… otherwise, just build yourself and then you can control what’s in the setup and also the cost, plus you have better support with the components individual warranties. Psystar could be around for many years, but I doubt it. Which then leaves you with no support what-so-ever.
Here here! My feeling is that if you are buying one of these systems, it’s probably because you want to be able to upgrade later on. If you can upgrade a CPU, graphics card, hard drive, etc.. then you could potentially build a system just like this yourself. So if you’re doing it for ease of use, buy Apple hardware… otherwise, just build yourself and then you can control what’s in the setup and also the cost, plus you have better support with the components individual warranties. Psystar could be around for many years, but I doubt it. Which then leaves you with no support what-so-ever.
Here here! My feeling is that if you are buying one of these systems, it’s probably because you want to be able to upgrade later on. If you can upgrade a CPU, graphics card, hard drive, etc.. then you could potentially build a system just like this yourself. So if you’re doing it for ease of use, buy Apple hardware… otherwise, just build yourself and then you can control what’s in the setup and also the cost, plus you have better support with the components individual warranties. Psystar could be around for many years, but I doubt it. Which then leaves you with no support what-so-ever.
Here here! My feeling is that if you are buying one of these systems, it’s probably because you want to be able to upgrade later on. If you can upgrade a CPU, graphics card, hard drive, etc.. then you could potentially build a system just like this yourself. So if you’re doing it for ease of use, buy Apple hardware… otherwise, just build yourself and then you can control what’s in the setup and also the cost, plus you have better support with the components individual warranties. Psystar could be around for many years, but I doubt it. Which then leaves you with no support what-so-ever.
My PowerMac dual G5 is the best build piece of computer hardware I own. The quality is similar to the equipment I worked on as an avionics technician in the USAF.
I came over to the Mac side after many years of avoidance. It was not that I didn’t recognize the quality but I did not like Steven Job’s business practices.
Like Gore inventing the Internet, I resented Apple’s clam to have invented the home computer. I had a home computer before the first Apple was sold. Built it myself. But I have to admit Apple did build the first mass produced/marketed home computer.
Apple also screwed over two different companies I was working for. One in the ’70s and one in the ’90s: both with Jobs at the helm.
And Apple’s clam to be an engineering paradise irked me when I knew engineers that screwed over at Apple just like most other high pressure development companies.
Meanwhile DRI was becoming a footnote in tech history and Microsoft was a rising juggernaut of business innovation by putting unethical pressure on their customers.
So I’ve mellowed over time and realize that one company is not worse that the other. Apple has the superior software and hardware. Apple has managed to keep their software superior in part by keeping a death grip on the hardware.
Now we’ve got this OSx86 project. It makes it possible to load OS-X onto lower quality standard PC hardware to yield a system that costs about half what a similar power Apple system would cost, if your willing to violate Apples EUA or outright pirate Leopard.
Since I create stuff for a living and hobby; software, video, web sites and content; the violation of IP is not something I want to do. Still, it’s tempting to play around with it. Maybe I could build a little render farm.
But make no mistake, I think the cost would be half what Apple charges for similar computing power but much lower physical quality. You don’t need to upgrade every time Apple changes iTunes; about twice a day it seems link.
Is my comment longer than your original post? Maybe I need my own blog:)
Peace,
Rob:-]
My PowerMac dual G5 is the best build piece of computer hardware I own. The quality is similar to the equipment I worked on as an avionics technician in the USAF.
I came over to the Mac side after many years of avoidance. It was not that I didn’t recognize the quality but I did not like Steven Job’s business practices.
Like Gore inventing the Internet, I resented Apple’s clam to have invented the home computer. I had a home computer before the first Apple was sold. Built it myself. But I have to admit Apple did build the first mass produced/marketed home computer.
Apple also screwed over two different companies I was working for. One in the ’70s and one in the ’90s: both with Jobs at the helm.
And Apple’s clam to be an engineering paradise irked me when I knew engineers that screwed over at Apple just like most other high pressure development companies.
Meanwhile DRI was becoming a footnote in tech history and Microsoft was a rising juggernaut of business innovation by putting unethical pressure on their customers.
So I’ve mellowed over time and realize that one company is not worse that the other. Apple has the superior software and hardware. Apple has managed to keep their software superior in part by keeping a death grip on the hardware.
Now we’ve got this OSx86 project. It makes it possible to load OS-X onto lower quality standard PC hardware to yield a system that costs about half what a similar power Apple system would cost, if your willing to violate Apples EUA or outright pirate Leopard.
Since I create stuff for a living and hobby; software, video, web sites and content; the violation of IP is not something I want to do. Still, it’s tempting to play around with it. Maybe I could build a little render farm.
But make no mistake, I think the cost would be half what Apple charges for similar computing power but much lower physical quality. You don’t need to upgrade every time Apple changes iTunes; about twice a day it seems link.
Is my comment longer than your original post? Maybe I need my own blog:)
Peace,
Rob:-]
My PowerMac dual G5 is the best build piece of computer hardware I own. The quality is similar to the equipment I worked on as an avionics technician in the USAF.
I came over to the Mac side after many years of avoidance. It was not that I didn’t recognize the quality but I did not like Steven Job’s business practices.
Like Gore inventing the Internet, I resented Apple’s clam to have invented the home computer. I had a home computer before the first Apple was sold. Built it myself. But I have to admit Apple did build the first mass produced/marketed home computer.
Apple also screwed over two different companies I was working for. One in the ’70s and one in the ’90s: both with Jobs at the helm.
And Apple’s clam to be an engineering paradise irked me when I knew engineers that screwed over at Apple just like most other high pressure development companies.
Meanwhile DRI was becoming a footnote in tech history and Microsoft was a rising juggernaut of business innovation by putting unethical pressure on their customers.
So I’ve mellowed over time and realize that one company is not worse that the other. Apple has the superior software and hardware. Apple has managed to keep their software superior in part by keeping a death grip on the hardware.
Now we’ve got this OSx86 project. It makes it possible to load OS-X onto lower quality standard PC hardware to yield a system that costs about half what a similar power Apple system would cost, if your willing to violate Apples EUA or outright pirate Leopard.
Since I create stuff for a living and hobby; software, video, web sites and content; the violation of IP is not something I want to do. Still, it’s tempting to play around with it. Maybe I could build a little render farm.
But make no mistake, I think the cost would be half what Apple charges for similar computing power but much lower physical quality. You don’t need to upgrade every time Apple changes iTunes; about twice a day it seems link.
Is my comment longer than your original post? Maybe I need my own blog:)
Peace,
Rob:-]
My PowerMac dual G5 is the best build piece of computer hardware I own. The quality is similar to the equipment I worked on as an avionics technician in the USAF.
I came over to the Mac side after many years of avoidance. It was not that I didn’t recognize the quality but I did not like Steven Job’s business practices.
Like Gore inventing the Internet, I resented Apple’s clam to have invented the home computer. I had a home computer before the first Apple was sold. Built it myself. But I have to admit Apple did build the first mass produced/marketed home computer.
Apple also screwed over two different companies I was working for. One in the ’70s and one in the ’90s: both with Jobs at the helm.
And Apple’s clam to be an engineering paradise irked me when I knew engineers that screwed over at Apple just like most other high pressure development companies.
Meanwhile DRI was becoming a footnote in tech history and Microsoft was a rising juggernaut of business innovation by putting unethical pressure on their customers.
So I’ve mellowed over time and realize that one company is not worse that the other. Apple has the superior software and hardware. Apple has managed to keep their software superior in part by keeping a death grip on the hardware.
Now we’ve got this OSx86 project. It makes it possible to load OS-X onto lower quality standard PC hardware to yield a system that costs about half what a similar power Apple system would cost, if your willing to violate Apples EUA or outright pirate Leopard.
Since I create stuff for a living and hobby; software, video, web sites and content; the violation of IP is not something I want to do. Still, it’s tempting to play around with it. Maybe I could build a little render farm.
But make no mistake, I think the cost would be half what Apple charges for similar computing power but much lower physical quality. You don’t need to upgrade every time Apple changes iTunes; about twice a day it seems link.
Is my comment longer than your original post? Maybe I need my own blog:)
Peace,
Rob:-]
My PowerMac dual G5 is the best build piece of computer hardware I own. The quality is similar to the equipment I worked on as an avionics technician in the USAF.
I came over to the Mac side after many years of avoidance. It was not that I didn’t recognize the quality but I did not like Steven Job’s business practices.
Like Gore inventing the Internet, I resented Apple’s clam to have invented the home computer. I had a home computer before the first Apple was sold. Built it myself. But I have to admit Apple did build the first mass produced/marketed home computer.
Apple also screwed over two different companies I was working for. One in the ’70s and one in the ’90s: both with Jobs at the helm.
And Apple’s clam to be an engineering paradise irked me when I knew engineers that screwed over at Apple just like most other high pressure development companies.
Meanwhile DRI was becoming a footnote in tech history and Microsoft was a rising juggernaut of business innovation by putting unethical pressure on their customers.
So I’ve mellowed over time and realize that one company is not worse that the other. Apple has the superior software and hardware. Apple has managed to keep their software superior in part by keeping a death grip on the hardware.
Now we’ve got this OSx86 project. It makes it possible to load OS-X onto lower quality standard PC hardware to yield a system that costs about half what a similar power Apple system would cost, if your willing to violate Apples EUA or outright pirate Leopard.
Since I create stuff for a living and hobby; software, video, web sites and content; the violation of IP is not something I want to do. Still, it’s tempting to play around with it. Maybe I could build a little render farm.
But make no mistake, I think the cost would be half what Apple charges for similar computing power but much lower physical quality. You don’t need to upgrade every time Apple changes iTunes; about twice a day it seems link.
Is my comment longer than your original post? Maybe I need my own blog:)
Peace,
Rob:-]