poofyhairguy Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 I want to ask an open question to the many wonderful people here: The release of Snow Leopard made me realize that this community and what is represents (a freeing of OSX) is over three years old, I was reflecting on what we collectively mean to Apple. Obviously they aren't too scared of us, otherwise they would have gone after prominent hackintoshers personally (instead of just profiteers like Psystar) and not released their recent OS which some sort of aggressive DRM. But otherwise, official responses to hackintoshing from Apple are slim... Now that we are an established base and they are 100% Intel (meaning we never can completely go away) what do you think Apple thinks of us and this community? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaanky98 Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 I think Apple gained a lot of customers through this place I for one never thought I would ever buy a Mac before but know I own a MacBook, I am a die had Hackintosh fan because my main system is Hack Pro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonestonne Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 I agree, mac has definitely gotten business from places like this. Maybe not directly, but they gain users. I ended up going off and buying a used Powerbook G4 Aluminum after all this time simply because I wanted to own a Mac. I'm not some die-hard mac fanboy, but I see benefit from knowing the OS, and I also like the layout. At the same time, I bought this one but it had problems. This suffers the lost RAM slot, but on this one it is the upper slot which has no readings, but having the 1gb module inside makes a big difference against less for 10.4.11. I could have just as easily though rebuilt my G3 hack, and used OSx86 and just scavenged up a firewire card to use my firewire stuff with, but I just like having the ability to say my opinion about a Mac, and own one. I have my beef with the designs, and I'm not always a fan of how it runs (and I swear like a sailor whenever it freezes, which is a lot more than any other computer I have) but even if I say I hate it, I own one, so I know what I'm talking about. I also bought a Mac G4 Dual 533mhz, Digital Audio version, with 1.25gb of RAM which I'm currently waiting for. I'm not keeping that, I'm actually giving it to my girlfriend, to replace her G4 400mhz. I did buy that off Ebay for $80, but it works, and it's a lot better than what she has (and it's a surprise for her as well). However, I would have no real reason to buy these if I had no bit of attraction to a Mac. I'm not a windows person either, I'm a Linux user, but there are drivers for Mac for many of the things I own, so it's part of my slow ditch of Windows (which can never really happen, because of Adobe Audition [i'm not arguing that]). With the ability to have a mac though, it's just the exclusivity of it, or not even that, it's just not windows based. As for Apple, I think they're making their own of this place, I wouldn't be surprised if they're slowly collecting the information, understanding how the hacks we made work, and either looking for ways around it, to block it, or to implement it for themselves. Being such a wide-variety community, Apple can see lots of things that everyone is looking for in the OS, or support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zarac Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 slight correction: it has been more than 4 years now since the famous marklar and deadmoo images leaked and the "osx86 community" was born. since then i have purchased 3 different apple machines (a mini, an imac, and finally an octo macpro) and built at least 20 hackintoshes most of which run only osx. imho apple couldn't have done better thing than to move to x86 architecture back then. i remember most apple users were skeptical about marklar rumors a few years earlier (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=10549). many swore it would be a final nail in the apple coffin, but it turns out mr. jobs was right once again. motorola and ibm couldn't provide a decent mobility cpu unit (at least in quantity needed) and desktop units were too slow to follow the PC market (just take a look at the g5 vs. first macintel benchmarks). im not sure apple had in mind that such a community would arise as the result of their move to intel, but i don't think apple feels threatened by it. when you look at it now, it looks like a great PR move - try before buy. well, i fell for it just my 2 cents, zarac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poofyhairguy Posted September 14, 2009 Author Share Posted September 14, 2009 I agree, mac has definitely gotten business from places like this. Maybe not directly, but they gain users. I ended up going off and buying a used Powerbook G4 Aluminum after all this time simply because I wanted to own a Mac. I'm not some die-hard mac fanboy, but I see benefit from knowing the OS, and I also like the layout. At the same time, I bought this one but it had problems. This suffers the lost RAM slot, but on this one it is the upper slot which has no readings, but having the 1gb module inside makes a big difference against less for 10.4.11. I could have just as easily though rebuilt my G3 hack, and used OSx86 and just scavenged up a firewire card to use my firewire stuff with, but I just like having the ability to say my opinion about a Mac, and own one. I have my beef with the designs, and I'm not always a fan of how it runs (and I swear like a sailor whenever it freezes, which is a lot more than any other computer I have) but even if I say I hate it, I own one, so I know what I'm talking about. I also bought a Mac G4 Dual 533mhz, Digital Audio version, with 1.25gb of RAM which I'm currently waiting for. I'm not keeping that, I'm actually giving it to my girlfriend, to replace her G4 400mhz. I did buy that off Ebay for $80, but it works, and it's a lot better than what she has (and it's a surprise for her as well). Your post shows what Apple (kinda) lost with OSX86. I could never do what you did- purchase a PowerPC Mac- because of OSX86. I couldn't justify spending the money on (what would be free on a curb if it was a PC of the same age) such older hardware when the money applied to a hackintosh gives me something not much more cost wise but magnitudes more power wise. Not criticizing what you did- old Macs have a neat collectors value. But I remember prior to OSX going Intel (and especially before the Mini) how INSANE the Mac resale market was- now its a fraction of that. Since Apple already made their money on these machines maybe they don't care, but hackintosh definitely has taken down a notch the resale value of G4 and G5 towers. Maybe in a way this is how OSX86 helps Apple- it helped move along the Intel transition by killing PowerPC faster. If it wasn't for Hackintosh I know I would have bought a G5 tower by now (closest thing ever to the xMacs we all build) and I would be one of the ones screaming murder on Apple forums that my hardware was already dumped by the newest OSX. Instead thanks to hackintosh I happily paid for the Snow Leopard update (Family Edition!) and I run it in its full 64 bit glory on my main desktop.... As for Apple, I think they're making their own of this place, I wouldn't be surprised if they're slowly collecting the information, understanding how the hacks we made work, and either looking for ways around it, to block it, or to implement it for themselves. Being such a wide-variety community, Apple can see lots of things that everyone is looking for in the OS, or support. Maybe the are all watching us, getting ideas. I think in the end they are happy that the community has stayed so nerdy- there is no community made EFI-X where you just plug in a drive and OSX works. Every update takes some sweat and blood, and that has to make Apple happy because it takes away their target market (all those people who think Internet Explorer is Windows is the Internet) from every being hackintoshers. Hell, hackintoshing seems to get harder every year- I still can't get a working dsdt, but back in 2006 I could edit an Info.Plist with the best of them.... slight correction: it has been more than 4 years now since the famous marklar and deadmoo images leaked and the "osx86 community" was born. You are totally right, I am sorry. It has been four years...my how the time flies...In my defense it was the summer of 06 that I had my first hackintosh... since then i have purchased 3 different apple machines (a mini, an imac, and finally an octo macpro) and built at least 20 hackintoshes most of which run only osx.imho apple couldn't have done better thing than to move to x86 architecture back then. i remember most apple users were skeptical about marklar rumors a few years earlier (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=10549). many swore it would be a final nail in the apple coffin, but it turns out mr. jobs was right once again. motorola and ibm couldn't provide a decent mobility cpu unit (at least in quantity needed) and desktop units were too slow to follow the PC market (just take a look at the g5 vs. first macintel benchmarks). im not sure apple had in mind that such a community would arise as the result of their move to intel, but i don't think apple feels threatened by it. when you look at it now, it looks like a great PR move - try before buy. well, i fell for it just my 2 cents, zarac Agree on your point about a "try before you buy." I see tons of posts on here from people that tried with OSX86 and moved over to a real Mac. Once place this is especially true is Apple laptops. I personally might never buy a real Apple desktop in my life, but my next laptop will be a Mac if only because hackintoshing a laptop is a pain in the ass. Another place this is true is with friends and family. I don't know about anyone else here on the forum, but I have learned from experience that you are asking for trouble if you put a Hackintosh in the hands of a normal person. First time they update they software through software update (which will happen eventually, even if you equate updating software with an early death) you get a pissed off phone call. So when a friend or family members sees one of my hacks and gets jealous (especially my media center hackintosh) I point them in the direction of a real Mac (since its not my money that will get spent). So in a way my hackintoshing has made them a ton of money in referral business... Finally, I think OSX86 helps Apple because it keeps people locked in the iVerse which in the end makes them money. For example for the last desktop I built I was proud as I could be that I built a machine which in every way was superior to an iMac (except the form factor, the most overrated desktop computer trait in the universe IMHO) for a little more than $300 less. But what did I do with that $300? I bought an iPhone with it of course. Sure someone on the Macrumors forum who has a little buyers remorse with their new iMac might give me mess that I "stole" that iPhone from Apple in value, but the way I look at it I had x number of dollars to spend on digital toys and Apple got most of it in one way or another thanks to hackintosh. Without having OSX86 on a desktop, I would run Vista on everything and probably be sporting a Palm Pre right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Nonny Moose Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 I think they are playing the cat and mouse game with us and are looking at some of the compatibility projects done. Other than that, I think it's too small of a niche in the total base to truly care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oczo Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 I think Apple has this pretty well planned out. I don't think Apple planned on stopping anyone from running their OS on alternative configurations. The goal was for a Hackintosher to try OS X, really like it, but have enough stability issues that they cave and buy the real deal for their next computer. When it comes to switching to Intel, Apple really didn't have much of a better alternative considering the terrible outlook for PowerPCs. Timing has proven to be very important in all of this, as we are not far off from actually pushing the physical limits of silicon based processors. Luckily for Apple, the majority of the market is in the same basket as the company with the best outlook for their chips. Microsoft's terrible Vista OS certainly played into Apple's hands as well, but they will be able to make up for any losses with Windows 7, so Apple had better stay on the ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts