'OpenMac' Promises $399 Headless Mac... But Not From Apple

[Lord Blackadder]

I think the only thing that keeps Apple away from the hackintosh crowd is that not that many people do it. The numbers of hackintosh users are fantastically over-represented on the internet - but they form a small fraction of the OS X user base overall.

If something happens that causes more widespread interest in hackintoshes, Apple may chose to throw the legal kitchen sink at every hackintosh site out there, making it harder, not easier to go that route. So in a sense the "OpenMac" could be a step back for most hackintosh fans.

Why does every thread discussing hackintoshes end up containing automobile metaphors?

 

[ppdix]

PowerComputing Anyone?

PowerComputing tried to do the same thing 10 years ago and it didn't work... Part of the Mac's charm is the box and all it's peripherals...
But, at $399 it would make a great second computer... Worth the try IMHO...

 

[mfethers]

for those of you who think this is such a legal slam dunk in favor of Psystar, why didn't Dell or HP do it the second Apple switched to Intel? They have a team of lawyers just like Apple....

The reason is simple - it's illegal if Leopard is installed, and it will be shut down.

And for those of you who said the police is not going to come knocking down your door for this kind of thing, tell that to the woman who fought the RIAA over 24 shared songs and is in the hole $250,000.

 

[Clive At Five]

I thought you were saving that money for an xMac?

Oh, wait...

Well, I'll set myself back a few months.

I'm actually saving for a MacMini and a hackintosh. I'm about to pull the trigger on a PSU... she's a beauty: http://www.frozencpu.com/images/products/main/psu-192.jpg and not too expensive. You can nary find a 700W PSU for $125 and that one is $150. I'll take it, thanks. My current PSU is struggling to power two HDDs, two DVD drives and and Geforce 5500FX. How lame is that? Oh, well, it came with the case.

I know, I know, you didn't ask for my whole life story.

Lastly, Apple will not get into the mid-tower business for one reason only...they are ugly. Apple is in a large part about aesthetics. There's nothing "pretty" about a tower. They're clunky, bulky, not aerodynamic, and they just sit on the ground taking up space.

L3X, meet Mac Pro; Mac Pro, meet L3X.

Not aerodynamic, just sits on the ground, bulky, clunky. You just described the MacPro to perfect detail.

If you care to retract your claim, I will allow it. I will also make the case that Apple could design an xMac with equal or greater beauty than the MacPro.

-Clive

 

[mogzieee]

Look this is simple:

A Mac without an Apple logo is crap. Just crap. Full Stop.

 

[skellener]

its generating a lot of heat because it costs 1/3 of a f***ing apple computer and does the same job.
the only rebuttal mac evangelists have is 'but my box is prettier'
a computer is a TOOL, not a fashion statement. this is something almost all new apple users have never thought about.

Wow! Thanks for point this out! Design has no place for tools! I don't think anyone on this forum ever realized this! You are a true hero! We are all going to ditch our Macs now and build our own computers in cardboard boxes now. Think of all the money we will save! Thank you ungraphic! Thank you!

 

[Jiddick ExRex]

I guess a big thing for me would be support. If you have a problem with an "openmac" you can't expect to walk up to the genius bar and have them fix it.

Ironically, neither can you expect this with the average 'genius'. ^_^


I do agree with you though. My reasons for having a headless mac would be so that my gf can use it (she needs a dedicated GPU for what she does) but having poor support leaves me once again as the fix-it guy, a thing I gave up when I converted 75% of my family to go Mac.

 

[overcast]

Ironically, neither can you expect this with the average 'genius'. ^_^


I do agree with you though. My reasons for having a headless mac would be so that my gf can use it (she needs a dedicated GPU for what she does) but having poor support leaves me once again as the fix-it guy, a thing I gave up when I converted 75% of my family to go Mac.

Exactly, I converted everyone over to a Mac this year. Literally by buying them all Macs for Christmas. No more stupid questions since!

 

[milo]

If that's the case, then I expect you to be driving a bare minimum running vehicle for the rest of your life. By your logic there is no reason to EVER buy anything more than something that starts up in the morning and gets you to work and back.

I think you miss the point here.

People should have the option to buy the bare minimum. And they should have the option to buy a pricey, top of the line unit.

Problem is, apple doesn't offer a good deal on the low end. Even at double the price, this unit is a better deal than anything apple has in that price range.

And for those of you who said the police is not going to come knocking down your door for this kind of thing, tell that to the woman who fought the RIAA over 24 shared songs and is in the hole $250,000.

Sharing songs is visible to everyone on the net. If you buy Leopard and hack it to run on PC hardware, how exactly is Apple going to find out about that?

Look this is simple:

A Mac without an Apple logo is crap. Just crap. Full Stop.

This thread is up to almost 800 posts, and you're wasting our time with "because I say so"? Seriously?

 

[nikhsub1]

I should probably take back my $10,000 Totem speakers.

Chances are that if you spent 10k on speakers, paying a couple of thousand more for an 'Apple' box won't really make you think twice.

 

[AtariKee]

No, OSX is not better than Windows.

Yes it is. Why? Because I said it is. And no one will ever change my mind.

Have a GREAT day.

 

[liberty4all]

EFI "Emulator"?! Just use the real thing!

EFI "Emulator"?! Just use the real thing!

 

[MM123]

OpenMac' Promises $399 Headless Mac... But Not From Apple

This is the best what could happen! I do not think about buying that computer, but I say 'good morning Apple' and maybe finally we will get our headless Mac, better than Mac mini, but cheaper than Mac pro.

 

[topgunn]

And as I said, if you're willing to pay an extra 10k for the style, I digress. However bear in mind that while some people are willing to pay for that extra, majority of us don't.

That's why a majority drive Fords and Chevys. That's why Windows has 90% market share. However, I am not the majority. And, if you use a Mac or even just Mac OS, you aren't the majority either.

 

[yomamafor1]

Exactly, so what is the point in coming in here and telling everyone that doesn't mind "wasting" their own money that they shouldn't bother. The getting in an argument when they turn it around on you. It works both ways, there is always going to be the opposite sides of the spectrum. I spend obscene money on highend audio. My friend spends $150 on a HTIB from Best Buy. He thinks it sounds amazing, I think it sounds like garbage. He thinks mine sounds the same as his.

I'm coming in here because I hate how some Mac users believe Apple computers are simply superior. You can take a look around. There are many of them who believed Apple would "hand select, hard test" each components they put into the computer.

The truth is, PC and Mac are the same, just different platform. I stressed this point a long time ago: if you like the style Mac offers, and willing to pay double to quadruple the price, that's fine by me. However just because it costs more and it looks better, doesn't make it superior.

 

[Eichen]

This topic dragged me from the darkness of lurking and into the light of registration.

I used Uphucks Tiger version (OSX86), and have used Kalway's and Uphuck's iAtkos versions of Leopard on PC's for quite a while before springing to purchase an iMac 24" Alum.

It's a great way to get into the "flow" of working with the new OS without actually taking the risk of testing it out at home after a sizable investment.
But it's no replacement for an actual Mac. Not even close.

With every update from Apple, the entire system basically needs major repatching and reconfiguring. What worked previously with your Hackintosh may not even be able to boot any longer, and if it does, may not work in the same capacity as it did before. One huge hurdle for me was getting the 10.5.1 update to work properly on the Vaio that it worked very well on with Tiger and iAtkos v1, but not after the update.
It's a constant battle (which I enjoyed for the most part, since I like to tinker) to keep the system running well with updates, and should only be attempted by those who would enjoy that kind of challenge.

In no way would this be an ideal situation (or even a workable solution) if the Hackintosh is supposed to be your workhorse or primary computer. You'd be far better off using XP in that case.
And if you're geeky enough to want to go through with all of the tinkering required and periodic patching, you're probably able to just put together a decent Hackintosh out of parts you already have. No need to go to someone else, since you'll only be short-changing yourself by trying to shortcut past the learning curve of building and patching your own unit.

Fun as a hobby, but definitely sucky as a working solution. Have fun if you'd like to try (I know I did), but go ahead and buy a Mac if that's what you really want. You'll definitely be happy with the decision should you decide to make the jump.

 

[diamond.g]

Sharing songs is visible to everyone on the net. If you buy Leopard and hack it to run on PC hardware, how exactly is Apple going to find out about that?

I thought Apple get a hardware list when you send a bug report or update your software through the updater app?

I wouldn't be surprised if system information wasn't sent to Apple more often, but those are the only two that I know of off the top of my head.

 

[AtariKee]

A shot of Elitist Superiority virus = 100USD

Anyone who constantly spouts off about the so-called "eilitist superiority virus" like you do needs to seriously question their own complexes. Sounds like you've got a nasty one there; letting a marketing trick, used for years and years by savvy marketeers to sucker individuals with questionable self-worth, bother you so much that almost every one of your posts contains a mention of it.

How typical.

 

[Unspeaked]

PowerComputing tried to do the same thing 10 years ago and it didn't work... Part of the Mac's charm is the box and all it's peripherals...
But, at $399 it would make a great second computer... Worth the try IMHO...

I'm sure it's already been brought up in this thread, but Power Computing (and the rest of the clones) all but killed Apple.

It not only worked, it worked all too well - people were running, not walking, to CompUSA to buy clones not just to save a few bucks, but because Power Computing in particular was blowing away Apple in performance, as well (they broke the 200MHz barrier before Apple did!).

Steve killed off the clones not because they weren't doing well, but because they were eating away at Apple market share from the inside out, and doing it quickly.

 

[xifu]

Macs Are Supposed to Be Like Toasters

I have longed for a headless Mac that was between the Mac Mini and Mac Pro. My ideal specs would be:

Intel Core 2 Duo - Core 2 Quad
Intel P35 - X48 Chipset
Upgradeable Graphics Card

It will not happen as long as Steve Jobs is the head of Apple. The reason: Macs are supposed to be like toasters. Since the introduction of the Mac in 1984, Jobs has meant for Macs to be all-in-one appliances that average people plug in and use (Mac Pro being the exception). The current Mac Pro is built the way it is and priced the way it is so that average people (including gamers) won't want it. Current Mac Pros are built for Art Professionals (i.e. Movie makers, print layout designers, etc.) I miss the G4 & G5 Mac Pro's. Those were Mac gaming machines!

I was a Mac user, but with all the games coming out for Windows I unfortunately had to switch. I've been building my own systems since then. I would love to return to Mac.

I can wish and wish that Apple would make a Mac with the specs I want, but it will never happen because the Mac platform does not cater to me and (most other) gamers. The alternative of using a PS3, Wii, or Xbox360 is not a viable one for FPS and some RPG's. Nothing beats a keyboard and mouse for FPS IMO.

 

[skellener]

If you buy Leopard and hack it to run on PC hardware, how exactly is Apple going to find out about that?

Amen milo. I prefer running Macs myself. I like the design and the fact that for me it just works. But if someone has the time and knowledge to build their own system and buys a copy of Leopard, I say go for it!! More power too 'em! No one is going to hunt you down and take away your computer. Hack away!

 

[yomamafor1]

That's why a majority drive Fords and Chevys. That's why Windows has 90% market share. However, I am not the majority. And, if you use a Mac or even just Mac OS, you aren't the majority either.

Well I'm the minority in a majority....

I use Vista.... [/ashamed]

 

[Consultant]

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.

Refurb Mac Mini = $429 from Apple Store, includes Leopard, iLife.
Typically the $429 minis sells out really quickly though.

 

[mogzieee]

This thread is up to almost 800 posts, and you're wasting our time with "because I say so"? Seriously?

...says the man who has just made me loose a few minutes of my life reading your hugely long reply.

 

[yomamafor1]

Anyone who constantly spouts off about the so-called "eilitist superiority virus" like you do needs to seriously question their own complexes. Sounds like you've got a nasty one there; letting a marketing trick, used for years and years by savvy marketeers to sucker individuals with questionable self-worth, bother you so much that almost every one of your posts contains a mention of it.

How typical.

What really bothers me are not the marketing teams of Apple, but more Apple users, like this one:

I simply prefer to purchase a computer from a company who has hand-selected the hardware and deliberately programed the software to work near perfectly with it.

Notice anything wrong with it?