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I tried once but now I don't understand it. The main benefit for me using OSx is that is a nix desktop os that works well on a very specific hardware. Having u

by jfroma 12y ago

I tried once but now I don't understand it. The main benefit for me using OSx is that is a nix desktop os that works well on a very specific hardware. Having used linux on the desktop before for years I always had some problem with drivers and alike. If I were willing to deal with these kind of issues I'd do it with some linux distribution not osx. I guess there are some cases like developing software for Apple os.

eropple 12y ago
I can only speak for myself, but I Hackintosh because I need more computrons than I can get in a retina MBP or a Mac mini and I'm not paying $5K for a Mac Pro. My desktop (a Nehalem i7 with a Radeon HD6870) is still competitive with every Mac they field, aside from that Pro, and I paid about a grand for it three years ago. Even aside from the lack of basically essential applications like Photoshop and Illustrator, I'd rather invest a little effort making OS X work than work every day in a Linux environment. The desktop experience, be it GNOME or KDE or XFCE, is at best lukewarm and usually leaves me asking in vain why this software hates me and wants me to waste my time.
- wuster 12y ago
  Same here, I run a spec that Apple simply won't sell me. The moment they sell me a computer that's user upgradable over time and allows me to choose the monitors (no glare, please) that fit my needs, I'll say TAKE MY MONEY! My Hackintosh built in 2012 for less than $800, it has: - Core i5 3.4 GHz (still competitive with Mac CPU specs sold in 2014 and into 2015) - GeForce GT 640 with 2 x DVI + 1 x HDMI for a triple monitor setup (much better than anything in Mac Minis and some iMacs) - 2 SSD drives for main OS - 2 x 3TB magnetic drives (sync'ed to Amazon Glacier) Note that two years after my initial build, faster CPU options and graphics cards can be swapped in with incremental upgrades as my requirements increase. I'll post separately in this thread tomorrow about my recommendations and experience running this machine, but it's hands down the best Mac money can't buy, with room to grow. I don't do it because I don't want to give Apple my money, I have to do it because Apple won't take my money. - P.S. IMO, Hackintosh only makes sense for desktops. While the various methods could get it to work for laptops, no manufacturer comes close to Apple's build quality. That trackpad is just amazing.
- jfroma 12y ago
  Thanks for sharing, application support is something I didn't consider on my post and yes I can see a great value there. Regarding Gnome, KDE and XFCE, I think these are not that bad, but I understand having different experiences than you because I suspect we are different type of users.
- obviouslygreen 12y ago
  I can respect your aesthetic reasons for running OS X, but it's entirely subjective. I'm exactly the opposite: I run Mac hardware because, for my requirements, it's the only option. I run Debian on it because, for my requirements, looking pretty is the very last thing on my list and whatever doesn't run from the terminal is a few easy clicks away. "Lukewarm" with respect to a "desktop experience" depends entirely on what you want from your desktop. I have the same "why does this software hate me" while attempting to use OS X. It doesn't make either of our experiences more or less valid; it simply means that different people have different tastes and requirements, and that any given mix of hardware and software might be great for you but will be totally inappropriate for someone else.
foobarqux 12y ago
I just want to run OSX in a VM.
- lnanek2 12y ago
  VMWare has been capable of that for a long time, although not publicly.
  - druska 12y ago
    It doesn't have hardware video acceleration, unfortunately.
  - wila 12y ago
    While I understand what you mean let me try and clarify that a bit. Running OS X under VMware Workstation is not supported by VMware and is not allowed according to apple's EULA. This probably was what you referred towards. However you can run OS X legally and supported on VMware Fusion and VMware vSphere provided that the hardware it runs on is apple hardware. Yes I realized that that by itself is probably no good for most of the hackintosh folks, but it is an alternative option if you have a need to run more as one OS X version and want to reduce the cost a bit. Below is a direct link from the VMware compatility guide on OS X 10.9, you can change the details in the search if you want info about another OS X version. http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php?deviceCategory=software&details=1&partner=269&operatingSystems=193&testConfigurations=16&page=1&display_interval=10&sortColumn=Partner&sortOrder=Asc&testConfig=16&bookmark=1 http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php?dev...
zmb_ 12y ago
For me, Linux on the desktop is not yet close to OS X in terms of usability and application support (especially MS Office). I'm currently thinking about a hackintosh, simply because Apple does not build good hardware for desktop. The two Apple desktop machines that I currently have (Mac Mini and iMac 27") both cooked themselves to death (DVD drive on the mini and graphics card + display on the iMac). Apple simply puts too many components into too small case without enough proper thermal engineering. As a result, in heavy use the devices just end up frying themselves.
ido 12y ago
Pretty much, I need to compile to iOS and OS X. I currently use my (5 years old, but upgraded over the years) Mac mini for it, but as the latest version of the mini is severely restricted in upgrade potential (soldered on ram etc) when I'll want to upgrade I might look into this.
orbifold 12y ago
If you use a reasonable Gigabyte main board, an Intel CPU and a Nvidia graphics card, you will most likely not run into trouble. I had to change some Bios options (turn on AHCI, disable Intel Vd) and install a network and sound driver after successful installation. One of the few remaining glitches is that authentication in FaceTime is done in part by reading a unique identifier in the Firmware, which apparently is not present.
fuzzix 12y ago
I'm considering it as an option for running proprietary video conference applications which either don't work or are chronically bad on Linux.

by jfroma 12y ago

eropple 12y ago

I can only speak for myself, but I Hackintosh because I need more computrons than I can get in a retina MBP or a Mac mini and I'm not paying $5K for a Mac Pro. My desktop (a Nehalem i7 with a Radeon HD6870) is still competitive with every Mac they field, aside from that Pro, and I paid about a grand for it three years ago. Even aside from the lack of basically essential applications like Photoshop and Illustrator, I'd rather invest a little effort making OS X work than work every day in a Linux environment. The desktop experience, be it GNOME or KDE or XFCE, is at best lukewarm and usually leaves me asking in vain why this software hates me and wants me to waste my time.

wuster 12y ago
Same here, I run a spec that Apple simply won't sell me. The moment they sell me a computer that's user upgradable over time and allows me to choose the monitors (no glare, please) that fit my needs, I'll say TAKE MY MONEY! My Hackintosh built in 2012 for less than $800, it has: - Core i5 3.4 GHz (still competitive with Mac CPU specs sold in 2014 and into 2015) - GeForce GT 640 with 2 x DVI + 1 x HDMI for a triple monitor setup (much better than anything in Mac Minis and some iMacs) - 2 SSD drives for main OS - 2 x 3TB magnetic drives (sync'ed to Amazon Glacier) Note that two years after my initial build, faster CPU options and graphics cards can be swapped in with incremental upgrades as my requirements increase. I'll post separately in this thread tomorrow about my recommendations and experience running this machine, but it's hands down the best Mac money can't buy, with room to grow. I don't do it because I don't want to give Apple my money, I have to do it because Apple won't take my money. - P.S. IMO, Hackintosh only makes sense for desktops. While the various methods could get it to work for laptops, no manufacturer comes close to Apple's build quality. That trackpad is just amazing.
jfroma 12y ago
Thanks for sharing, application support is something I didn't consider on my post and yes I can see a great value there. Regarding Gnome, KDE and XFCE, I think these are not that bad, but I understand having different experiences than you because I suspect we are different type of users.
obviouslygreen 12y ago
I can respect your aesthetic reasons for running OS X, but it's entirely subjective. I'm exactly the opposite: I run Mac hardware because, for my requirements, it's the only option. I run Debian on it because, for my requirements, looking pretty is the very last thing on my list and whatever doesn't run from the terminal is a few easy clicks away. "Lukewarm" with respect to a "desktop experience" depends entirely on what you want from your desktop. I have the same "why does this software hate me" while attempting to use OS X. It doesn't make either of our experiences more or less valid; it simply means that different people have different tastes and requirements, and that any given mix of hardware and software might be great for you but will be totally inappropriate for someone else.

foobarqux 12y ago

I just want to run OSX in a VM.

lnanek2 12y ago
VMWare has been capable of that for a long time, although not publicly.
- druska 12y ago
  It doesn't have hardware video acceleration, unfortunately.
- wila 12y ago
  While I understand what you mean let me try and clarify that a bit. Running OS X under VMware Workstation is not supported by VMware and is not allowed according to apple's EULA. This probably was what you referred towards. However you can run OS X legally and supported on VMware Fusion and VMware vSphere provided that the hardware it runs on is apple hardware. Yes I realized that that by itself is probably no good for most of the hackintosh folks, but it is an alternative option if you have a need to run more as one OS X version and want to reduce the cost a bit. Below is a direct link from the VMware compatility guide on OS X 10.9, you can change the details in the search if you want info about another OS X version. http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php?deviceCategory=software&details=1&partner=269&operatingSystems=193&testConfigurations=16&page=1&display_interval=10&sortColumn=Partner&sortOrder=Asc&testConfig=16&bookmark=1 http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php?dev...

zmb_ 12y ago

For me, Linux on the desktop is not yet close to OS X in terms of usability and application support (especially MS Office). I'm currently thinking about a hackintosh, simply because Apple does not build good hardware for desktop. The two Apple desktop machines that I currently have (Mac Mini and iMac 27") both cooked themselves to death (DVD drive on the mini and graphics card + display on the iMac). Apple simply puts too many components into too small case without enough proper thermal engineering. As a result, in heavy use the devices just end up frying themselves.

ido 12y ago

Pretty much, I need to compile to iOS and OS X. I currently use my (5 years old, but upgraded over the years) Mac mini for it, but as the latest version of the mini is severely restricted in upgrade potential (soldered on ram etc) when I'll want to upgrade I might look into this.

orbifold 12y ago

If you use a reasonable Gigabyte main board, an Intel CPU and a Nvidia graphics card, you will most likely not run into trouble. I had to change some Bios options (turn on AHCI, disable Intel Vd) and install a network and sound driver after successful installation. One of the few remaining glitches is that authentication in FaceTime is done in part by reading a unique identifier in the Firmware, which apparently is not present.

fuzzix 12y ago

I'm considering it as an option for running proprietary video conference applications which either don't work or are chronically bad on Linux.