Psystar taunts Apple with Xserve clone
Aggressively staking its claim as the lone company outside of Apple selling Mac OS X systems, Psystar on Thursday has unveiled a pair of Xserve-like rackmount computers unofficially based on Apple's Mac OS X Leopard Server.
The one-unit-tall OpenServ 1100 and the two-unit OpenServ 2400 both run the server OS in either its 10-client or unlimited versions but promise 2.5GHz Xeon processors and storage options that aren't available in any of Apple's systems -- including the very nature of the taller 2400, which also has six hard drive bays and a floppy drive.
Unlike Apple's servers, users can also specify a standard copy of Mac OS X Leopard rather than the server-class software, bringing the price of the base OpenServ to $1,724 with the software selection.
The release further cements Psystar's unusual position in the computer market as the only company to go unchallenged in selling unofficial Mac clones. Although the company is using third-party hacks to emulate Mac firmware and is otherwise known to be violating Mac OS X terms of service, Apple hasn't yet challenged the clone maker with warnings or legal action since it began selling a $400 Mac OS X tower in April.
For its part, Psystar has been on the offensive in staking out its rights to sell its clones, arguing that Apple would violate antitrust laws by attempting to ban third-party hardware and that Psystar itself wasn't violating any rules.
PsyStar OpenServ 1100
PsyStar OpenServ 2400
The one-unit-tall OpenServ 1100 and the two-unit OpenServ 2400 both run the server OS in either its 10-client or unlimited versions but promise 2.5GHz Xeon processors and storage options that aren't available in any of Apple's systems -- including the very nature of the taller 2400, which also has six hard drive bays and a floppy drive.
Unlike Apple's servers, users can also specify a standard copy of Mac OS X Leopard rather than the server-class software, bringing the price of the base OpenServ to $1,724 with the software selection.
The release further cements Psystar's unusual position in the computer market as the only company to go unchallenged in selling unofficial Mac clones. Although the company is using third-party hacks to emulate Mac firmware and is otherwise known to be violating Mac OS X terms of service, Apple hasn't yet challenged the clone maker with warnings or legal action since it began selling a $400 Mac OS X tower in April.
For its part, Psystar has been on the offensive in staking out its rights to sell its clones, arguing that Apple would violate antitrust laws by attempting to ban third-party hardware and that Psystar itself wasn't violating any rules.
PsyStar OpenServ 1100
PsyStar OpenServ 2400
Comments
What I hope is Psycrap get huge sums of money and got sued and lost most of their money for breaking the freeware license agreement.
The OSX86 community developers is against this. Boo!
Floppy drive? What for???
LMAO you beat me to the punch! Floppy drives!!! ROTFLMAO!!!!
C
How come now mention of EFiX Dongle on this blog? It is everywhere else.
I have my doubts about this making it as a product. Apple was able to stop the instant hack AppleTV USB drive stick. If was only software that one could install on any USB flash drive, then there would be no way for Apple to stop it, but with a physical product they seem to be able and willing to prevent it from coming to market.
C
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the whole point of server hardware reliability and stability? Who exactly isn't going to buy a server with hacked firmware and drivers?
Yes... The enterprise market requires a lot of support and hand holding. Maybe they can provide this, but it's not evident.
if that wasn't bad enough, THESE GUYS still sell 8" floppies.
They also haven't updated their website since 5.25" floppies were still in use.
I have my doubts about this making it as a product. Apple was able to stop the instant hack AppleTV USB drive stick. If was only software that one could install on any USB flash drive, then there would be no way for Apple to stop it, but with a physical product they seem to be able and willing to prevent it from coming to market.
Here's hoping but they plan a launch June 23rd it's all over the news elsewhere.
They also haven't updated their website since 5.25" floppies were still in use.
Oops, you got me. Should have looked at the bottom of that page.
C
Test the market for what? Noisy, poorly built Mac clones with floppy drives?
will Leopard even support a floppy drive?
Pystar has some connection to apple. Somebody posted a while back that they think Pystar is just a subsidiary of Apple designed to test the market, well, I agree with you.
Test the market for what? Noisy, poorly built Mac clones with floppy drives?
Suuuure.
I think this server announcement it meant to build up their related consulting business. In fact, I would not be surprised if most all their sold units are going into client installations.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the whole point of server hardware reliability and stability? Who exactly isn't going to buy a server with hacked firmware and drivers?
You mean who IS going to buy a Psycrapy Serv with hacked drivers? Answer: No one but the desperate people who hate Apple.