Psystar to Fight Apple OS X EULA
The Psystar story takes another twist as the company now vows to stand up against Goliath Apple promising to fight Apple's end user license agreement that accompanies Mac OS X 10.5.
Psystar recently unveiled a $399 Mac Clone called the OpenMac, which has similar internal hardware as Apple's $2000 Mac Pro. The kicker is that the Psystar computer runs on the Mac OS X. Psystar is now in clear violation of Apple's EULA, which prohibits running the operating system on any piece of hardware without that little Apple logo.
Now Psystar has come out of the gates swinging as it plans on fighting Apple's EULA by slinging around some antitrust law violations. One Psystar employee even said that Apple grossly overcharges for its hardware, stating the computers have a markup of 80 percent.
The good news is that Psystar continues to sell the OpenMac and will likely continue to sell it until a court tells the company to stop.
Making the Mac OS available for other manufacturers may hurt Apple's bottom line initially, but in the long run it will turn more and more people into Apple faithful. Just give in, Apple. It's a great step forward for the personal computer industry.
PC World's Marketplace
PC World's Free Whitepapers
tech news tech blogs community & forums laptop prices software reviews downloads
Dump Apple and switch to Linux, ie, Ubuntu. Runs rings around Leopard, free support, and runs the best open source applications.
Apple OS is based on a Linux cloe, FreeBSD.
Apple's Leopard operating system is actually NextStep, which was based on BSD, not FreeBSD. Apple acquired Next and developed NextStep into OS X. Leopard is not a clone of Linux--except perhaps in a parallel universe--NextStep came out in 1989. Linux was first released in 1991. FreeBSD wasn't released until 1993.
Apple's Leopard OS is also one of the four certified UNIX 03 operating systems. (Apple, IBM, HP, and Sun). Leopard is UNIX, Linux is not.
I think that before typing suggestions like "dump Apple and switch to Linux," one should ponder the practical ramifications of such a switch.
For example, how does a business, without the dough to hire a full time IT staff, do this? Tell me, how does a business that absolutely, positively, must have an easy-to-use system use Linux? I am a businessperson. My computers have to be compatible with clients' systems, and have to run real, genuine MS Word.
When I' on business travel I use a MacBook Pro (with OSX Office 2004). It fits my business needs. I have OSX and XP on the same computer, I really like its keyboard, and it looks cool. Except for having to replace it battery, stone reliable.
If I'm stuck on an OSX problem, I simply call Apple. Yes, they charge me about 50 bucks, but they answer the phone, without much wait, walk me through the problem, and they fix it. That's what I am looking for.
Tell me, how is a Linux system going to do this? Who do I call if it fails?
Although Apple certainly overcharges for their hardware, I really don't want the market to be flooded with cheap OS X's that have oodles of compatibility issues, bad drivers etc. Macs are so good because 1/ Steve has a good design team (both programming and style), and 2/ they have total control over most of the computer parts. Allowing clones shakes the whole foundation. I disagree that "Apple should just give in." I, for one, will be cheering them on in this battle.
Man, the world is full of computer illiterate people.
"Tell me, how does a business that absolutely, positively, must have an easy-to-use system use Linux?"
Uh, Linux is as robust and full featured and easy to use and win or osx. The fact that you haven't run it or can't figure it out has nothing to do with its viability as a business or personal OS. Look at the French Police force for example, Peugeot and others that are moving to Linux to avoid the high costs associated with proprietary software. The US may be slow to change but the rest of the world is moving on. If you love your overpriced (if a $400 computer can run OSX then Apple computers are overpriced) sexy computer then more power to you. Just don't go around claiming that only a $2000 will do for everyone else. Personally, I'm buying an eee. You don't need a $1800 Air to surf the web in a coffee shop or watch a movie on a flight.
50 bucks for tech support? I wish I was that rich. I settle for fast, free support online. L
"Man, the world is full of computer illiterate people."
The above sentence is not responsive to the question I posed.
Query: what is the definition of: "computer illiterate people?" And where do you get "haven't run it or can't figure it out?"
Representing Linux developers is part of my law practice, particularly in GNU license matters.
The French police force? Is that a business? Do you have a dictionary? Also, the last time I checked, the French police dept. has the Euros to hire its own IT dept.
Peugot? What that have to do with my question? Again, Peugot has the dough to hire its own IT department.
Did I say I have an 1800 Air? I thought I said I have a MacBook Pro. "Air" and "MacBookPro" are spelled differently.
How does "surf the web in a coffee shop" pertain to this topic?
Did I say Linux was not full featured or robust? No. Read the third paragraph of this response, supra.
Like I instruct witnesses, understand the question before attempting an answer.
Killing off clone Macs is about the dumbest thing Apple could possibly do in the long run. People don't get Macs because they cost more (proprietary hardware) and don't run as much stuff, BootCamp & switching to Intel CPUs are baby steps towards realizing that. Sure, w/ clones the price of Macs would go down, but more people would be buying OSX -- which would encourage more software to be made for it. They could still sell their computers, just offer really good & thorough support, turn that Apple logo into a badge of truly added value, rather than what it is now -- a sign saying "I like paying double for the same parts". They'd make up for it on volume, & actually seriously rival Windows.
I may be a Windows user, but I know an opening when I see one. Competition would be good for me, because Microsoft would have pressure to keep improving. Right now they don't.
able510. You sure told him. Thanks for the chuckle! :)
Mmm. To bring this thing up to MacMini (not MacPro) standard it is going to need a few little basic things like:
ethernet
wireless networking
dvi or vga output (not sure which it currently offers - the website doesn't say)
digital and analogue sound in and out
firewire ports
iLife
If it can manage all of the above and shrink its form factor to about a fiftieth of the current size it can certainly claim to be a winner. Until then, I'd suggest it doesn't try comparison advertising against the MacMini in any country or state with decent consumer protection laws!
Cheers
Rod
Oh, and through in bluetooth and a remote control , too, of course!