EveryMac.com - Re:Discussion Q&amp;A - Unauthorized Clones?

Site Sponsors:

Forums

The forums are sponsored by PowerMax, Other World Computing, and Operator Headgap Systems. PowerMax sells new and used Macs & iPods -- with *no sales tax*, OWC sells Mac upgrades -- RAM, hard drives, and more, and OHS sells custom refurbished Macs, hardware, and accessories.

EveryMac.com Forum

home | post reply | threaded view | help | rules

Forum List

EveryMac.com Forums

MacOS-Compatibles

<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 Next > End >>

bkyle
Admin

Posts: 128

Discussion Q&A - Unauthorized Clones? - 2008/04/20 06:28 Last week, a small company called Psystar announced two "Mac clones" in the US, clearly without Apple's approval. However, with the switch to Intel processors, the re-emergence of "Mac clones" -- generic Intel PCs running a hacked copy of OS X -- is hardly a surprise.

Do you think Apple should take action against clone makers in countries with effective legal systems to protect the brand, profits, and OS? Do you think clones could help grow the Mac market by attracting customers unwilling or unable to buy an Apple branded system? Would you rather stick with the genuine Apple product or would you consider an unauthorized clone to save money even if it meant forgoing operating system support? Would you rather just build your own "Hackintosh"? Why or why not?

| | The administrator has disabled public write access.

scott2
User

Posts: 112

Re:Discussion Q&A - Unauthorized Clones? - 2008/04/20 09:30 i pretty much said what i thought before but i am not sure if these clones really cut into apples profits. i would like a minitower with some expansion and a real graphics card. i dont wanna buy an imac or a mini and i am never going to buy a mac pro so i dont see these cutting into apples sales. if a cloner cant support the os then there isnt a reason to buy a clone over a hackintosh though. maybe i should build my own.

| | The administrator has disabled public write access.

krowmagnum
User

Posts: 793

Re:Discussion Q&A - Unauthorized Clones? - 2008/04/20 10:42 scott2 wrote:
i dont wanna buy an imac or a mini and i am never going to buy a mac pro so i dont see these cutting into apples sales.

Just because Apple does not make a comparable model doesn't mean it won't cut into their sales. Any computer not made by Apple that runs the Mac OS is one lost sale. Apple is not in the business to sell software such as companies like Microsoft.

This is why Apple has the "Apple labeled computer" wording in the Mac OS EULA. There does seem to be some debate about how enforceable that is under US law though.

If Psystar actually produces the Oen Computer, f/k/a the OpenMac with OS X pre-installed we will find out soon enough what the courts will decide.
But I don't really think it will get that far. If it does Apple has more than enough money to completely bury Pystar in legal actions until they go bankrupt trying to defend themselves.

Check out
Gizmodo for current updates on what's happening with Psystar.

| | The administrator has disabled public write access.

krowmagnum
User

Posts: 793

Re:Discussion Q&A - Unauthorized Clones? - 2008/04/20 11:14 bkyle wrote:

Do you think Apple should take action against clone makers in countries with effective legal systems to protect the brand, profits, and OS? Do you think clones could help grow the Mac market by attracting customers unwilling or unable to buy an Apple branded system? Would you rather stick with the genuine Apple product or would you consider an unauthorized clone to save money even if it meant forgoing operating system support? Would you rather just build your own "Hackintosh"? Why or why not?

Interesting points... I guess it depends on which side of the retail fence you are on and if you look at short or long term effects.

From Apple's standpoint it's not good for business. The "official" clones made in the past did hurt Apple's sales. Selling the OS licenses hardly makes up for loss of hardware sales by a hardware company. It was a desperate and poor decision of Apple's CEO and board at the time.

From the consumer's standpoint it's good in the short term. If it actually worked correctly we would get less expensive Macs. But the problems begin when you try to update the OS, not to mention whatever misc. hardware driver problems.

In the long term it's bad for the consumer. Apple will loose sales of hardware and they won't have the same amount of money to develop new technology and make better toys for us to play with in the future.
And the price of Macs will go up to offset the losses. Apple is not going to eat the losses.

Personally I'm in favor of an "official" Mac licensed clone. My first Mac was a PowerComputing Powertower Pro and it arguably better than what Apple produced.

But it has to work as well as a Mac and that can only happen with Apple's blessing. And I seriously doubt that will happen anytime soon, if ever again.

I would like to see Apple produce an expandable Mac that is less expensive than the MacPro too but I don't see Apple taking that step either.

Want a cheap computer that runs OS 10.5 ? Buy a a used G4.

Or build a Hackintosh and have the same issues with updates and hardware compatibility that the x86project guys are dealing with.

One of the reasons I use a Mac is because I have very little problems with it. All of that goes out the window with a Hackintosh. No support, limited update potential and hardware nightmares is not an option for me. I need my Mac to work at 100% all the time.

| | The administrator has disabled public write access.

Cacicedo
User

Posts: 332

Re:Discussion Q&A - Unauthorized Clones? - 2008/04/20 15:55 As krow says, Apple's business model is different from MS's because Apple is, after all, a hardware company. So any computer that a clone maker sells is a computer that Apple doesn't sell. Is that good or bad? Well, I suppose it's good in the sense that it would put pressure on Apple to come out with more different kinds of models. But cannibalizing the mother ship is not good in the long run because there's no one else out there who has the R&D money to move the OS forwards, so if Apple's bottom line wanes, so does its expenditures in R&D and pretty soon there won't be anything for the clones to run.

| | The administrator has disabled public write access.

mikeb33
User

Posts: 23

Re:Discussion Q&A - Unauthorized Clones? - 2008/04/22 10:56 Do you think Apple should take action against clone makers in countries with effective legal systems to protect the brand, profits, and OS?

I think Apple has to take action against clone makers, surprised that they haven't already cracked down. Psyster looks real though, claim to be shipping computers and MacWorld said people are setting up in the warehouse.

Do you think clones could help grow the Mac market by attracting customers unwilling or unable to buy an Apple branded system?

I think Apple should sell a mintower Mac, maybe two drive bays and two expansion slots, one of each free, or even just a system with one drive bay occupied by the hard drive that is easy to get to and two slots. If its the speed of the iMacs it still wouldn't interest the real power users and cut into the Mac Pro too much.

As krow says, Apple's business model is different from MS's because Apple is, after all, a hardware company. So any computer that a clone maker sells is a computer that Apple doesn't sell.

Cacicedo, I think you're probably right usually most people will just make do with whatever Apple sells, but I bet some people are sticking with Windows because Apple doesn't sell the Mac they want.

Just to argue, since most demand is coming from notebooks I think Apple could get away with license desktop Mac clones at the low end and this could cause a halo effect. Someone first buys a cheap clone, likes the OS, and then upgrades to a MacBook. If they were licensing the OS for low end desktops it would put illegal cloners out of business but not cut into Apple's profits much. Clones at the high end seem unlikely.

Would you rather stick with the genuine Apple product or would you consider an unauthorized clone to save money even if it meant forgoing operating system support? Would you rather just build your own "Hackintosh"?

I'd buy an authorized clone or an Apple. It's too much trouble to buy a hackintosh or build one. - Mike

Post edited by: mikeb33, at: 2008/04/22 10:57

| | The administrator has disabled public write access.

<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 Next > End >>

Forum List EveryMac.com Forums MacOS-Compatibles

EveryMac.com is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind whatsoever. EveryMac.com, and the author thereof, shall not be held responsible or liable, under any circumstances, for any damages resulting from the use or inability to use the information within. For complete disclaimer and copyright information please read and understand the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy before using EveryMac.com. Use of any content or images without expressed permission is not allowed, although links to any page are welcomed and appreciated.