July 23rd, 2008
Another Mac Clone Maker, with a Twist
By Michael Santo
Editor-in-Chief, RealTechNews
I take it Open Tech hasn’t been reading the news, or they would have heard that Apple doesn’t take kindly to clone makers. After all, it’s only been a week since Apple sued Mac clone maker Psystar. On the other hand, this is a clone with a twist.
Open Tech is selling Mac clones, yes, but they won’t install the OS for you. Instead they will provide a kit that will allow the end user to Mac OS X. What they are trying to avoid is this part of the EULA for Mac OS X:
“You agree not to install, use or run the Apple Software on any non-Apple-labeled computer, or to enable others to do so.”
Except - they’re not really avoiding it, are they? That “enable others to do so” clause is a gotcha.
Right now, nothing is available anyway. The site simply says “coming soon” for all their models. Is this to give Apple enough time to sue before they waste time trying to take orders (heh)?
Also, the site has a .tk country code top-level domain (ccTLD). That would be Tokelau, a territory of New Zealand located in the South Pacific. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are headquartered in Tokelau.
More to come, I’m sure.
mike from cincinnati ohio says:
You know Apple needs to get off the hardware crap. The software they could focus more on could work just as well as Microsofts does. Think about it, it’s like Microsoft is selling a Computer… it’s not the same. Probably cause Jobs has his ‘vision’ of what a pc should and shouldn’t do… lame.
Apple — GET WITH IT! ALL Hardware SUCKS!
July 23rd, 2008 at 10:54 am
Live Crunch says:
Awesome post, had to reblog it at my blog. Say hello to Alice !
ttyl
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Ducky says:
Well, as long as the company never actually have anybody in the company install OS X, ever, they are not bound by OS X’s EULA.
Of course, that *DOES* mean that people who buy their computers from these guys would be the ones doing the beta-testing for the company, in that case… But, the company does, in fact, get around the EULA in this way.
July 23rd, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Geo8rge says:
I do not think Apple could support every PC platform in the world. That is the problem tech support for clone brands. Another issue if backward compatibility with all the clone brands when OS 11 comes out.
July 25th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
dogger says:
i highly doubt its Tokelau, im from New Zealand and know that Tokelau is an island that is so small even google maps cant see it heh.
also its sinking so meh.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:38 pm