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Psystar will defy Mac OS X EULA by selling Mac clone?

17 April 2008 0:19 by James "Dela" Delahunty | 8 comments

Psystar got international attention from the media just days ago when it announced plans to manufacture and sell a $399 computer capable of running the Mac OS X operating system, which would openly defy the End-User License Agreement (EULA) of the Mac software. Since then the media has attempted to probe this company, with some strange results which include it changing its physical address multiple times in days.

On Wednesday, Psystar's website was down for several hours. The company claims the site was taken offline because of problems processing credit card transactions. It markets its "Open Computer" as being less than a quarter of the cost of a high-end Mac. The company offers a basic configuration of a 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 Processor, 2GB of RAM and an integrated Intel GMA 950 GFX processor.

The EULA for the Mac OS X operating system specifically states that it should not be used with anything other than an Apple-labeled product, and forbids users from enabling others to do so. An employee of Psystar talked to InformationWeek. "What if Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) said you could only install Windows on Dell (Dell) computers?" he said, identifying himself as Robert. "What if Honda said that, after you buy their car, you could only drive it on the roads they said you could?"

He went on to insist that Psystar is not breaking any laws. However, when tech enthusiasts checked for the physical address of the company on Psystar's website, they ran into a big problem. The first address found led them to a residential area, then the second address led them to a packing supply company which had never even heard of Psystar and now it lists an address about 10 miles from Miami International Airport.

With such weird behavior going on, is Psystar really that confident it is not breaking any laws? Apple appears to have remained silent, at least publicly, so far.

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Permalink to this article

Judge rules in favor of Apple in Psystar case (15 November 2009)

Psystar will support OS X Snow Leopard on its machines (7 September 2009)

Apple: Psystar destroyed evidence (16 August 2009)

Apple tries to put Mac clone maker out of business citing EULA terms (19 July 2008)

Windows XP SP3 coming next week (21 April 2008)

Apple shows MacBook Air & improves Apple TV (15 January 2008)

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navi1199 (Junior Member) 17 April 2008 2:10
*Quote:* However, when tech enthusiasts checked for the physical address of the company on Psystar's website, they ran into a big problem. The first address found led them to a residential area, then the second address led them to a packing supply company which had never even heard of Psystar and now it lists an address about 10 miles from Miami International Airport. @_@ these guys are sick... thats some crazy hacking going on lolololol only a matter of time till they come knocking on your door step hahahaa [ + quote]
ripxrush (Junior Member) 17 April 2008 3:19
well here are some other things like what apple is doing with its OS X there own iphone only on AT&T, ps3 games can be played on a wait for it ps# xbox360 games can be played on an xbox360 so it really isn't that different than other things, and the car thing would be more like if a part breaks you must buy the part from them!but it does work with the iphone! Apple has gotten good @ this little game of patents & minor things needed to run there shit! the funny thing is that M# sees the same thing & figures hey i can sell windows xp/vista to dual boot onto a mac & get there $ too! but Mac says no we are too good for your $ unless you have the status to spend $2000 on a computer every 2-3 years you cant run our stuff! [ + quote]
susieqbbb (Inactive) 17 April 2008 6:54
I don't buy this. Apple's machines are rigged by firmware so you cannot just install it on a clone look at osx86 they have to hack the computer to use bios emulation in order for the os to even boot on non apple computers. I think this is bull. [ + quote]
susieqbbb (Inactive) 17 April 2008 6:57
i would like to know where you are getting your information from i went to there web page and the open pro machine that runs mac os x is 999.99 not 399.99 [ + quote]
blu3man (Junior Member) 17 April 2008 11:58
Cant wait for apples response. [ + quote]
stordoff (Newbie) 17 April 2008 13:43
susieqbbb, EFI emulation is possible, and has been implemented with EFI v8, a free piece of software However, the licence for this states: "Redistribution and use in binary form for direct or indirect commercial purposes, with or without modification, is stricktly forbidden." Author's Blog: http://netkas.org/?p=62 News Article: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/04/16/hacker_slams_mac_cloner/ [ + quote]
stordoff (Newbie) 17 April 2008 13:47
*Originally posted by susieqbbb:* i would like to know where you are getting your information from i went to there web page and the open pro machine that runs mac os x is 999.99 not 399.99 You missed the Open Computer (non-pro). It is $399.99 and is exactly as described in this article http://www.psystar.com/index.php?&page=s...emart&Itemid=72 [ + quote]
jony218 (Senior Member) 17 April 2008 15:09
*Quote:* open pro machine that runs mac os x is 999.99 not 399.99 , remember you need to convert from euros to dollars. You were probably reading the euro price. A common unavoidable mistake. [ + quote]