Report waves caution at shadiness of would-be Mac clone maker

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  • Reply 21 of 108
    gqbgqb Posts: 1,934member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by portagekix View Post


    Maybe I am way off, but Apple's silence is interesting here. I promise I am not on meds. I promise I do not see a shrink (though might think I should) but could this be some sort conspiracy involving a situation where Apple might be sending out feelers to see where interest is in the public for a Mac OS X version for all computer makers, and not simply their own? I mean Vista is ripe for the picking and the Apple and Mac brand has never been more popular. iPhone is getting people familiar with OS X as is iPod Touch and iTunes. Wouldn't Mac OS X for all be a huge money making venture for the company? I am not in favor of Apple doing taking Mac OS X mainstream for all, but who knows? Ok I am going to slap myself around now for even suggesting all of this. Have a good weekend all!



    Apple's silence is because I'm sure they new this was a joke endeavour from the beginning.

    Only rabid Apple haters have been getting almost sexually excited about this story.

    "aristocratical shareholders like a virus"... "old neonazis" ?

    It must be a sad life to be so consumed with sophomoric hatred.
  • Reply 22 of 108
    Looks like the website was acquired here as a template



    http://cabikhosting.com/blog/downloa...en/details.htm



  • Reply 23 of 108
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Clive At Five View Post


    So it doesn't have a "true business status" but even Apple Computer Inc. started in a garage. Who knows, maybe this guy has been selling his services to set up company networks, etc, for the past few months. His website is very thorough.



    "Psystar" is obviously not what it seems, but the question is, will that severely alter the situation? The controversial nature of Apple's EULA is out in the open... The cries for a modestly-priced mid-tower from Apple have been sung.



    -Clive



    Clive.....THERE'S NOTHING CONTROVERSIAL ABOUT APPLE's EULA.....



    DUH dude.



    In order to use OSX you have to buy a MAC.... it's pretty clear and simple. This dimwit working out of his bathroom in Miami is a PUTZ with nothing to back up any of his threats, nor does he have a great "Idea" like Woz and Jobs had in their garage. I'd imagine Apple Legal already made the shit hit the fan for this LOOSER and that's why his lamo fako product is no longer on his web site.



    Good Riddance



    Quit smoking Pot.... You'll find it does wonders to clear up your mind!
  • Reply 24 of 108
    rot'napplerot'napple Posts: 1,839member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Zlyden View Post


    "One-man basement operation"?



    What a shame...



    There should be at least two men and some garage involved if they plan to rival Apple Inc. in the future...



    Also, don't you need at least two men to form a corporation in Florida?



    You do in Virginia. That is why I am a Sole Proprietorship, operating a SOHO who has a Merchant Account to accept Credit Card charges. I let others that have brick and mortar operations produce and ship the products I sell to customers or have them ship to me and I'll deliver in person if it's local.



    Don't be so skeptical of Entreprenurs, as was stated in earlier posts, Apple was a two man operation in a garage and look at them now. Lots of businesses start that way.
  • Reply 25 of 108
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Rot'nApple View Post


    Don't be so skeptical of Entreprenurs, as was stated in earlier posts, Apple was a two man operation in a garage and look at them now. Lots of businesses start that way.



    Apple didn't grab someone elses operating system and put it into someone elses hardware and try to flog it on a cheap template website whilst trying to trade off the name of the successful company they got the software from.
  • Reply 26 of 108
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Clive At Five View Post


    So it doesn't have a "true business status" but even Apple Computer Inc. started in a garage. Who knows, maybe this guy has been selling his services to set up company networks, etc, for the past few months. His website is very thorough.



    "Psystar" is obviously not what it seems, but the question is, will that severely alter the situation? The controversial nature of Apple's EULA is out in the open... The cries for a modestly-priced mid-tower from Apple have been sung.



    -Clive



    Agreed. It is unfair to label the company as not legit because of its address. A few well known operations famously started in shady garages or basements or back rooms. I find it a little disingenuous of AI to post map detail as proof that Psystar is not somehow legit. On the other hand Psystar may not mind that at all, but I am not sure.



    I can't imagine the guy will win. A real David and Goliath scenario.I mean, even if he wins he'll loose. A couple of broken legs will put him out of action. Oh wait, Apple doesn't use strong arm tactics like that, but I am sure they can think of something, what with all that creative talent around. I kind of root for him to be honest. I am a sucker for underdogs. Which is why I hang out at this forum
  • Reply 27 of 108
    lafelafe Posts: 252member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hawkmanva View Post


    Looks like the website was acquired here as a template



    http://cabikhosting.com/blog/downloa...en/details.htm







    Sham. Scam. Slam.



    If there's anything real about this company, it's that it dreamed up a

    media storm that will end up drawing attention to the company. If they

    sell a few more custom systems (with no OS on them) or consulting

    services, it was worth the storm, and technically they never shipped

    OSX on anything, and never broke any EULA.



    Tempest in a teacup.



    Move along. Nothing to see here.
  • Reply 28 of 108
    pdx57pdx57 Posts: 2member
    The Guardian does not appear to know how a business is registered in the US. It isn't done through the Chamber of Commerce or the BBB.



    Psystar is registered and in good standing.



    It can be checked online at



    http://www.sunbiz.org/corinam.html
  • Reply 29 of 108
    rot'napplerot'napple Posts: 1,839member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Marc OSX View Post


    Apple didn't grab someone elses operating system and put it into someone elses hardware and try to flog it on a cheap template website whilst trying to trade off the name of the successful company they got the software from.



    That is NOT my point! Be it one person or two, their efforts can be legit. Do not compare to Pystar.



    I'm just saying, you don't have to be a Fortune 500 Company, making billions in profit, with a workforce of 10,000. That's all I'm saying.



    And no Apple didn't grab someone elses...



    "Xerox has been heavily criticized (particularly by business historians) for failing to properly commercialize and profitably exploit PARC's innovations. A favorite example is the GUI, initially developed at PARC for the Alto and then commercialized as the Xerox Star by the Xerox Systems Development Department. Although very significant in terms of its influence on future system design, it is deemed a failure because it only sold approximately 25,000 units. A small group from PARC led by David Liddle and Charles Irby formed Metaphor Computer Systems. They extended the Star desktop concept into an animated graphic and communicating office automation model and sold the company to IBM.



    The first successful commercial GUI product was the Apple Macintosh, which was heavily inspired by PARC's work; Xerox was given Apple stock in exchange for engineer visits and an understanding that Apple would create a GUI product. Much later, in the midst of the Apple v. Microsoft lawsuit in which Apple accused Microsoft of violating its copyright by appropriating the use of the "look and feel" of the Macintosh GUI, Xerox also sued Apple on the same grounds[citation needed]. The lawsuit was dismissed because Xerox had waited too long to file suit, and the statute of limitations had expired. However, some dispute the degree to which the Apple interface was derived from Xerox designs[1]. Indeed, prior to Apple's visits to PARC, its Macintosh project more closely resembled the Valdocs operating system of the Epson QX-10."
  • Reply 30 of 108
    zlydenzlyden Posts: 20member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by xirtus View Post


    plus credit card companies tend to reinburse for over over $1000 fraudulent charges and internet scams. not all of them but mine does. If I call visa they pause the money and they know exactly where it is and who has it in what account...



    I do not know well legal/police/banking system of United States, but as "one-man shareware operation" (with Kagi as a money processor) I sometimes see fraudulent orders: the money arrived from credit card account of would be customer, then in three weeks (or one month) chargeback is performed by his bank.



    So, if the guy (we don't even know his name), plans to take some orders for about two weeks, then cash all funds and disappear (with his great web-site) before anyone started to complain a lot... well, with AppleInsder, Guardian and others as free advertisers, he really can make some money even without owning a garage or a house in Miami
  • Reply 31 of 108
    Is It the First of APRIL ?
  • Reply 32 of 108
    trboydentrboyden Posts: 165member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by skottichan View Post


    First, it's fanGIRL.



    Secondly, I was only bashing your inability to use the correct words, for what you were trying to say.



    Thirdly, OS X is Apple's intellectual property. If I found someone using my design work without my permission, I'd be a LOT less civil (and quiet) as Apple's been.



    Actually, only the GUI and certain other elements are Apple's IP in OS X. Most of the code is Free/Open/NetBSD which is open source software - free for anyone to use.
  • Reply 33 of 108
    wircwirc Posts: 302member
  • Reply 34 of 108
    While I would never buy anything from this company, some of the things written in the article aren't necessarily indicative of bad things.



    Quote:

    "I called the Miami Chamber of Commerces and its Better Business Bureau," Arthur wrote. "They've never heard of it."



    This means nothing. The Chamber would only know about businesses that are members of the Chamber. How many is that? Probably way less than 1% of the businesses in any city belong to the Chamber of Commerce.



    Ditto for the Better Business Bureau. People have this notion that it's some kind of quasi-government watchdog that knows good businesses from bad. It doesn't. It only knows the businesses that have signed up and paid a fee to be a member of the BBB. It has no power, authority, or ability to track any other business. Again, probably less than 1% of businesses belong to the BBB.



    Quote:

    What's more, Psystar appears to have hastily relocated on Tuesday to an industrial park within Miami's north-west side, according to an address change posted to its website. On Monday, the company's address was listed as 10645 SW 112 Street -- a three bedroom home built in 1957 along a row of suburban houses (below).



    I find the relocation more disturbing than someone working out of their home. Home-based businesses are perfectly legitimate. I can't speak for Miami, but many large cities issue business licenses for home-based businesses. The I.R.S. has recognized them for years.



    More importantly, if we condemned every computer hobbiest working out of their garage, then we would never have had an Apple I, or an Apple II, and thus no Mac.



    Remember where Steve Jobs, the founders of HP, and pretty much every other aspiring tech company got its start -- in a garage.
  • Reply 35 of 108
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    As if this wasn't enough, now Steve Woz is throwing his monkey into this 3-ring circus.
  • Reply 36 of 108
    pdx57pdx57 Posts: 2member
    Relocation would simply indicate that they have orders and the garage is too small to process it all. That is what happens when success hits a small home-based business.
  • Reply 37 of 108
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Reaperducer View Post


    I find the relocation more disturbing than someone working out of their home. Home-based businesses are perfectly legitimate. I can't speak for Miami, but many large cities issue business licenses for home-based businesses. The I.R.S. has recognized them for years.



    What's so wrong with moving? I started in my home and then moved to a commercial space. If I had been in the middle of promotional stunt at the time, so what?



    Somebody should ask the guy and see what he says. That would be far more interesting. The guy isn't publicity shy so I'm sure he'd speak up.
  • Reply 38 of 108
    dualiedualie Posts: 334member
    It's called entrepreneurial spirit. So what if the guy found a way to make Mac clones. Good for him! As long as he is honest, doesn't misrepresent his products or services and delivers everything he sells, he'll have a legitimate business. Good luck to him!



    As for Apple not getting publicly involved, well, why should they give him a leg up but giving him free advertising?
  • Reply 39 of 108
    minderbinderminderbinder Posts: 1,703member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by paxman View Post


    Agreed. It is unfair to label the company as not legit because of its address. A few well known operations famously started in shady garages or basements or back rooms. I find it a little disingenuous of AI to post map detail as proof that Psystar is not somehow legit. On the other hand Psystar may not mind that at all, but I am not sure.



    It's address is a house, and then they changed the website to list an industrial park where the companies there have never heard of them. You call them and get some guy taking messages, their tech support dept is literally non-existent. On top of that



    Seriously, would anyone have any confidence that they'd get the machine they ordered, much less that it would work at all? I think it's perfectly valid to dismiss a computer "company" that is just a guy in his basement. And it's a GOOD thing for AI to post this info so people know the real situation, up until now the press has been assuming that this is legit and that looks increasingly unlikely.



    The company may or may not be a complete scam (or at least a publicity stunt, although I don't see what the upside to this would be), at this point my guess is it is someone who honestly thinks he can start a successful business but has no clue what he is getting into. I'll bet they never even ship ONE of these "open" computers. If they are legit, why doesn't the site mention ship dates at all? And has anyone actually tried to order one of these?



    I can't believe that people still think this is legit after all that has come out about this company. Are people so hungry for a cheap mac that they're willing to suspend disbelief? If you're so excited, go ahead and buy one. The rest of us would love to hear about it.
  • Reply 40 of 108
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    According to the latest.... this might be a stunt from a t-shirt company, or even Steve Wozniak... wouldn't that be a hoot!
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