AppleInsider StaffSpeaking to InformationWeek, a Psystar employee identified only as Robert said his company sees Apple's end-user license agreement, which prohibits third-party installations of Mac OS X on non-Apple hardware, as a violation of antitrust laws.
"What if Microsoft said you could only install Windows on Dell computers?," he said. "What if Honda said that, after you buy their car, you could only drive it on the roads they said you could?"
As such, the Psystar representative implied that the company is eager to bring the matter before a court, where it believes Apple will have a tough time defending its stringent licensing terms.
As part of its defense, the Miami-based reseller also appears to be accusing Apple of price gouging its customers with each Mac OS X-based computer it sells.
"They're charging an 80 percent markup on hardware," Robert told InformationWeek.
He said Psystar plans to continue selling its $400 OpenMac clone and insisted that the company isn't "breaking any laws."
Ironically, Psystar on Monday evening changed the name of its offering from "OpenMac" to "Open Computer," presumably to avoid charges that it was indeed violating trademark law.
Andrew O'Hara
Charles Martin
Christine McKee
Malcolm Owen
237 Comments
Hmmm, can someone buy one of these computers and put it through some stringent reliability tests?
That would be worth its weight in gold if we can glean some significant reliability data on these clones to see if they walk the walk.
I mean, the ultimate test is whether Apple's approach creates a better computer, and whether its significant markup is worth paying for.
Ironically, as "Robert" points out, the reason Windows sucks is that you can put the OS on a billion computer systems. I don't know if I want some fly-by-night shop--in Miami, no less!--putting together a Mac made with hardware they deem worthy--I doubt the company is run by anything more than a few good salesman and one guy who was a engineer (sanitation) at one point in his life.
Hope they have a large piggy bank for all the lawyer expenses. They want to test the value / legality of the EULA, that is going to cost some money to bring to a court room.
Psystar will lose. Plain and simple.
Hmmm, can someone buy one of these computers and put it through some stringent reliability tests?
That would be worth its weight in gold if we can glean some significant reliability data on these clones to see if they walk the walk.
I mean, the ultimate test is whether Apple's approach creates a better computer, and whether its significant markup is worth paying for.
Ironically, as "Robert" points out, the reason Windows sucks is that you can put the OS on a billion computer systems. I don't know if I want some fly-by-night shop--in Miami, no less!--putting together a Mac made with hardware they deem worthy--I doubt the company is run by anything more than a few good salesman and one guy who was a engineer (sanitation) at one point in his life.
If these computers aren't reliable, they won't sell. This is a perfect test of, as you say, "whether Apple's approach creates a better computer, and whether its significant markup is worth paying for." Right now, Apple has a monopoly on OS-X-running computers. Apple's hardware doesn't have the same competition that Dell's hardware has. Dell has to make a reliable product at a competitive price to whatever HP, Sony, etc., are putting out. That's one of the main reasons PC's are cheaper than Macs. Economics has drive the price down.
The problem is that Dell, HP, etc. have to work with Microsoft to resolve technical issues. If it works, this Psystar Corp. will have a tough go with no technical support from Apple if there are compatibility issues with their hardware.
p.s. Slamming people by location is not a sign of maturity. There are lots of intelligent people in Miami.
Well of course they do! Would you rather they charged $600 for a copy of Leopard?