Bloke builds a hackintosh
A BLOKE has built a PC that will run Apple's OSX but he claims it does not break the Jobs' Mobs' draconian terms and conditions.
Thom Holwerda over at OSNews has built his 'Apple' for just 200 Euro. It runs OSX Leopard and Apple sends it updates just as if it were the real Apple kit.
Under the bonnet is a Foxconn 45CSX mini-ITX motherboard, Intel Atom 330 processor (dual-core, 2x1.6Ghz), 945GC+ICH7 chipset, GMA950 graphics chip, Realtek ALC662 audio chip, RTL8100C ethernet chip, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, 160GB SATA hard drive and a SATA DVD drive. Not the most powerful machine, but for 200 notes it would give the Mac Mini a run for its money.
The trick has been to use a bit of open source software called "boot-132". This uses a modified Darwin kernel to bootstrap a regular, unaltered Mac OSX Leopard retail disk.
It does not break Apple's protection measures and is therefore legal under the DMCA. It runs the installer disk as if you're using any regular Mac. Once the installation is completed, you use the boot-132 CD to boot into the newly installed Leopard, and from there you install a bootloader (Chameleon) which means you can boot without the CD.
Holwerda points out that the machine is not actually a hackintosh, since no Apple code was hacked to get it running.
However how did he get past Apple's terms and conditions which say that all OSX's have to run on badged Apple systems?
Holwerda says that the terms and conditions say that the hardware has to have an Apple badge. It does not say that it has to be a legitimate Apple badge or even a trademarked one. He stuck an Apple on top of the machine.
We are not sure if that one will hold up in court, but we have to admire anyone who takes the piss out of a company that treats its users even more badly than Microsoft. µ
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I wonder who will get to him first, the Scientology Cultsts or the Apple cultists.
Maybe there is some backroom secret deal Apple has with Microsoft or Apple wants to control it all. I think thee is some arrangement made, they have done it before.
OS X is a great OS and I would love to see them release it for any rig. They would not even have to worry about drivers, the vendors would write them quickly if needed. From my experience OS X detects and runs many pieces of hardware right as it is.
I don't think Apple would lose to much on Hardware sales, they do make some of the sexiest hardware around and there are many people who would still buy it. What they did lose in hardware revenue they would make up in software sales and market expansion.
It would be fantastic, go to a vendor pick out a PC then be able to choose Windose, OS X. There has to be some deal because if this came true Microsoft would be in a run for it's life and they know it.
I don't understand how anyone can refer to computer hardware as sexy, whether it's covered in Apple's white plastic or not.
Fanbois salivating over expensive computer parts makes me nauseous.
what Apply hardware is? I would think you could get around it by using a Mighty Mouse, or poaching an "Apple" hard drive from eBay, throwing that in the machine, *boom* Apply Hardware.
“they do make some of the sexiest hardware around”
Apple hardware is made by Asus, Intel, Foxconn, etc. That's the reason MAC OSX runs on that guy's computer. MAC = PC. Anyway, you're the type of MAC user who likes to appear dense by only caring about eye candy and not actual, real work.
He could try and hammer it into an Apple II case.
Legalities aside, this might be a much easier method to boot OSX on arbitrary hardware without needing to actually install the damn thing in some special way.
My only complaint about Apple products is that they are horribly overpriced. I think this goes to prove that.
If someone gave me a Mac and the software that I have on my Windows box, I'd use it. If the price was right, I'd get one for my next computer. The price isn't right, of course.
I'll probably get a Linux computer next. No Windows 7 for me, thank you, and I'm not rich enough to buy a Mac.
Nice one to the guy walking a thin line!
I for one have built PC's inside Mac boxes many a time over the last few years. That is what my company now specializes in.
People are happier with a system up to twice as fast for as little as a quarter the price of a fruitintosh. (If you consider overclocking then the gap will become far larger)
I give customers voleware installed.. XP, Viz or 7.. It is just coincidence that the components I supply are fruit compatible if need be! They can do what they want with the box.. I just supply it.
TOS's can be one of those very grey area's in certain respects but I work in black and white because the last thing I need is (I will refrain from taking up too many lines with their motives) Apple coming after me with a hammer and nail for my coffin which they have already made out of one of piece aluminum.
In reply to Regulas..
OSX only supports a very small percentage of overall hardware. Just think how many PC compatible components overall wont work in an Apple! Were talking tens or maybe hundreds of thousands of drivers and hardware (not even including software) verses.. Well you guess!! When you think of them in terms of compatibility there is no real comparison because Mac users only actually get components months old that the mighty plastic ones say are NOW worthy after what they call "testing". (cough nVidia bumps)
:-)
My 2 cents anyway! Bring on the flames from Appleites or just flamers as it will make my day!
A Hackintosh mood be dicier than chasing a Tiber-pickled eggplant pizza bianca off the the back of a scooter gone down the Janiculum hill in July at 2pm on a Saturday. Toys and gizmos out the pram, un fan boy impostore dope,... pastelli cui correre!
Star Wars Episode one: Jar Jar Binks sits at the table sniffing interplanetary morsels set before him at table centre, after carefully assessing it's aroma... Zap! His quick tongue lassos the [insert weird Star wars jargon names here] Apple and... it's gone!
The [?] apple has now become Gundard poodoo!
The [Mob] force is not with Apple these days. Only when Binks goes to the louvre.
oh Nick, you really are butthurt aren't you?