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The dongle contains bootloader files that makes the PC look like a Mac to the install DVD, AFAIK.

Hmmm, it would be pain to have that dongle sticking out on a laptop (currently a prime candidate for conversion from Vista to OS X in my house), but on a desktop it wouldn't be a problem I guess.  Heck, on a desktop, you could even hook it up to an internal USB port (if it has one).  I hope this isn't vaporware...

From EFiX FAQ

Do you plan on making a laptop version?
Not only have we been planning one, one already exists.

...

So is EFiX just a usb device where I could copy the files to an existing USB thumb drive?
Absolutely not! EFiX is neither a memory stick or thumb drive.
It is a completely unique device with very intricate protection above and beyond your wildest imagination.

What is it then?

...very intricate protection above and beyond your wildest imagination.

Well, I don't know, I could imagine quite a lot...

I'm going to guess $50, tops.

Czachorski wrote:

I saw an interesting conspiracy theory on the comments you linked in the original post that was intriguing.  Maybe Apple is in the background encouraging this, maybe even helping it, but when it comes out they express their discouragement publicly but don't really do anything about it.  Let everyone under the sun install OS X on cheap generic hardware, crank the market share up to 20-30%, and then right when they have everyone hooked on their crank, drop the bomb:  they announce the switch back to PPC and then rake in the dough for the hardware and software.  An interesting theory indeed.

You're absolutely insane if you believe that for a second

Mr. T wrote:

I'm going to guess $50, tops.

Yep, if this is indeed real, I can't see them being able to charge a whole lot for this.

Part of the appeal of running OSX on non apple hardware is price.    If they charged to much it would eat away the savings, and in the end I think most people would rather have a real Mac that they know will be supported.

If this is legit, and you can get your hands on one for around $50, I can see this being very popular.   You can build a quad core pc for very little money these days, compared to Apple's entry level quad machine.

Czachorski wrote:

Mr. T wrote:

I'm going to guess $50, tops.

Have you realized how screwed the OSX86 community is either way?  Underground movements like this are best kept to the underground out of sight out of mine of the big beast.  If they charge $50 and are hugely popular, do you think that is a good thing?

Of course it's not a good thing!  As Bat observed,

Bat wrote:

Apple will stop this somehow. Easily. You'll see! http://homepage.mac.com/oatmeal/MAF/maxes/shakefist.gif

Czachorski wrote:

Mr. T wrote:

I'm going to guess $50, tops.

Have you realized how screwed the OSX86 community is either way?  Underground movements like this are best kept to the underground out of sight out of mine of the big beast.  If they charge $50 and are hugely popular, do you think that is a good thing?  If they charge something like $200, it would just be too funny, IMO.  Making everyone pay a high price for value produced by others (namely Apple).

I saw an interesting conspiracy theory on the comments you linked in the original post that was intriguing.  Maybe Apple is in the background encouraging this, maybe even helping it, but when it comes out they express their discouragement publicly but don't really do anything about it.  Let everyone under the sun install OS X on cheap generic hardware, crank the market share up to 20-30%, and then right when they have everyone hooked on their crank, drop the bomb:  they announce the switch back to PPC and then rake in the dough for the hardware and software.  An interesting theory indeed.

My theory is that Jobs is planning on moving to a no software upgrade plan. Meaning that your Mac will run the OS it comes with and thats it. Maybe ship each Mac with a rom containing OS restore software.
If you think about Jobs appliance idea that makes sense.

Yep, I kept overlooking that. Thanks, you've renewed my hope

Pariah wrote:

Czachorski wrote:

Mr. T wrote:

I'm going to guess $50, tops.

Have you realized how screwed the OSX86 community is either way?  Underground movements like this are best kept to the underground out of sight out of mine of the big beast.  If they charge $50 and are hugely popular, do you think that is a good thing?  If they charge something like $200, it would just be too funny, IMO.  Making everyone pay a high price for value produced by others (namely Apple).

I saw an interesting conspiracy theory on the comments you linked in the original post that was intriguing.  Maybe Apple is in the background encouraging this, maybe even helping it, but when it comes out they express their discouragement publicly but don't really do anything about it.  Let everyone under the sun install OS X on cheap generic hardware, crank the market share up to 20-30%, and then right when they have everyone hooked on their crank, drop the bomb:  they announce the switch back to PPC and then rake in the dough for the hardware and software.  An interesting theory indeed.

My theory is that Jobs is planning on moving to a no software upgrade plan. Meaning that your Mac will run the OS it comes with and thats it. Maybe ship each Mac with a rom containing OS restore software.
If you think about Jobs appliance idea that makes sense.

Doubt that VERY highly as it would cause all sorts of compatibility issues with software and hardware vendors by trying to force them to make their wares compatible with all the different revisions of the OS across the userbase, and Apple isn't so big that they could afford to do that.

Besides, Apple hasn't gone after Psystar yet...
If this were a such a big concern to them, you'd think they would have by now, which makes me think they have some other idea entirely.

Last edited by Antonio (2008-06-19 1:33 pm)

user wrote:

They're likely waiting for them to fall on their ass....

...or, if they succeed, then put their nuts to the fire for royalties.

I'm not so sure they can. What royalties? They're buying legitimate copies of the OS from Apple at full price.

I forget the details, but while they might be able to legally make them stop, they likely won't be able to get much money for damages, if any.
Also bear in mind, while companies can put whatever they want into a license agreement and end users can believe in the legality of said agreement all they want, not everything in those agreements is actually enforceable.

jeff-o wrote:

Hmmm, it would be pain to have that dongle sticking out on a laptop (currently a prime candidate for conversion from Vista to OS X in my house), but on a desktop it wouldn't be a problem I guess.  Heck, on a desktop, you could even hook it up to an internal USB port (if it has one).  I hope this isn't vaporware...

The website (such that it is) says something about a PCI version, so a desktop would easily have a self contained dongle.

I can't imagine Apple being happy with this, but what can they do?  Unless the dongle/software contains copyrighted code of some sort, there's little recourse.  Sure, they can "break" OS X with every update, but there will be patches for this thing that will negate that quickly.  The company isn't selling or modifying Apple hardware or software.  Sure, there's an EULA on the retail OS X software, but how could they really enforce it?

Apple embraced running Windows on Apple hardware (which surprised the hell out of me), and while they may never embrace this, I don't see them stopping it.

That said, from the crappy website, I think this is vaporware/someone fishing for investors.  Somebody will make this work, but this probably ain't it.