Web Site Claims It will Soon Sell OS X-Friendly 'Open PCs'
On the heels of Mac-clone maker Psystar getting slapped with a lawsuit by Apple for selling PCs running the Mac OS, a new entrant called Open Tech hopes to sell Mac OS-ready PCs and skirt Apple?s legal wrath. I don't think it can.
According to the Open Tech Web site it hopes to avoid legal trouble by refusing to preinstall OS X Leopard. Instead, Open Tech will provide a do-it-yourself kit for installing OS X Leopard on your own. At its Web Open Tech explains:
The company's domain name "iopentech.tk" is traced to Tokelau, a small island in the South Pacific. The site lists no domain registration information for the owner of "iopentech.tk." And some, if not all of the site's Web pages, are hosted on Freewebs.com, a free Website creation and hosting service. I sent an email to Open Tech asking for someone to contact me or answer a few questions. I haven't heard back yet. (will update this blog with latest info)
Ready to Buy a Mac OS-Friendly PC?
Open Tech must think itself clever for shifting any Apple licensing violations to buyers.
However, lets take a look at Apple's EULA. Here you'll find the text: "You agree not to install, use or run the Apple Software on any non-Apple-labeled computer, or to enable others to do so."
Ok, I'm not a lawyer and we still don't really know what Open Tech is selling in terms of a "do-it-yourself kit" and a "Open Tech compatible install disc" but Apple's EULA in my interpretation indicates to me there is a good chance Open Tech will hear from Apple's lawyers.
I'll hand it to Open Tech, the specs are solid for its Open Tech systems and prices are competitive. Right now an Open Tech Home system sports a 3.4GHz Intel Pentium D processor, a 500GB hard drive and 3GB RAM for $620. An Open Tech XT model will run you $1200 and comes with Intel Core 2 Quad 2.40GHz processor, 4GB RAM, 640GB hard drive, and a CoolerMaster ATX Mid-Tower Case.
For now, I don't know how serious I'm going to take Open Tech.
(CREDIT - PC World contributor Brennon Slattery filed this blog.)
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The biggest problems with apple have always centered around the closed system philosophy they use. Every two years I buy a new multimedia PC, every time I price out an Apple it comes up short next to X86 based machines in terms of available games, peripherals and of course, the really restrictive apple DRM policy that comes with itunes.
So I use a 4 year old machine running Ubuntu gutsy gibbon as a media server, file server and for internal DNS and firewalling. I have two windows machines with great TV cards and sound cards that allow me to control the rate at which I send data to the PC, something the folks at the Apple store can't seem to answer, I have to send at 24 Bit, 48Khz any faster will turn my receiver into a straight pipe. My Yamaha receiver allows both PCs to plug in, no fuss, no muss. My Linux file server competently does both file serving and RTSP video. The Linux machine also recognizes any card I have ever plugged in.
Who needs Apple ?