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Psystar Not Closing Up Shop
Despite several sources reporting that post-indefinite-injunction Psystar was closing their doors for good, the company's lawyer is claiming Psystar plans on going forward with PC sales — they just won't be pre-loaded with Apple's OS X. Psystar plans on selling systems pre-loaded with "other operating systems," including Windows, as well as selling their "Rebel EFI software" that allows consumers to load OS X on generic PCs.
Open the code they stole? Not likely...
OSX pwns.
Yeah.... that's kind of like complaining about how some people use the word fascist for shock value when they don't understand the word, or how it actually does/does not apply to their situation.
However, in this case anti-competitive behavior absolutely applies. All businesses strive to engage in the most anti-competitive behavior possible. That is the nature of business. Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights are by their very nature anti-competitive as well.
As a society we have decided that we want to prevent competition in some cases. Ostensibly, to provide businesses and people opportunities to profit on their hard work. On the other side of the spectrum, we have also decided that we want to encourage competition. Laws regarding monopolies come to mind.
So, the question is not whether or not Apple's behavior here is anti-competitive, but rather is this clearly anti-competitive behavior desirable and beneficial to society.
Personally, I don't think Apple should be able to control what hardware their OS is installed on. As long as the hardware manufacturers pay a fair price for their OS, then Apple was compensated and should be forced to compete with hardware manufacturers on who can actually build the best, or most desirable, hardware for OS X to run on. Which is exactly how Microsoft conducts business. A much smarter decision IMO.
I see it much like discrimination on who can run into 7-11 and buy a snickers bar. It's not fair, and not in society's best interest.
That is my personal opinion though, and regardless of whether or not Apple is engaging in anti-competitive behavior (essentially meaningless IMO), Apple currently has the right to determine what hardware their OS does run on as long as the courts uphold their rulings. On this we seem to agree.
I have no illusions that we are violating Apple's copyrights by installing OS X on hardware we did not directly purchase from them. However, much like others I am forced to do so because Apple's hardware are piles of crap in most cases and they severely take advantage of their lack of competition to mark up mundane pieces of hardware like a/c adapters several times and cut costs and consequently push out faulty hardware at obscene rates.
Those are pretty gosh darned good arguments about why it is not in society's best interest to allow Apple to keep a monopoly on the hardware their OS X is running on.
We could talk to our politicians. I bet my wallet makes less noise than a mouse squeaking compared to the thunderous ground shaking spectacle of Apple's (along with other industries) lobbyists lumbering into the capital with carts full of cash and shiny trinkets. Probably with some dude that looks like Xerxes from 300. Forgive me for the hyperbole, but I am little bitter about how I am not represented fairly in my government.
Anyways, one could say that installing OS X on non-Apple hardware is a form of civil disobedience. This case, one I wholly support. So although Psystar is clearly wrong in what they are doing, I will cheer them on nonetheless.