digitalnicotine
macrumors 65816
This is so lame. Clearly you think it's overpriced, so why would you buy it, then return it, and claim you got screwed? 🙄 Nope not screwed. But I can think of a few words....
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'OpenMac' Promises $399 Headless Mac... But Not From Apple
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This is so lame. Clearly you think it's overpriced, so why would you buy it, then return it, and claim you got screwed? 🙄 Nope not screwed. But I can think of a few words....
macsmurf
macrumors 65816
I agree to some extent. I'm a newly converted OS X user (on a hackintosh). I've been using Windows and Linux for years, both as a CS student (and a student programmer), and OSX86 was STILL a pain to install. For the hobbyist, no problem. For the casual user, I don't know. If you don't mind the extra risk, I don't see a problem. However, in my opinion, a casual user shouldn't even have to know what a terminal or a kext is. Casual users should be like: "Drivers, OS X, huh?"
flopticalcube
macrumors G4
Its quite simple really. Stealing is against the law. Breaking a contract is not but you can get sued for it.
Looks like they will get done on trademark infringement regardless of the licensing issues.
Santa Rosa
macrumors 65816
"a company who has hand-selected the hardware and deliberately programed the software to work near perfectly with it"
Wow the apple commercials are very effective...
Beric
macrumors 68020
People don't seem to understand that a Mac IS MADE OF standard PC parts, and the only differences between a Mac and a PC are three things:
1. The OS
2. The exterior design
3. The support
Those 3 things were enough for me to buy a Macbook. For some people, #1 only may be enough to buy an OpenMac.
1. The OS
2. The exterior design
3. The support
Those 3 things were enough for me to buy a Macbook. For some people, #1 only may be enough to buy an OpenMac.
That's funny, because people who spend $60,000-$100,000 dollars on cars and $2,000-$3,000 dollars on TV's are morons too. This is all too funny. Apple is a business and protecting their investments. No one is forcing people to buy the Mac and OSX or even an iPhone. A large percentage are more than happy with their Windows Server, Windows 2000, WindowsXP and Windows Vista. I would be more concerned about how Microsoft does business. More than 5 years with Vista and now they decide to bring out Windows 7 in just a few years. That is ripping off the consumer.
If I couldn't afford a Mac, I would be happy too with just my Window Based PC. It seems to me that the people who are really whinning are the people not working or unwilling to work those couple of weeks OT to buy a Mac. I don't see the point of wasting all this energy in arguing how companies charge for their products. MacOSX is not god's gift to mankind.
i love hackintosh
i have over the course of 20 years paid inflated prices for apple products.
this year i built a hack rather than shelling out the $5000 i would have spent on an equiv powermac.
I spent $700 (plus $129 for osx leo ) and used the case and power supply from an old pc.
i now have a quad core that runs fine at 3.6GHz. Apple doesnt even make a 3.6GHz comp. my budget mac kicks the $5000 powermacs butt in benchmarks and runs reliable 24/7 as my main mac.
so for all the posts about hacks being unreliable and 'cheap' its the same if not better components being used as apple, just without the $1000 'snake oil'.
i've had pleanty of problems with 'real' macs to btw. i've also had less than stellar experiences dealing with apple customer service.
apple used to be a very cool company, now it is a greedy corporate monopoly. as a designer i also have real issues with being told what variety of helvetica to use at an os level... but thats a whole other issue.
i have over the course of 20 years paid inflated prices for apple products.
this year i built a hack rather than shelling out the $5000 i would have spent on an equiv powermac.
I spent $700 (plus $129 for osx leo ) and used the case and power supply from an old pc.
i now have a quad core that runs fine at 3.6GHz. Apple doesnt even make a 3.6GHz comp. my budget mac kicks the $5000 powermacs butt in benchmarks and runs reliable 24/7 as my main mac.
so for all the posts about hacks being unreliable and 'cheap' its the same if not better components being used as apple, just without the $1000 'snake oil'.
i've had pleanty of problems with 'real' macs to btw. i've also had less than stellar experiences dealing with apple customer service.
apple used to be a very cool company, now it is a greedy corporate monopoly. as a designer i also have real issues with being told what variety of helvetica to use at an os level... but thats a whole other issue.
The most humble, honest and edifying post in this thread. Thank you, sir.
The Apple koolaid is getting dry; hurry up and refill it!
asdavis10
macrumors 6502
Good luck finding the system you're talking about for $2000 whether it be from Dell, HP, or someone else. Instead of having so many different, but similar products as other PC companies do, Apple decided to have products that addressed specific product segments. This is why almost all of Apple's products sell particularly well as opposed to those other companies which seem to have laptops and desktop that compete with each other. Macs have never been cheap when compared to Windows PC's. That because Apple chose to offer quality products. Custom build a Dell or HP with similar specs to a MacBook, MacBook Pro, or Mac Pro and the price will be almost the same. Even take the MacBook Air and compare it with ultra-portables from Sony or Lenovo. Some people think that computers should be free. And for those people, I say go to your public library. As for the people who try to save money by buying cheap, they're the same ones that have to go to their local tech store and upgrade their RAM or graphics card because the software they need to install requires higher specs. Inferior products produce inferior results. Apple just needs to squash this clone and address the void by creating their own mini tower.
bokdol
macrumors 6502a
ok i have one question. everybody is saying how expensive the mini is. well show me the alternative in the same form factor.
and i am not trying to be an ass. i am seriously wondering of a machine with windows on it with the exact specs made by a "major" manufacturer.
so please be serious with your responses. and something close to the mini format
i do know there is an apple tax. but i dont think it is as big as some people say.
and i am not trying to be an ass. i am seriously wondering of a machine with windows on it with the exact specs made by a "major" manufacturer.
so please be serious with your responses. and something close to the mini format
i do know there is an apple tax. but i dont think it is as big as some people say.
Unspeaked
macrumors 68020
Westsider 4 Mac
macrumors regular
Isn't this kinda what happened with the Mac clones in the late 90's? Umax, Motorola, and [especially] Power Computing were blowing away Apple's hardware sales.
Kinda funny, instead of trying to compete with that and have machines that appeal to the consumer, Apple bought Power Computing, killed it off, and then canceled the other clones.
I owned a Power Computing Clone and LOVED it! The fact is that the clones were CLEARLY providing better specs and filling voids that
No. I'm in the same boat, living paycheck to paycheck with a wife and two kids. I want a new Mac and an iphone but I can't afford them just yet.
Hopefully, Apple makes a headless iMac one day, but if they don't another company can't just step in and do it instead. Yeah, Apple makes 30%+ profit on their hardware and a lot of that money goes into R&D, support, etc.
I'll save a few bucks, do some extra freelance jobs and sell my current Mac when I'm ready to upgrade--usually 3-5 years.
Unspeaked
macrumors 68020
i think it shouldn' t be up to Apple whether sth is legal or not.
I buy the software and I should be able to use it.
USA means freedom but sometimes your freedom is so limited under these agreements etc.
I buy the software and I should be able to use it.
USA means freedom but sometimes your freedom is so limited under these agreements etc.
turboflam3
macrumors newbie
Or possibly we value our money?
Cars and televisions are generally competitively priced for what you're getting. The price for mac hardware is excessive considering I could build a computer with almost the exact same components for less than half the price.
This response permeates with snobbery. Great for people who can afford a Porsche rather than a shitbox Cavalier but don't look down on people who can only afford a domestic shitbox. People pay for that right to be a snob when they buy Macs; that doesn't mean they should exercise that right. Just take the higher road and be humble about it.
Your comments aren't entirely dreck, but it's the last part that I take exception to. Not all people who can afford a Mac buys one; likewise, not all people who can afford an exotic car go out to buy one.
Phil A.
Moderator emeritus
You missed a couple off:
4. The interior design: The inside of a Mac Pro is a thing of beauty and things such as adding disks or memory are far easier than on the majority of Windows boxes
5. The resale value: The resale value of a used Mac is far, far higher than the resale value of a "standard" windows box and if you sell your machine on when you've finished with it you'll recoup a lot of the extra money you spent buying it
andiwm2003
macrumors 601
i was excited at first. but then a macbook refurb with 2.4GHz 2GB ram, 120GB HD , X3100, ilife, os x would be around $1000. compared to the open mac with some upgrades for around $800 the macbook is better for me.
the open mac makes only sense if you need the fast GPU and don't need the portability ever.
the open mac makes only sense if you need the fast GPU and don't need the portability ever.
inkswamp
macrumors 68030
The sad part of this is that Apple could offer this same box for a few hundred more and I would gladly pay it. I have no problem supporting Apple by buying their hardware, but they don't offer a mid-range tower, despite there being clear demand from consumers and almost unanimous agreement on this from every high-profile Mac commentator out there. For me, it's about the lack of options in Apple's line-up, not about getting OS X on cheap hardware.
Those of you writhing in agony over this so-called "unethical" move should keep that in mind. As long as Apple refuses to offer the product that people want (or at the very least, give more BTO options on the iMac and lower the ridiculous price of the Mini) then people are going to seek this out. It's pretty much Apple's own fault for not paying enough attention to their computer line-up.
As Apple's popularity continues to grow, they ignore the growing demands of their customers at their own peril.
Those of you writhing in agony over this so-called "unethical" move should keep that in mind. As long as Apple refuses to offer the product that people want (or at the very least, give more BTO options on the iMac and lower the ridiculous price of the Mini) then people are going to seek this out. It's pretty much Apple's own fault for not paying enough attention to their computer line-up.
As Apple's popularity continues to grow, they ignore the growing demands of their customers at their own peril.
KingYaba
macrumors 68040
That's fine and all but I have been looking for a 400 dollar machine to abuse. I previously was interested in a G4 tower but if I can purchase this with that money, then screw the G4.
Humm let's see.
E5462 Xeon 2.6Ghz x 2 = 1600USD. [Edit: E5462 runs at 2.8Ghz, not 2.6Ghz.]
2Gb FB-DIMM DDR2-800 = 82USD
ATi 2600XT = 60USD
Tyan Intel DP board = 400USD
Optical Super Drive = 30USD
320Gb HD = 50USD.
Sub-total= 2142 USD.
+ Leopard = 100USD
+ Case = 300USD
+ feel good factor = 200 USD
+ Superior recognition = 100USD
Grand total: 2842USD.
Advertised on Apple: 2800USD
Yeh I guess it is competitively priced....😉
That's exactly my point. If you're willing to get screwed on hardware, and still feel good about it, be my guest. But don't go around and beautify the truth that you just got ripped off, by saying "oh its safer", "oh its better", "oh it has great looks".