Comments on: New Mac clone maker to open retail store in Calif.

Quo Computer plans to open a retail store to sell non-Apple computers with Mac OS X installed, in the Los Angeles area next week. Does it face a similar fate to that of Psystar?

[thinkin123]

@ Vegaman

I hear your arguments and agree somewhat. Though, you keep referring to freedom, and choice. This is fine rhetoric, but unfortunately not relevant. Laws restrict what we are allowed to do. EULA is designed to administer laws in regards to products. To argue the legitimacy of certain EULA clauses is understandable, but to make generic statements invoking misguided and naive interpretations on what it means to be free is tough to take seriously. I don't think you could put forth your preaching of inherent freedoms in any courtroom, whether you were a defendant in a copyright infringement case, EULA violation case, or caught peeing on a public street.

Your argument is one against copyright and EULA laws, not Apple's use of these laws. I can understand you loading OSX on any system you want, it is a great OS. No need to justify yourself by demonizing a company for doing what every other company in the world does; attempt to protect their intellectual property, and control the market that surrounds their product.

Nobody wants to be told what to do, but to a certain degree certain restrictions in life are necessary.

[pj-mckay]

The only problem I see here is Apple pundits not wanting others to get the same deal cheaper. It's utter snobbery and a blog of senseless arguments. If this company want to purchase MAC OS and stick it on a box that everyone knows isn't and Apple; What is the problem? I'm not going to buy an Apple with their OS but I might just buy one of these. And maybe one day I'd love it and think about buying a bigger version, or the real deal. Unless naybe they think I'd say 'this is crap' and I'm glad I never gave all that dosh to Apple (unlikely I know).

I'm fine with Apple 'improving' their product to run on different architecture, that's a different argument.

This is about buying an OS and loading it on a machine of your choice. It's simple customer choice versus stifling any competition. Their big worry is clearly that their hardware sale will diminish and profit will fall once folk start down this route. Bring it on !

[rylee_ann]

i think that it is just plain stupid that you can't install osx on any computer. you own it now, you didn't lease it or rent it, so apple shouldn't be able to tell you what to do with you osx install disk.

[Perry_Clease]

OSX is NOT sold it is licensed.

[AJ Pants]

Truthfuldemise: if you knew anything about the history of the Apple OS (clearly you don't) you'd know that specific elements of it have been in place for decades: shortcuts, the trash, the finder, file sharing etc. This is all part of the user experience... yep, 30 years in the making.

Brush up before you spout off.

[LaRock2]

Yes, AJ Pants, you're correct!

This OS "HAS" been around for a long time; but as all of we 'ancients', that were Apple II'ers, then
Apple II GS'sers, then Macintosh'ers, know, for longer than 30 years.
I believe it was when one of the founders of Apple, Inc. took a tour (prior to which he had to sign a non-disclosure agreement) of Xerox, Inc. that the idea GUI for a home computer "sprung" into his mind!!! EUREKA!!
Gee, same thing that Xerox was working on. Surely just a coinsidence, I'm sure....right?

They say, "The worst thing for a teenager to receive is to grow up & have "their" teenager caii them from the police station at 2am."

Perhaps Apple has been called!!

-w

[canberra_photographer]

Quite frankly this De Silva sounds a bit nuts. Talking about desktops, an Apple TV clone, this sounds like a pipe dream. It is nothing less than theft too. Apple owns Mac OS X and as owners of it, can choose how and by who it is used. If you can't afford Mac OS X on Apple hardware, then use a PC.

[a_flores]

China is the place that all electronic devices clones are there. Never heard any Mac clones in China, but iPhone and iPod clones are rampant in China.

[cidman2001]

"If these companies want to build clones, they need to sit down with execs at Apple and present a good case for building clones and obtain the proper licensing from Apple."

I have a good case for building and selling clones. Buying a Mac is like buying a TV through a rent-to-own company. You're paying three times retail for the exact same hardware available on the free market.

Apple should try this, sell the machine for $300 and see how many fanboys pony up for a $2100 copy of OSX.

[tony10d]

I live locally and went to check the "retail location" out in Alhambra, CA. There was nothing there, Just an empty storefront. Looks like a scam to me..

[Precede]

Apple will open up the OS when it gets ready. If and when it does; they will pick the players. The players can't volunteer. If these hackintosh guys want to make some real money, they would develop a killer I-Phone app that gets millions of downloads. Fighting a battle with a company with $15 Billion of cash in the bank seems sorta assinine if you ask me. Especially when there is no sound argument to fight with.

In my opinion, Apple is far from a monopoly. Every hardware product they sell has a worthy opponent in the industry. AT&T (MaBell) in the 70's was a monopoly. Not Apple. To my knowledge, they are not a leader in any market they play in. They are a very careful computer/software developer that doesn't want to show their hand. I am very surprised that they are allowing the upcoming Palm Pre to synch with I-Tunes. I bet Palm sold the farm to get that deal. However, I don't think any Palm device will catch up to Apple or RIM.

I think Apple has a good strategy. The've been very successful at making plenty of money on proprietary devices. They haven't made a big splash in corporate America on the desktop/laptop/server arena because of this. However, the margins on hardware and support agreements on these products keep the pc/laptop/server business alive. There is a different penetration strategy for the I-Phone. This is how Apple will conquer corporate America. The I-Phone has Gobbled up 5% of the smartphone market each year it's been on the market. Nokia used to own a little over 50% of this market. Now they're around 40%. So most if not all of Nokia's decline is due to I-Phone. Version 2 of the OS introduced MS Exchange Active Synch capability. I know plenty of small and mid-size companpies that bought fleets of I-Phones after that Version 2 was released.

Now let's turn to Version 3 of the I-Phone OS. Apple has finally enabled the A2DP protocal for Bluetooth stereo music without the need of an adapter. The phone now does copy/past and other essential features. Many of those smartphone users that were on the fence (including me) will now find renewed interest in the device. I personally will start selling I-Phones through my company now. Finally. Look at all the new developers that are building applications for the I-Phone. They have to use a Mac for that. Apple probably isn't too concerned with with it's pc market share when it's breaking all kinds of smartphone sales records. Although third in the smartphone arena, their competitors are trying to make "I-Phone like" devices. Apple seems to get envy from every turn. :)

[kcotham]

It amazes me how the anti-Windows coven comes out of the woodwork on stories like this. Microsoft shills like Vegaman_Dan and monkeyfun14 seem to thrive on it. We need a questionnaire to prove knowledge of Apple products before you can post on stories involving Apple. It would undoubtedly keep chowder-heads like these guys from posting their drivel.

Apple clones? Why not? Brilliant as Jobs is, he should have already brought the touchscreen to the entire product line, and not just the hand helds, which effectively do away with the mouse, trackpad, and separate keyboard. Look at almost every Sci-fi movie workstation after "Minority Report," and see for yourself, touchscreens are the future. I'm a macaholic, but I'd invest in this clone company if they beat Apple to the market with a 10" iPod/iPhone with instant connectivity. If Jobs is listening, forget the "Wheel," you should know better than trying to reinvent it...

[Perry_Clease]

"@LaRock2 May 31, 2009 4:05 AM PDT
Yes, AJ Pants, you're correct!

This OS "HAS" been around for a long time; but as all of we 'ancients', that were Apple II'ers, then
Apple II GS'sers, then Macintosh'ers, know, for longer than 30 years.
I believe it was when one of the founders of Apple, Inc. took a tour (prior to which he had to sign a non-disclosure agreement) of Xerox, Inc. that the idea GUI for a home computer "sprung" into his mind!!! EUREKA!!
Gee, same thing that Xerox was working on. Surely just a coinsidence, I'm sure....right?"

Apple had an agreement with Xerox, that technology from PARC was exchanged for Apple stock.

OMG, as I sit here typing this on my brand new MBP which I love, I can't help but laugh at all the posturing and fanaticism I 've read. I learned to use a computer on Apple products (IIe) and have always preferred them over PC based architecture, but in the 90's Apple couldn't keep up hardware wise. Their specs were behind the power curve and usually more expensive, while sometimes still true, the divide has decreased. For perspective, my last laptop was a top of the line Alienware, as for work and various other reasons I had to use a lot of MS products. Never been a huge fan of Windows, it works fine but is not as user friendly as MAC OS. Yes the MBP was still more expensive than a comparable PC, but I do like the looks and some of the features. As with all products however their are compromises (lack of HDMI, and no audio through MINIdisplay port, no BLU-ray support, etc.) It does however work for me so I bought it, it wouldn't and doesn't work for everyone. To verbally assault people over their purchase choice is pretty moronic and juvenile (though entertaining to the readers), and serves no REAL purpose. The initial questioned posed was in relation to MAC clones, legally speaking I am not a lawyer and neither are the main responders so our legal opinions are so much hot air. Personally I am in favor of more ways to utilize MAC OS, on less expensive (not cheap crap) hardware that makes the software more accessible to the consumer. I could afford the MBP, I know several people who want one but can't justify what it costs so they buy PC instead of Apple, that's lost revenue for Apple that Jobs and CO could have had, on their software and hardware peripherals if their was another option in the market. Oh and the argument that there's no money in software only hardware is completely debunked by the entire Video Gaming industry. It's been published (by Sony) that they Lost money on the PS2 (and the Playstation and PS3) hardware, the software made em successful.

[scottellsworth]

Currently, the cost of the OS is mostly covered by the system itself, and every retail purchase of MacOS X is an upgrade from an existing version.

Apple has not priced MacOS X to be self sustaining without that initial subsidization from the initial hardware purchase.

They certainly _could_ price it to work, but the past has shown that legit clone makers are going to go after the highest value segments. Makes sense, but it means that Apple would also be changing their hardware costs.

Apple has decided that part of the appeal of the brand, like it or not, is that the machines are of pretty decent build quality. I rather like the unibody MBP work just bought me, and am considering one for home use. I would not be so enamored of the netbooks I have tried that come in at $500 - I would rather get a kindle at that price point.

If their pricing does not work for you, don't buy one, but please don't paint this as some kind of lame 'rights' issue. Apple has the right to position their brand, and to make a reasonable return off the cash they put into their OS development. (More properly, they have not been ruled an infringing monopoly, as you can always buy a Dell or Asus running Windows or Linux, and you can take your newly-drm-free music with you.)

I happen to think the build quality and OS is worth the price, but I have plenty of friends who choose windows because it does not meet their needs.

As far as fair use, the OS and computer come as a package in the present market. Until the courts overturn license agreements, it seems that fair use would not cover using it not in accordance with the agreement. I, personally, have no problem with moving it from a Mac you bought to a PC you like better, but it is clearly a license agreement violation to install it without that initial hardware purchase, which this clone maker is doing. I have fellow EFF supporters that see no problem with that either, but I do not stretch the definition of fair use that far myself.

Scott

[kcotham]

ABSOLUTELY, spot on correct scottellsworth!

This is not a right's issue at all. These people thinking they have a right to dictate how much Apple charges for their computers and how they license their software are the same ones screaming free enterprise and freedom of choice etc. You can't go to Daimler-Benz and demand that they lower the price of their cars. Neither could you make a carbon copy of one and sell it. 99% of the people making these ridiculous arguments don't own or have never owned a Macintosh. Do what you want on your own machine, the headaches you create with your "hackintosh" (what a dumb name) is your problem. But when you set out to make a profit off of them, that's another matter.

[liquidmark]

Wow guys, just wow.

Seriously, OSX is Apple's property. They own a copyright and trademark on it. If they say they don't want it to run on non-Apple hardware, respect their rights at the owner.

Also, to the guys that want to argue that Apple wants a monopoly on OSX. SO?

Apple makes OSX, it is their product. by that alone they have the right to sell it as they see fit.

Now, these guys will probably go down much faster than Psystar because the laws in california are very different. Personally, I think they should really lock down OSX and go back to using special rom chips to house the core of the OS as well as brick all unauthorized copies of OSX in the future.

Think about it. Apple has a archive of all of the macs legitimately sold going back a few years because they made them.

If your board doesn't have a serial that is in their database, prepare to get bricked remotely. Hell, they could set it up so that an unauthorized install of OSX deletes itself during shutdown.

Apple needs to take the kid gloves off.

[llaszlo1]

Hello All,
You say it is clone. Not at all. They make a computer (hardware) that make able to work with an OS that selling in the shop.
It is very good to make an alternative for the Apple computers.
I bought in 2005 an ibook 12 inch. After 14 months the wireless stopp work. I cehck what was the problem and it was a design problem. Weak connector in the warmest place and the connector lost the connection. It happened in most of the last edition ibooks. They wanted charge about 900 US dollar and never wanted admit their mistake. My decision not buy any more Apple product hardware.
Think about it.
Best regards
doki

[igot2n0]

Do you think we should point out to Quo the grammatical errors on their website? Nawwwwwwwwwww!!!!

[tenslee]

I believe that it would be in the long-term financial best interest of Apple to offer an affordable tower. I have an imac and I've grown to dislike the form factor. The side-loading DVD player failed soon after purchasing the machine. I gave up trying to correct the problem and bought an external hp player, which of course nullifies the space saving clutter-free advantage of the imac.

By contrast, I can replace the internal DVD player and other hardware in my homebuilt PC in a half hour or less.

Tinsley Grey Sammons
Gonzales, LA

[WiNdowFTW]

Why even bother with the Mac clones? OS X Snow Leopard is very unstable. Did you hear about the bug in Snow Leopard that caused millions of people lose all their datas? Do yourself a favor by buying Window 7.