Okay, time for an update to the continuing sage of CherryOS, the emulator which claims to allow PC users to run OS X with 80% efficiency. The CherryOS website is back up, with the following announcement:
CherryOS Trial and Purchase Download Available November 25, 2004
We at Maui X-Stream (MXS) wish to communicate the current and future status of CherryOS.
On Tuesday, October 12, MXS — a software development company that specializes in video streaming, custom applications and web development — announced the immediate availability of CherryOS software. The announcement signaled a breakthrough in emulation development by providing a software emulator which allows Windows PC users to run Apple’s OS on x86 computer architecture, while preserving network capabilities and access to the host computer’s hardware resources.
As a direct result of the overwhelming response to our October 12 announcement, and in order to provide current and future customers with the timely service and attention such high-volume demand requires, MXS has chosen to extend the beta development for CherryOS. In order to accommodate those who were inconvenienced by the interruption of immediate access to the CherryOS download, and to further validate this breakthrough product, MXS will provide a free trial download of the CherryOS software, in addition to the purchase download on November 25, 2004.
Pending orders are being held, but not processed at this time.
But as you may recall, several programmers for PearPC, an Open Source project attempting to reach the same goal, have openly stated that CherryOS is using their code.
Maui X-Stream initially denied that there was any PearPC code in their product. But now, according to an article in Wired, that was... well, read for yourself:
(Cherry OS author Arben) Kryeziu said the inclusion of PearPC code was the fault of one of his programmers, who is no longer with the company.
"I fired his ass," Kryeziu said.
"He did something wrong, he did two things wrong, one really bad," Kryeziu said, but declined to elaborate. "He put some strange stuff in there, and yeah, you guys identified it as PearPC."
But now they claim that there is no more PearPC code in the project, and vow to be vindicated when the product is released next month. Read on...
Well this is likely true after all, and if indeed it really is a fast emulator it will do what Apple has always needed to do and never did do which is propagate the product to other architectures. The upshot of this is that Apple will eventually buy CherryOS and release it along with other versions of the Mac OS as an option for wintel install, because Apple is going to sell a LOT of Mac OS X software in spite of themselves, and will find that it will not impact hardware sales either and it’s going to be a better world for this where true so relax it’s going to be some fun!
†On† 10/23 †at† 07:26 PM Said
Don’t you guys know when you are being fooled? These guys are just doing this just so they can later say what fools all these believers are.
So where is this? It was running in their video, and it was available for sale, yet no one has it, and now you have to wait. First no PearPC code was there, and now there is. Come on, I can’t believe Wired is playing into this fools games.
There is no CherryOS. It was a hoax and the jokers are having one hell of a laugh right now, dangling the carrot before your eyes. How long are you buy into this bull?
†On† 10/23 †at† 07:44 PM Said
I dissagree agree with you. It’s the same deal with Real Networks. Actually apple will have the best of both worlds. Their software can run on other platforms and they don’t have to spend a dime to support it. The only thing that will happen is Apple will sit back and rake in the cash. Why would you buy the cow when the milk is free.
†On† 10/23 †at† 10:24 PM Said
“Why would you buy the cow when the milk is free.”
This is exactly the problem, actually, if there is ever a truly efficient emulator. People will just pirate OS X and run it on their existing x86 hardware, which robs Apple of any revenues on either side. What most of you who believe that PearPC is beneficient don’t seem to understand is that apple makes seven to eight times their software revenue in hardware. Without their computer business, there is no OS X, and selling the OS for $129 a copy means that they’d need to sell 5 million units a quarter just to break even with what they made in the last part of FY 2004. As a hint, not even Microsoft sells 5 million OS units in three months.
†On† 10/24 †at† 01:37 PM Said
I will believe this when I see it.
As for Apple, yes a lot of people are going to pirate OSX now. As if they don’t already - there are no serial numbers in the installation process. If they lowered the price, people would buy legitimate copies. But I see them trying to stop CherryOS somehow via Apple Legal.
Perhaps they can run some sort of test to verify whether or not new versions of the OS are running on a Pentium/Athlon instead of a real G4/G5. They could also do a check for MAC ethernet addresses, which have unique identifier segments for the originating company - but this would be problematic.
†On† 10/24 †at† 01:44 PM Said
Alex is right, you guys are givng this idiot more media play than he deserves for being a thief. He rips of PearPC and then claims one of his programmers stole the code and then he fired him, when previous articles state that he wrote the code himself and his boss who owns MXS agreed to let him post the program on his site and sell it.
Is anybody home around here?
†On† 10/25 †at† 08:57 AM Said
You guys who think that this will be good for Apple that “Apple will sit back and rake in the cash” are delusional!
If you knew Apple, you’d know that HARDWARE REVENUES are their lifeblood. If people can use OS X on any home-brewed x86 PC, their computer sales will take a heavy hit and ultimately there will be no OS X to run on PearPC or CherryOS, because Apple will have gone DOWN the tubes. There’s no way Apple would survive the financial turnaround from “Apple Computer” to “Applesoft”.
