> > Well, I'm still in the waiting catagory, but just found out how they made
> > the iOpener "unhackable".
> > According to http://www.i-opener-linux.net/ they've snipped 4 of the pins on
> > the IDE connector, epoxied in the BIOS, and updated the BIOS.
> Well, soldering in a new IDE connector is not exactly hard (unless you're
> a PC-goon who believes soldering is impossible on computer boards :-)).
> And epoxy is not that hard to deal with -- most types break down at a
> lower temperature than is used for soldering, so can be shifted fairly
> easily.
In fact, thats the chance to put the connector onto th back
side, so you won't need a twisted cable.
> > Also apparently they've put in a really ugly "Terms of Sale".
> I don't know about the States, but over here, if I buy something, then I can
> use it for any legal purpose, no matter what the manufacturer says. I can
> make whatever modifications/adjustments I choose. The manufacturer can
> refuse to support me, they can refuse to let me use the modified unit to
> access their service (which could apply here), but they can't stop me
> taking a soldering iron to it. Period.
Jep, but still a company is able to sell something in different packages.
Package a) a sole device USD 499,
Package b) the device and a 24 Month contract USD 99 + 24 x 20
Compare it to the mobile phone market. An average phone is still about
500 Mark (150 GBP / 250 USD) but if you buy it with an contract,
you get it as low as 1 Mark (30 penny/50 cents).
Gruss
H.
--
VCF Europa am 29./30. April 2000 in Muenchen
http://www.vintage.org/vcfe
http://www.homecomputer.de/vcfe
Received on Thu Apr 06 2000 - 10:04:45 BST