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Psystar to Challenge Mac OS X EULA?

InformationWeek spoke to an employee of Psystar, the company responsible for the previously reported $399 Mac Clone. The employee known as "Robert" claims that they will challenge Apple's Mac OS X End User License Agreement (EULA) which specifically prohibits the installation of Mac OS X on non Apple-branded machines.

[Robert] also said Psystar believes Apple's prohibition against third-party installations might not hold up in court: "What if Honda said that, after you buy their car, you could only drive it on the roads they said you could?"

Robert said Psystar will continue to sell the OpenMac system, despite the fact that it appears to violate Apple's EULA. "We're not breaking any laws," he insisted.


Indeed, Apple's EULA agreement is not cast into law, but simply represents an implicit agreement ("contract") between the user and company. The enforceability of EULAs, however, has been a subject of much debate, and a true legal challenge would be very interesting. That being said, Robert's loose use of the word "monopoly" and car/road analogy does not necessarily inspire confidence in his legal prowess.

Of note, Psystar has changed the name of their Mac clone from "OpenMac" to "Open Computer", presumably due to trademark issues surrounding the use of the term "Mac".

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50 months ago

Of note, Psystar has changed the name of their Mac clone from "OpenMac" to "Open Computer", presumably due to trademark issues surrounding the use of the term "Mac".


Round 1 to Apple.
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50 months ago
this should be exciting to watch..not really sure what to think about this yet
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50 months ago
Has anyone ordered one?
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50 months ago
Psystar are about to enter a world of pain....
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50 months ago
My prediction: Psystar will fall.
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50 months ago
Yes, all the legal prowess of a drunk trying to talk his way out of a DUI.
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50 months ago
It is not the act of installing Mac OS X on a PC that is the problem. It is the breach of contract that is the problem.

Apple do have legal grounds in that instance. I'm no lawyer but I'm fairly sure Apple will come out on top with this one.
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50 months ago
This should be very, very, interesting.
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50 months ago

Round 1 to Apple.


Hardly. Trademark issues and contract law have nothing to do with one another. I hope Psytar succeeds, personally. I feel that EULA are out if control and someone needs to smack some sense into all companies that think they are "licensing" you software when they sell you something.
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50 months ago
lol round one for apple XD
that was quite obvious how can they be so stupid and put a mac part in their product name?
but still robert seems confident...
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