JJ,
I see your point with it having to be popular before people will purchase it.
I also, now think that it is a good idea to support more people if we are willing to spend more time doing it. Which just mentioning not doing it to you makes it seem you'll give it as much time as you possibly could towards getting it like that.
Also, I don't want to make a clone of OSX. If its not gonna run OSX software there is no point to making an OSX clone. I think some elements from OSX should go in, and some elements from NeXT should go in, and some elements from windows should go in.
However, it will have to look completely kickass in order for it to become popular. Cus when people first look at it, they see how it looks, we want them to say "wow" (like u said" right when they lay eyes on a screenshot. Then when they use it we want them to say "wow" again.
I don't want it to be Aqua, or a half assed copy. It will have to be something newer and better looking.
I repeat, I do not want this to be a clone of OSX.