Apple2012-01-21
Apple hardware is garbage.
So, back in 2008 I was toying with installing OS X on a Hackintosh computer, for the sake of developing software for the OS.
After a year and a half of working around various issues caused by hacking up the OS to run on ordinary x86 hardware, I decided my time was worth money and invested in the then-current Mac Mini, which was (and still is) ridiculously overpriced for what you get.
I did this in part because I had heard repeatedly that all the extra money you spend on an Apple goes into quality hardware components. Well, in a word? Bullshit.
Awful Sales
The machine itself cost me $600.
When buying the Mac Mini, I knew it used a mini-DVI port. As such, I asked the sales clerk if I needed an adapter for a DVI monitor. He confirmed that I did, and was all too happy to sell me the $35 adapter. When I arrived home, I saw that the system came with an adapter inside the box. Just wonderful. Not worth a 35-minute drive both ways to see if I could return it.
Hard Drive Failure
Within about eight months of owning the device, the hard drive died. This cost me a large volume of media, as I had been using the device as an HTPC.
Apparently screws are not "hip" anymore, so to open the Mac Mini, you need a putty knife. Yeah, you can't make this stuff up. I suppose it's Apple's version of a Torx screw: what rich hipster would have a drywall tool lying around, right?
After intricately taking the system apart, I find that the hard drive is none other than a Hitachi Deskstar. Hitachi of course bought the hard drive division of IBM, who of course earned the all-too-deserved name of the "IBM DeathStar".
I can see why, these drives are absolute shit. No doubt only purchased because they were the cheapest thing Apple could find.
So another $60 and in went a WD Caviar Blue.
Eject button? Maybe on a lame Windows PC
If screws weren't cool, why would I expect eject buttons to be? There's just one problem: say your hard drive dies, and you replace it, but you already have ... say ... a very rare indie band CD in your drive that you were just listening to the other day. How do you get it out to put the OS CD in?
Er, well ... you don't. There's not even a manual eject paperclip hole. And you can't do anything with a Mac without an operating system. No BIOS, no keyboard shortcuts, just a gray screen. So my only option was to use tweezers and a precision flathead screwdriver to physically pry the disc out. This, of course, ruined my CD completely. It was a miracle that the drive worked at all after that.
OS Reinstall
Nothing too difficult here. Just mildly terrifying since the installation CD doesn't see fit to give you any kind of indicator that it's actually working. You get the same solid gray screen for a good 5-10 minutes while the CD loads in the necessary files.
RAM Failure
Flash forward another few months, and I realize that I can no longer use VirtualBox. The system crawls to a stop. After investigating the problem, I realize the system is reporting that I have only 1GB of RAM, even though my model came with 2GB.
So off to the store to spend another $40 on some Corsair RAM. I get the system open, take it apart, replace the RAM, put it back together, power on and ... beep! ... beep! That's the no RAM installed beep, apparently. Okay, great, so this system is picky about RAM. In 2012. Okay, whatever. Take it apart, put the old RAM back. Beep! Same problem. Now neither of the cheap Hylinx memory sticks it came with are working. Wait, Hylinx? Where is this quality? This is the same generic shit I expect out of a Dell or HP pre-built computer.
But I digress. No matter what I do, no RAM will work. I tried all four RAM sticks I had in all four slots, both individually and together, to no avail.
Wonderful, thank you Apple. For only $735+tax, I had an underpowered computer for a little over a year, that is now a very expensive paperweight.
Hypothesis
My guess is the system failed due to over heating. The cooling situation inside the case was woefully inadequate. But you know, gotta be quiet, right?
Background
I should note that I take extremely good care of my systems. The Mac Mini sat out on the open on top of my desk, in a room never above 70f. I've never, ever had to throw out an entire computer before. The worst I've ever had happen was one time a mainboard died, which was an $80 repair. But since Apple has a proprietary mainboard, it's not one I can pick up off a store shelf.
So thank you again Apple, for one more "first time for everything" in my life.
Going Forward
I will never buy another piece of Apple hardware, or officially support their different-for-the-sake-of-it operating systems, until Apple refunds all of my money. Which will, of course, never happen. So if you want to know why I don't bother with OS X compatibility ... well, now you know.
I can't stress it enough: don't buy Apple hardware. Or you will be sorry that you did.
Not only do I despise their business practices of suing their competitors out of the market place, and locking down your expensive hardware, and dictating what types of software you are and are not allowed to install on your devices ... now I realize that their overpriced hardware really is exactly that.
Seriously, fuck Apple, and everything that they stand for.