Banned from OS X, Psystar goes Linux

Robert Hallock 30 Dec, 2009 at 12:48pm ET Article published in Tech

Two weeks after Apple successfully killed Psystar’s Mac cloning ways, Psystar has announced that it will continue its business with Linux.

Though the new products will be discounted on behalf of their penguiny ways, Psystar has promised that the systems will come bearing hardware particularly suited to run OS X.

“In addition to using only first quality components, our hardware specifically chosen such that it is known to be compatible with OS X (via Apples own drivers or open source offerings online). This makes it easier to get up and running with your favorite XNU based operating system, including Pure Darwin,” the firm reports.

The remainder of the company’s release achieves varying degrees of butthurt as the firm rails against the court’s decision and Apple for trashing the company’s business model and accusing it of “hardcore copyright [infringement].”

“We respectfully disagree with courts notion that we are ‘hardcore copyright infringers.’ Psystar has never, and will never, condone software piracy. It’s your software, you should be able to use it where you want to. If you purchase an off-the-shelf copy of OS X Snow Leopard, its your right to use that software,” Psystar said.

“A publisher cannot forbid you from reading a book in the bathroom or listening to a music disc while riding your bicycle. There should be no difference in the software realm, no matter how much money Apple or anyone else throws at it. That is the real issue here and what we have always been fighting for.”

Finally, the company contends that it will offer a free copy of Rebel EFI–a $50 software which allows users to easily cobble OS X onto their rigs–to those who donate once it wins their case. Caveat emptor, that.

Comments

30 Dec 2009 ~ 1:41pm chrisWhite Awesome, I'm glad someone's still going to be a pain in the ass on these issues.
30 Dec 2009 ~ 2:19pm Leonardo I like their spirit and wish them success, but I have doubts about their [new] business model.

Do they really have an understanding of who their prospective customers might be? It just seems to me, a computer user knowledgeable enough to would most likely install it himself. Their is no clamoring in the marketplace for home computers preloaded with Linux. The netbook offerings of a couple years back, preloaded with Linux (Ubunto, I believe) turned out to be a commercial flop. Also, Wal-Mart carried a budget brand of Linux-loaded desktops for a while. That experiment was short-lived.

Additionally, it wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that the market's desire for OS-X, at least by traditional Windows users, might abate somewhat, due to the release of Windows 7. I know that I have less interest in OS-X now that I'm running Windows 7 64.

So what is Psystar really offering that will attract enough attention - read dollars - that will keep them solvent?
30 Dec 2009 ~ 2:51pm Cliff_Forster One wonders if the entire Psystar business model was to challenge Apple. They had to know going in that this day would come. I agree with them in principle, but I am afraid their efforts are futile.
30 Dec 2009 ~ 8:38pm ardichoke I disagree with your assessment Leonardo. Just look at system76. They have made a nice little business for themselves out of selling hardware preloaded with Linux. There are people out there, myself included, that want to be able to buy a prebuilt system (especially laptops or netbooks) without giving our cash over to Microsoft. Even if it's the same price, I would rather buy hardware without a Windows license when I don't need it on principle alone. If they make good solid hardware, there are people out there who will buy it.
30 Dec 2009 ~ 10:04pm Komete I wonder why Psystar doesn't relocate there business to another country where apple couldn't sue them. They have a name somewhat built and could just ship the pc's to the US.
30 Dec 2009 ~ 10:26pm ardichoke Doesn't matter where they manufacture the computers, the injunction prevents them from SELLING them in the US. Same thing happened to Buffalo a while back. There was an injunction against selling their routers in the US thus no US outlet would sell them and it becomes illegal to import them to the US.
31 Dec 2009 ~ 12:47am Thrax Lol, on principle. Evil Micro$oft empire.
31 Dec 2009 ~ 12:50am ardichoke Hey, laugh all you want, there's a significant number of people that would do the same thing. I don't like paying for something I'm not going to use. If I get a netbook, for instance, I know I won't run Windows on it so why would I want to pay for a Windows license?
31 Dec 2009 ~ 12:54am chrisWhite

Thrax wrote:

Lol, on principle. Evil Micro$oft empire.

^That

Also.
31 Dec 2009 ~ 12:56am ardichoke and you'll notice that I didn't spell Microsoft with a dollar sign. I'm not against using their products, when they release decent ones, I'm just against being forced to buy a license for it when I'm not going to use it. Also, bit off-track now aren't we cockbags?