Apple Disabling Support for Intel Atom Processor in Latest 10.6.2 Build?

[!¡ V ¡!]

Thanks for the level-headed and most rational post I've read on this topic so far. I have been itching to respond to some of the posts here, but you've basically put down what I've been thinking. People forget that they are acquiring an RTU (right to use) license, they are NOT purchasing the software per se! Apple has every right to put conditions on the use of this license - if you don't like it, don't buy it. Welcome to the free world where supply and demand determine the success of a product...

I purchased my NetBook for experimenting with, I am installed everything from Linux, Windows, Mac OS X on it. I use it for learning purposes. If you are counting on a NetBook to put food on the table, then one has they priorities upside down and installing Mac OS X on a NetBook is the least of ones problems.

 

[hkim1983]

Since this thread has already gone off-rail as is, I'd like to ask a question: how well does OS X actually run on the netbook platform? I tested Win 7 on a netbook, and I found the performance to be too sluggish for me to give it any consideration (even for the purposes I had in mine). Does OS X run that much better?

 

[uberamd]

This will make Microsoft happy. People will be left with the decision either to buy an $1100 laptop from Apple or spend $200 on Windows 7 to use their current hardware. I've used Windows 7 and OS X, and I just have to say I really like Windows 7 a lot.

I love when people compare a NEW $1100 Mac to a $200 refurbished eeePC with a 4GB SSD (show me other $200 NEW options for Netbooks). My god the bias and BS flying from you is amazing.

 

[Bubba Satori]

$35 billion in the bank doesn't go as far as it used to.

 

[Erwin-Br]

Very petty move from Apple, and not very good PR.

Who knows how many Hackintosh users will eventually move to a real Mac? Not everybody can spend $500 or more to try a new Operating System. I mean, I bought a mini in 2006, but if I didn't like OSX I would've wasted a lot of money. Quite a risk for people who don't have a big wallet.

 

[Bueller007]

Apple's numbers dont suggest the "hackintosh community" has any bearing whatsoever on Mac sales.

This statement is pure idiocy.

Just because Apple sales have been going up doesn't mean that "Hackintoshes" haven't had an adverse impact. The question is "Would sales have increased even more if there were no Hackintosh community?"

I'm not sure there's an easy answer to that question, although it's hard to imagine that Hackintoshes haven't had at least some impact.

 

[*LTD*]

Thats so true. So many Hackintosh people say "Well the EULA is bogus, it's my software I can do whatever I want with it because I said so! Screw the EULA!" That is entirely comical. I don't agree to the speed limit signs so I think I will drive as fast as I freaking want. Any fine I receive is also bogus so I think I won't pay it. That is the mindset of Hackintosh people.

They are very good at convincing themselves what they are doing is legal and morally right.

They have a cavalier atttiude about it because they know they can get away with it, and when enough of them do for long enough, they've convinced themselves over time that their *particular* form of infringement is legitimate. Although one wonders what else they're doing along the same lines.

They're breaking software license agreements. It's just that simple. Software license agreements are fundamental to the sale, purchase, and use of software. Simply because the legal consquences can't be meted out all the time and in every case does not make them any less valid, and in fact companies are within their rights to enforce them any time they please. In this case, Apple isn't even bringing any legal consequences to bear on hackintosh users! Just making it a bit harder for them. And they respond by crying foul??

 

[!¡ V ¡!]

This will make Microsoft happy. People will be left with the decision either to buy an $1100 laptop from Apple or spend $200 on Windows 7 to use their current hardware. I've used Windows 7 and OS X, and I just have to say I really like Windows 7 a lot.

With the release of Win7, I am now happy that I can use two decent Operating Systems. Though my primary is Mac OS X, I have no regrets to use Win7 if need be. Bliss and harmony is achieved.

Now if Linux can have something comparable and things will indeed get very interesting.

It seems with Win7 MS has gotten is right, I was amazed to find that the firewall and other security features were activated, though I still install an AV just to be on the safe side. Only time will tell.

 

[uberamd]

Very petty move from Apple, and not very good PR.

Who knows how many Hackintosh users will eventually move to a real Mac? Not everybody can spend $500 or more to try a new Operating System. I mean, I bought a mini in 2006, but if I didn't like OSX I would've wasted a lot of money. Quite a risk for people who don't have a big wallet.

Then go to the damn Apple store and try a machine. The argument that Hackintosh use leads to Apple purchases is just another justification by the Hackintosh community to make themselves feel like they aren't breaking the law. The average Mac owner has never touched a hackintosh and never would care to.

I hate reading these BS arguments. Its pathetic.

 

[CyberBob859]

Man, I was just about to purchase this too : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883103234

Yup, you were looking at the same hardware I was looking at - Nvidia ION using Dual Core Atom 330.

So much for my hopes of a 11" OS/X laptop using ION at $700. I was thinking of trying the HP Mini 311 using Snow Leopard:

http://www.laptopmag.com/review/laptop/hp-mini-311.aspx

 

[HLdan]

Seems like a relatively simple (part) solution to a huge problem. Logical, in other words.

Though it kind of sucks for the CUSTOMERS.

You care to explain how this sucks for the "CUSTOMERS"? What customers? The hackintoshers aren't customers, buying a $29 SL DVD and then hackining is totally against the license, these are not customers Apple wants. I just love how the hackintoshers call themselves "LEGIT" by actually buying a copy of OS X. Funny, what they are doing with it is NOT LEGIT.
Also, gimme a break, the majority of hackintoshers aren't even "CUSTOMERS", they are torrenting Leopard and SL so they aren't paying for crap.

 

[AidenShaw]

Windoze suffers from trying to run on everything from a phone to a cray (well not quite, crays are too smart to run that OS)...

Perhaps you should check your facts before making random statements.

Cray CX1 with Microsoft Windows HPC Server 2008

Cray and Microsoft have partnered extensively to create a superior out-of-the-box
experience for the HPC user. The Cray CX1 system ships pre-configured with
Windows HPC Server 2008 along with installation routines that make configuration
and setup a simple and straightforward process.

http://www.cray.com/Products/CX1/MicrosoftHPCServer2008.aspx​

It's a baby Cray, only 64 CPUs with 384 GiB of RAM....

 

[macshill]

The North Korea of the computer world strikes again.

That made me chuckle because it's soooo true.

 

[JAT]

Can't people act like intelligent adults anymore?

I'm sorry, but you are going to have to cite an instance of people acting like intelligent adults once before.

 

[blackcrayon]

Since this thread has already gone off-rail as is, I'd like to ask a question: how well does OS X actually run on the netbook platform? I tested Win 7 on a netbook, and I found the performance to be too sluggish for me to give it any consideration (even for the purposes I had in mine). Does OS X run that much better?

Runs very well on a dell mini 9 with 2GB of RAM and a reasonable SSD (i have a runcore in mine which are much faster than the ones that shipped with it).

In Leopard just about everything works perfectly except for external monitor support, but there are workarounds for that. Performance is fine for something with a small screen- web browsing, light games, email, etc (the keyboard is rather small though, better on the mini 10v.)

I honestly don't find myself "waiting" for any of the types of things i would want to do on a netbook in the first place.

 

[*LTD*]

Very petty move from Apple, and not very good PR.

The bulk of Apple's market won't even notice. It's all about numbers and sales, and this move will have as much effect on Apple's numbers as Apple ignoring netbooks: zero.

 

[Riemann Zeta]

'd like to ask a question: how well does OS X actually run on the netbook platform?

Surprisingly well. As long as you have the netbook hardware upgraded to 2GB of RAM and a faster SSD (say a Runcore or other faster option), Mac OS runs very well. Then again, I found Windows 7 to also run extremely well, as long as you have at least 2GB of RAM.

 

[rstansby]

Seems like a relatively simple (part) solution to a huge problem. Logical, in other words.

Though it kind of sucks for the CUSTOMERS.

Customers of another company, many of whom don't even pay for OSX when they install it on their (non-apple) computers.

Then there are the true customers of Apple, who have had an easy ability to install operating systems without a bunch of copy protection. If Apple is forced to implement tougher copy protection (to stop people from stealing OSX) then all of the people who buy Apple computers will pay the price.

 

[!¡ V ¡!]

This statement is pure idiocy.

Just because Apple sales have been going up doesn't mean that "Hackintoshes" haven't had an adverse impact. The question is "Would sales have increased even more if there were no Hackintosh community?"

I'm not sure there's an easy answer to that question, although it's hard to imagine that Hackintoshes haven't had at least some impact.

Do you not believe that had not considered the possibility when they moved to the x86 architecture. They knew the risks (risc), as the x86 community is larger and one day sooner or later clones will surface. They have lived through this scenario.

If did not know, then this is the least of they problems.

 

[petermcphee]

It's nice to play amateur intelligence analyst, but doesn't the simplest answer seem to be that they probably thought they were going to be using Atom at some point, or even had prototypes built with Atom, so they had to code support. Then, they made a decision to not go with Atom in said product (or, probably, ever) and so it makes sense to stop spending time and money supporting that chipset.

It's not a competitive play, because netbooks running hackintosh are not a competitive market for them. It's too tiny, too unsupported, to janky for them to care to kill it, and nothing but an advertisement for getting a real mac to anyone who has gone through the trouble to install on a piece of crap netbook anyway.

Atom support doesn't hurt them enough to spend money to kill it. Nor does it help them enough to spend money to continue to support it.

P.S. I used to work for a business partner of Lenovo, in such a capacity that I was privy to early product knowledge. Companies are glad just to be able to get decent products to market, they don't have time to worry about any clandestine anti-hacker backdoors.

Well said. Intelligent, logical, succinct. Are you sure you belong here?

 

[greenmeanie]

So are you saying if you buy one license of WIn SERVER you should be able to install it as many machines as you want?

IS NOT PIRACY!

I'm getting so sick and tired of people saying that using software that you purchased is piracy. I can do what I want! Get off my back.

I'm usually a rather calm person but the way everyone right now is trying to control my life, from Apple to the United States government, is really starting to piss me off.

Go ahead and flame me, but I could not care less.

 

[MrCrowbar]

Weren't Hackintosh users the perfect beta testers for an upcoming Atom based Apple product? I don't think that Apple does not care about the Hackintosh group but they keep an eye on the problems people have with OSX running some different hardware. If Apple released an Atom based computer now, you'd know it'll work well because all those OSX netbooks work well.

I guess Apple just abandoned the Atom now because the PA Semi acquisition is paying off with something better and they're putting their ultra mobile resources into that.

I for one love having a main computer where I do just everything. Having a desktop as a main computer and a netbook for on the go doesn't cut it for me, I want all my files, settings, applications, etc on the same machine because syncing can be a real pain. The iPhone is just fine for the calendar and address book, and the Mac mini works well as a server and media center (hooked up to the TV). My main computer is this 13" Macbook Pro and it was a black Macbook before that. Compact enough to always have with me, powerful enough to do everything I need. And yes, I have backups, backups of these backups and remote backups of the really important stuff. Couch and Bathroom Computing are awesome!

 

[uberamd]

I honestly don't find myself "waiting" for any of the types of things i would want to do on a netbook in the first place.

I haven't found anything I would rather do on the Mini 9 (which has the worst keyboard in the world) that I wouldn't rather do on my MacBook Air. Maybe its because I am a grown man (21 years old) and don't find tiny computers with cramped keyboards and terrible trackpads enjoyable for anything.

 

[baryon]

I'm just thinking, that Apple makes an awesome OS and only a small amount of people get to use it because not everyone can afford a Mac, so they have no choice but to buy a low end PC. If Apple made a PC compatible version of OS X, and sold it at a higher price (because OS X is cheap since you pay for hardware), maybe OS X would spread to every PC and everyone would be using OS X instead of Windows... And then Apple would be rich enough to make cheaper Macs, so eventually everyone would buy Mac hardware as well... In this sense, OS X would be directly competing against Windows... Because right now, it's not, since it only runs on certain hardware, and Windows runs on all hardware.

Then of course I know, this would involve Apple having to deal with all sorts of compatibility issues, and OS X might end up looking like Windows... So maybe that's why they don't want OS X to run on anything but a Mac.

 

[Grimace]

The netbook makers (Dell, HP, Acer, etc.) now feel even MORE pressure to keep prices artificially low on their laptops - because they pushed the netbooks to stay afloat (read: barely treading water) in the recession.

The flip side is that unhappy customers (those unhappy with their netbook experience) might not go back to those same manufacturers for their next purchase. For some people, they are great, but a lot thought that netbooks would be almost the same as a legit laptop. That reality check doesn't help the current netbook makers down the road when people are looking to replace machines.