DrunkenBlog

Notes on CherryOS version 1.2

On March 29, 2005, Maui-X released "version 1.2" of CherryOS. It's only been a few days, but there are already some interesting bits floating out which I've added to the original The pits in CherryOS post.

Instead of making you wade through to the end of the evidence section I figured I'd include them here with some extra bits because it's probably the last time I'll write about this for awhile.

1. The price CherryOS has doubled from $49 to $99, while functionality was removed, and with no explanation being given as to why. They talked about the $50 price point everywhere, so it's not like it was an introductory price.

   No real clue on this one, but I'm sure not everyone knows the deal with this software and they're selling a few copies, and they're probably just trying to eek out more per sale. Or maybe someone just told them what a veblen good is.

2. The file size of the CherryOS version 1.2 compressed executable is now 6.3MB, down from the 7.4MB version 1.0 executable released on March 08, 2005. They have removed a full 15% of the zipped executable since its 1.0 release. (Source)

3. The 'shared drive browsing' functionality has been removed -- Maui-X says it has been disabled -- presumably along with the HFVExplorer code and graphics. To make up for this, they say they're replacing it with Drag & Drop as an option. (Source)

4. When it comes to the configuration file mentioned above, they seem to have taken the evidence to heart and tried to obfuscate it in a fairly obvious way. Their method of doing so is to change all the variables to names starting with "cos", which presumable standards for CherryOS. As an example:
   • Prior CherryOS config variable:
     memory_size = 0x20000000
   • New CherryOS config variable:
     cosms = 0x20000000

   You can't make this stuff up. It's like trying to hide secrets from the NSA and your secret code is pig-latin. (Source)

CherryOS also claims a CPU performance increase of over 300%, along with an "overall system performance increase of over 300%", along with a core re-rewrite which improves stability. Interestingly enough, the PearPC group had just released a major update for PearPC focusing on those areas about a week prior. I'll let you do the math.

When it comes to the speed claims, we can actually do the math ourselves. Since they promise 80% native speed of your x86 hardware, that should mean that a 3.0GHz Pentium 4 should run Mac OS X at what feels like 2.4GHz. Now, with their claim of a 300% speed increase, that means by installing CherryOS, you can run Mac OS X as though it was on a 7.2GHz Pentium 4.

And they say the next planned release will have even more speed increases. No wonder they doubled the price.

I'd recommend you glance over it for your own amusement at some of the stuff they've cobbled together. I'm singling these out because they're my favorites:

• Their further explanation of the 'code similarities' that may exist between their product and any others.

• There's an entire section devoted to telling you that CherryOS is not capable of running processor-intensive applications at anywhere near the native speed that you could get on a Mac, but it's just peachy for web and email. Why can't a 7GHz Pentium 4 run iMovie?

• In the "What features make CherryOS different?" section of their press release, which is basically why you should choose to use it instead of something else, they give a list of five 'features'. One of them is sound support, yet there is no sound support in CherryOS, but they do say they'll eventually have it. If it was legal to do this, every business would.

Basically, none of this stuff adds up at all, and we've heard this story before. The parrot is dead, and it's only a matter of time before we're offered the slug.

 Posted by drunkenbatman
    March 31, 2005, at 06:52 AM