CherryOS is (Not) Real
I haven’t really been commenting on the ongoing CherryOS debacle. I thought for sure it would fade away after it was quickly proven that the demo code they gave out was basically just an OpenSource project (PearPC). But now, according to this Wired article, the author now claims that this wasn’t the real CherryOS (”…it was a very bad version!”), but the super double good version will be made available on November 25. This time for sure.
It’s pretty much been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the released code was just PearPC, a decent but incomplete OpenSource project for allowing OS X to run on other architectures, most notably x86. They actually do have something that pretty much works with some limitations. (Wired article on PearPC here.) Although the author (or company owner - or something) *still* claims that not only is CherryOS not based on PearPC, but that the existing versions people tested were not based on PearPC - except that he goes on to say that he fired a programmer for including “some” PearPC code (or all of it, it appears.)
These jokers would do a lot better to just admit to using OpenSource code in their products. It’s not a bad thing, and all it requires are at most some back and forth with the original authors. Instead they try to hide everything, which usually results in getting caught and definitely means you’re never going to have a product or trusting customers. Plus it just makes them look like idiots.
But on November 25th, they will be vindicated. My guess is that we’ll never hear from them again.
Update Oct 24, 2004: From their website:
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.
Yes, it was the overwhelming response from interested parties that caused them to withdraw the software. So apparently the stuff was *so* bad they had to pull it back because they couldn’t support all the problems. I know I just hate it when I’m overwhelmed with people wanting to buy. Or maybe it was just that they got caught including code that, for some reason, they won’t admit to using. Whatever. Very funny stuff.