The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Quo - Cloning Macs starting June 1
ArcSyn
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Engadget wrote:Mac clone maker Psystar may have finally ran up against a wall, but it looks like its tale hasn't dissuaded upstart Quo Computer, which is now planning to open a retail store in the Los Angeles area that'll sell some as yet unspecified Mac clones. While that'll apparently be a relatively small operation initially, the company's founder, Rashantha De Silva, does seems to have some fairly grand plans for it, with him telling CNET News that they are "trying to stay as close to Apple as we can with our products," and that he hopes Apple "sees the value in what we are doing." Of course, that's about as likely to happen as Woz staying awake during a Palm talk, and De Silva isn't completely unrealistic about the situation, adding that they'll "probably" get sued. Nevertheless, the store is supposedly set to open on June 1st, and the company is apparently aiming to have pricing start at less than $900.
CNet wrote:The idea of creating a Mac clone complete with Mac OS X is not a new concept. However, one company is taking its entry into the clone market a step further by opening a retail store in the Los Angeles area.
The new Quo Computer, set to go on sale next week.
(Credit: Quo Computer)
Quo Computer plans to open its first retail location, selling Mac clones, on June 1. This is the first time that I'm aware of that a clone maker will have a storefront to sell its wares. Mac clone companies, to this point, have chosen to sell their systems exclusively on the Web.
"It's exciting. We are trying to stay as close to Apple as we can with our products," Rashantha De Silva, Quo founder, told CNET News. "We are trying to mimic things as much as we can. I'm hoping that Apple sees the value in what we are doing."
Apple was not immediately available for comment on Quo's endeavors.
Apple's approach to dealing with Mac clones to this point has been far from understanding. The company has a long history of protecting its intellectual property and industrial designs through the courts--just ask troubled clone maker Psystar. That's not lost on De Silva.
"They probably will (sue us)," De Silva said. "There are others doing this, but we have a different attitude. There are thousands of people in the 'Hackintosh' market, but many of them are creating bad products. I don't think anyone wins in that environment."
It's this attitude of selling a high-quality product--albeit cheaper than Apple's offerings--that De Silva hopes will appeal to consumers. Quo vows top-notch support for its customers too.
"Our customer service is gong to be up there with Apple's," De Silva said. "Hardware is important, software is important, and support is hugely important."
Quo's systems will come with Mac OS X Leopard preinstalled. You have to agree to the license when ordering the computer for them to install the operating system. But this brings up a longstanding issue between Apple and clone makers.
Apple's end-user license agreement, or EULA, forbids exactly what the clone makers are doing--installing Mac OS X on non-Apple hardware.
"This license allows you to install, use, and run one (1) copy of the Apple software on a single Apple-labeled computer at a time," the EULA reads. "You agree not to install, use, or run the Apple software on any non-Apple-labeled computer, or to enable others to do so."
This is the argument Apple lawyers used to sue Psystar for selling Mac clones over the Web. Apple and Psystar were scheduled to start their trial in November, but Psystar filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this week.
Even with previous clone failures, De Silva is marching on. To start, Quo will offer three desktop systems: the Life Q, Pro Q, and Max Q. While details of the components are not yet available, De Silva said they are looking at Apple's system configurations for guidance.
Pricing has also not been finalized on the desktop machines, but the company is looking to start pricing at less than $900.
While Quo is starting off with the desktop machines, De Silva said it is looking at offering an Apple TV-like media server and a smaller computer similar to the Mac Mini. Plans on those systems have not been finalized.
In addition to having its retail location and Web-ordering system to ship systems worldwide, De Silva said Quo also wants to be involved in the local community and schools. He hopes to work with school boards to get computers in the hands of children and teachers.
De Silva, a Mac user since 1984, said Quo will help switch PC users to the Mac and feels that ultimately, it will help Apple increase its market share. It remains to be seen if Apple will feel the same way.
The Quo Web site is being worked on now and is set to launch next week. The retail store, located at 2401 West Main Street, Alhambra, Calif., will open for business on June 1.
So, want to run OSX on a machine but don't want to buy a Mac? I suggest getting there as the doors open June 1, because I don't think Apple is going to let them go for very long..
Why don't these clone companies just sell the boxes and a boot disc that allows OSX to install on it? That way, they are just selling hardware with some bundled software and they aren't breaking any EULA, and letting the buyer handle that part.
ArcSyn on
0
Posts
This new company better have the beef to withstand the unstoppable might of zealous corporate lawyers.
we also talk about other random shit and clown upon each other
Wouldn't it make more sense to just match their specs and build the computer yourself? That way when Quo inevitably gets sued into oblivion you don't lose your warranty. I'm assuming of course that Quo is not using any proprietary/custom hardware.
Does anyone live near where the store is going to open up?
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
Well, the thing in my mind is that there's nothing really stopping a company like this one, legally, from selling a computer that is pre-configured to have OSX run on it, and just sending you a separate sealed box of OSX and letting you do the work yourself.
we also talk about other random shit and clown upon each other
Pretty much. The problem starts when they pre-load OSX on it for you. That is what is getting all these companies in trouble.
They're opening a retail store tomorrow, but as of Friday did not have specs available or finalized on any of their products?
Sure. Okay.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
if you're looking for a totally customizable machine you shouldn't even be considering OS X or Macs anyway.
But this company is threatening the pretentious behavior of Apple and their fan base.
I particularly enjoy this article.
http://www.maclife.com/article/news/today_good_day_get_sued
Then do so.
And put Windows on it.
Or don't, and instead put OSX on it, and not have to shell out extra money for aesthetic appeal of a computer case.
We've come to a point in time where people, when confronted by a specific budget, want to buy a computer for a specific purpose, often times with specific features. That reasonable intention should not discount them from operating a Mac OS--since it's already going to keep them from buying from Apple. For the most part, those two are one in the same, however.
Other companies do it. They've been doing it for decades. The only way around this is to change people's perceptions so that they understand Macs are not computers so much as they are electronic things you buy and don't modify. Like cellular phones. Trying to sell a computer like that is tantamount to offering a line of shoes in one size and color.
This could really help the popularity of Mac OS. Too bad it'll never last, and Apple will shut their ass down the first chance they actually look like they might be onto something economically viable. Or that it has zero chance of succeeding overseas. Want your custom Mac in Germany? Have fun importing it, as Apple tries to shut down the manufacturer.
I honestly don't see the whole moral dilemma of putting a legitimately-purchased Mac OS on a computer. Thanks to Apple, there sure as hell will be some technical dilemmas, but it's not a crime against nature or something.
I would probably buy a desktop mac if you could easily replace say the graphics card, memory, hard drive etc without breaking some stupid warranty. Currently the only way to do that is to buy the massively overpriced Mac Pro. Apple used to have a desktop mac class (Powermac) but now your only cheapish options are either the underpowered mac mini or the iMac. Both of which you can't really replace the graphics card etc.
If Apple released say a line focused towards the tech heads, gamers etc there'd probably be some decent sales. If memory serves you still can't use pc graphics cards in current macs. (at least under OSX and without flashing the card firmware) Which seems stupid.
I actually own a Macbook and Macbook Pro btw. And I am getting tempted to try some of the hackintosh stuff on my desktop pc.
---
I've got a spare copy of Portal, if anyone wants it message me.
You're buying osx not the computer, that is a true statement.
Like it or not - all hippy open source bullshit aside - is that Apple owns OSX and if they don't want to license it then that's their right.
I am open standards, open source as much as the next guy... but OSX is a whole different thing. It's a polished and complete project that runs on one of my many macs. I don't have to fuck with it . I don't want to fuck with it. I have spent all day trying to get windows 7 to do a task... it's annoying as shit that it won't run a suite of command line programs that ran perfectly fine under windows xp or windows 7 on a VM.
SAME COMPUTER suddenly can't complete a task when presented with a simple clean windows install.
Seriously, apple has it right - people who scream to run it on any hacked together machine just don't understand. Fuck tweaking, celebrate actually using a complete os/hardware combo to get shit done in real life.
So what does not being able to use the same command line in different version of Windows have to do with what hardware OSX runs on? If you were complaining about driver issues you might have a point.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
This is probably why Mac will remain in the minority of usage, in that case.
Does Mac have the legal right? Sure, why not. I have no idea.
I also know that since they sell their OS on Amazon for $120, they're just begging for people to do it. It's only natural to laugh when they come around, full circle, with "Buuuuuuut you were only supposed to install it on one of ouuuuuuuur computers."
I just don't see the moral dilemma in them trying. They gave Apple real, actual money for the software, right? They don't work for Apple, so it's not as though they have some sort of contractual agreement. Or do they? I won't do it, because Mac OS--and by definition, all of Apple's computers will not efficiently do what I use computers for (if they will do it at all). And that's with the benefit of Bootcamp. Maybe I just don't see the evil if people having multiple options.
I guess it goes back to Apple's cornerstone philosophy of More Options = Bad because Consumers = Stupid. o_O
There is pretty much no point in selling OSX by itself, that's not their goal or business model.
What hardware does Apple even make? Did you just admit that Apple is all about the cases?
Anyway, the fact that Apple's business model is predicated on not having any direct competition doesn't by itself make cloning bad or illegal
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
iPhones, iPods, iMacs, Macbooks, Displays, Mac Pros, etc. That's the kind of shit they sell for a living.
oh, what the fuck am I doing
anyway, yeah, apple are a hardware company. or, at worst, a "design" company. their business is designing and selling hardware, and while they do sell retail copies of OS X, anyone who thinks that's a sustainable business model for apple is a moron.
... unless, I suppose, they go the microsoft route and actually implement some sort of anti-piracy measures or registration keys on their OS, and sell it for two to three times the price
Could Apple sell Macs that ran Vista? Could they sell iPods without iTunes? They aren't really a hardware or a software company.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
Yes, Apple could sells Macs that come with Vista bootcamp ready.
Which no one would buy so no.
correction: for ran Vista read run only Vista.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
Why the fuck would they do that
There is already a market for shitty Vista computers
You might want to think about what you are saying before you post. Or not.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
Anyway, to get back to the point I'll just mention that Apple has gone down the Mac clone path before in the 90's and it nearly killed the company. Jobs quickly took care of that problem when he returned to the company. I think they've learned their lesson and aren't about to try it again. Perhaps they learned the wrong lesson (maybe they should find a way to make money on the software without the crutch of Apple hardware rather than lock out competitors completely), but oh well.
"Was cursing, in broken english at his team, and at our team. made fun of dead family members and mentioned he had sex with a dog."
"Hope he dies tbh but a ban would do."