Cheap non-Apple hardware arrives


A Slashdotreader writes to tell of an Amiga user who successfully installed and booted MacOS 9.2 using Mac On Linux. Additionally, the correspondent states that OS X compatibility is "on the to-do horizon" for developers.

He goes on to say, "I think that it will be interesting to see the people at Apple lose some sleep now that a low cost, fast, off the shelf solution exists to run Mac OS, without any Apple hardware. If it doesn't do anything else, at least it will give the people buying the new Amiga One G3 PPC board an existing software base."

None of the posts on the AmigaOne/Yahoo mailing list spoke about performance. One has to wonder -- given that this involves one OS running on top of another -- how fast it actually runs.

One mailing list correspondent, however, had this to say:

"Sorry to rain on your parade, but running MacOS on non-Apple licensed hardware is illegal. Check your EULA [end-user license agreement]. It's the same situation as running AmigaOS on Apple hardware.

"An old version of MacOS, like 7.5, might have a different EULA, I haven't checked."

The computer used -- an Amiga One -- is produced by a British company, Eyetech, sells for $550 and has the following specs: 600MHz (IBM 750CXe, soldiered onto the MB), 2X AGP, four PCI slots, two PC133 RAM slots (2GB max.), ATA100 HDD support, CD drives, AC97 audio, and two USB (additional two front-mounted optional) and two FireWire ports.

That's a fairly beefy box for the money. However, as noted, current AmigaOne computers aren't CPU upgradeable. But, according to Eyetech this situation will change probably before the end of the year. Eyetech claims upcoming Amiga computers will feature fast G3 and G4 processors that reside in the same processor socket currently used by Apple.

Three other factors speak well of the hardware created by Eyetech and Amiga -- it's Linux compatible, DIY kits are available for a bit over $200 and, get this, Eyetech offers an upgrade guaranty when next-generation motherboards are available -- you'll get at least 75 pecent of the original purchase price back when you buy a new kit or system. That just simply rocks.

And, yes, these low-cost computers run Amiga OS too (if you're into that).

Analysis: I certainly don't wish Apple any harm. Nevertheless, they certainly could use an education in producing low-cost machines and competition is good, legal or otherwise.