• Re: [NEWS] Tiny Classic Macintosh 128K replica that actually works

    From scole@3:633/280.2 to All on Saturday, August 09, 2025 17:13:44
    In article <101844c$3fq8l$1@dont-email.me>, Your Name
    <YourName@YourISP.com> wrote:

    A replica Classic Macintosh 128K that works, but it half as big as a
    can of Coca-Cola! It uses a Raspberry Pi computer, so really emulating
    a Classic Mac. Unfortunately it is currently out of stock, but more are planned.


    This Tiny Macintosh Replica Actually Works
    ------------------------------------------
    Meet the pico-mac-nano, <snip>

    Well, it was this post back in May that brought this gizmo to my
    attention, and I went and immediately placed an order!

    Yesterday, I received confirmation that it had finally shipped so in a few
    days will have this in my hands. I am torn between ripping it open and
    using it or keeping it sealed and boxed and tucking it away into my
    Macintosh collection storage crates...

    I'll probably open it up and have a play, that's my usual way with these things, but the reason I'm considering hiding it away for posterity is
    that there have been some developments in the project - a cease and desist
    from Apple.

    The vendor has been sending out regular updates to all those who ordered -
    it sounds like they had a huge amount of orders, leading to
    round-the-clock work for them, and he freely admitted that he anticipated
    it being short-lived as a product due to the blatant unlicenced use of
    Apple's IP.

    His latest update, about the cease and desist, did state that Apple were actually very friendly and positive about it, even while threatening to
    sue him into oblivion, but there will likely be no more of these once he
    has shipped all previously paid-for orders.

    --
    3D Printing discussion: free.3d-printing
    Vintage Apple Mac discussion: comp.sys.mac.vintage
    Toasted Comestibles discussion: free.toast
    Formula 1 discussion: rec.autos.sport.f1

    --- MBSE BBS v1.1.2 (Linux-x86_64)
    * Origin: vintageapplemac.com (3:633/280.2@fidonet)
  • From Your Name@3:633/280.2 to All on Saturday, August 09, 2025 17:56:00
    On 2025-08-09 07:13:45 +0000, scole said:
    In article <101844c$3fq8l$1@dont-email.me>, Your Name
    <YourName@YourISP.com> wrote:

    A replica Classic Macintosh 128K that works, but it half as big as a
    can of Coca-Cola! It uses a Raspberry Pi computer, so really emulating
    a Classic Mac. Unfortunately it is currently out of stock, but more are
    planned.


    This Tiny Macintosh Replica Actually Works
    ------------------------------------------
    Meet the pico-mac-nano, <snip>

    Well, it was this post back in May that brought this gizmo to my
    attention, and I went and immediately placed an order!

    Yesterday, I received confirmation that it had finally shipped so in a few days will have this in my hands. I am torn between ripping it open and
    using it or keeping it sealed and boxed and tucking it away into my
    Macintosh collection storage crates...

    I'll probably open it up and have a play, that's my usual way with these things, but the reason I'm considering hiding it away for posterity is
    that there have been some developments in the project - a cease and desist from Apple.

    The vendor has been sending out regular updates to all those who ordered -
    it sounds like they had a huge amount of orders, leading to
    round-the-clock work for them, and he freely admitted that he anticipated
    it being short-lived as a product due to the blatant unlicenced use of Apple's IP.

    His latest update, about the cease and desist, did state that Apple were actually very friendly and positive about it, even while threatening to
    sue him into oblivion, but there will likely be no more of these once he
    has shipped all previously paid-for orders.

    Putting the 3D plans, etc. online for free so people can build their
    own (which I think might have been already one of the options) would
    get around that. It's usually only when you're making money or defaming
    that the registered / trademark / copyright owners start to get grumpy.




    --- MBSE BBS v1.1.2 (Linux-x86_64)
    * Origin: A noiseless patient Spider (3:633/280.2@fidonet)
  • From scole@3:633/280.2 to All on Saturday, August 09, 2025 19:29:18
    In article <1076uug$168gh$1@dont-email.me>, Your Name
    <YourName@YourISP.com> wrote:

    On 2025-08-09 07:13:45 +0000, scole said:
    The vendor has been sending out regular updates to all those who ordered - it sounds like they had a huge amount of orders, leading to
    round-the-clock work for them, and he freely admitted that he anticipated it being short-lived as a product due to the blatant unlicenced use of Apple's IP.

    His latest update, about the cease and desist, did state that Apple were actually very friendly and positive about it, even while threatening to
    sue him into oblivion, but there will likely be no more of these once he has shipped all previously paid-for orders.

    Putting the 3D plans, etc. online for free so people can build their
    own (which I think might have been already one of the options) would
    get around that. It's usually only when you're making money or defaming
    that the registered / trademark / copyright owners start to get grumpy.

    Yes, the guy stated that he would be sharing it all for folk to make their
    own if they want - like you say, it was the commercial aspect of it that
    was almost guaranteed to fire up Apple's lawyers...

    Still, the way they kinda predicted it would have a very short lifespan
    and encouraged people to pre-order to get ahead of any legal smackdown was pretty smart - they've clearly managed to sell a lot of product, I think
    it was mentioned in one of the email updates that they were managing to complete and ship 40 units a day, 7 days a week, so add that over the last
    few months and it's a lot! I hope they've cleared a decent enough profit
    to have made the effort worth their while, they seem like good eggs!

    --- MBSE BBS v1.1.2 (Linux-x86_64)
    * Origin: vintageapplemac.com (3:633/280.2@fidonet)
  • From Your Name@3:633/280.2 to All on Sunday, August 10, 2025 07:44:14
    On 2025-08-09 09:29:18 +0000, scole said:
    In article <1076uug$168gh$1@dont-email.me>, Your Name
    <YourName@YourISP.com> wrote:
    On 2025-08-09 07:13:45 +0000, scole said:
    The vendor has been sending out regular updates to all those who ordered - >>> it sounds like they had a huge amount of orders, leading to
    round-the-clock work for them, and he freely admitted that he anticipated >>> it being short-lived as a product due to the blatant unlicenced use of
    Apple's IP.

    His latest update, about the cease and desist, did state that Apple were >>> actually very friendly and positive about it, even while threatening to
    sue him into oblivion, but there will likely be no more of these once he >>> has shipped all previously paid-for orders.

    Putting the 3D plans, etc. online for free so people can build their
    own (which I think might have been already one of the options) would
    get around that. It's usually only when you're making money or defaming
    that the registered / trademark / copyright owners start to get grumpy.

    Yes, the guy stated that he would be sharing it all for folk to make their own if they want - like you say, it was the commercial aspect of it that
    was almost guaranteed to fire up Apple's lawyers...

    Still, the way they kinda predicted it would have a very short lifespan
    and encouraged people to pre-order to get ahead of any legal smackdown was pretty smart - they've clearly managed to sell a lot of product, I think
    it was mentioned in one of the email updates that they were managing to complete and ship 40 units a day, 7 days a week, so add that over the last few months and it's a lot! I hope they've cleared a decent enough profit
    to have made the effort worth their while, they seem like good eggs!

    Most, if not all of that profit will likely get forfeited by the legal
    action. It's plainly obvious that you are not allowed to make money off
    of someone's else's copyright without their permission. If they had
    obtained Apple's permission, then it could have been an entirely
    different story (like the Mac-shaped cushions or Mac-shaped Apple Watch charger you can buy, for example), although the fact that is is an
    actual working computer may still have been a stumbling block.






    --- MBSE BBS v1.1.2 (Linux-x86_64)
    * Origin: A noiseless patient Spider (3:633/280.2@fidonet)