Holwerda reports, “That of course wouldn’t be a problem in and of itself, if it weren’t for the fact that boot-132 is licensed under the Apple Public Source License, version 2. This is a license which contains a clause similar to the GPL in that when you ship modifications, you also have to provide the source code to anyone you shipped your product to. So far, Psystar has not done so, but it could theoretically be that if you ask them, they might provide it.”
“Now, I place a certain amount of trust in Netkas’ words, but his evidence isn’t necessarily conclusive. More investigations into the matter will have to be performed to get more conclusive evidence,” Holwerda reports. “Assuming Netkas is right, this i a very bad thing [for Psystar]… [Breaking] an open source license which covers distribution… constitutes a breach of copyright, which is a serious offense.”
Full article here.
Pyss on Psystar.
I sure hope its true…Psystar needs to die a horrible death! Drawn and quartered. Like the criminal that it is…
Yeah, but I mean it’s not like they have a clean record… I’d imagine the legal teams are sorting out the rest of the cheating first.
Bailiff, whack his pee pee!
I am SHOCKED!
If the Psystars of the world aren’t being ethical, then something’s seriously gone wrong.
The problems with companies like Psystar is they’re so damn hard to kill. They won’t die of old age, either; they have to be poisoned, stabbed, shot, hung, stretched, disembowled, drawn and quartered.
Then they tell you, “Death is but a door. Time is but a window. I’ll be back!”
What a bunch of mooks.
What would we do without such likes?
They populate the stage of absurdity.
I think Apple is playing long-ball with these guys just to make sure they die a long, horrible corporate death, and to allow that horrible death to be a warning sign to others.
As far as this issue is concerned, I’m confused as to whether this is actually actionable. Any lawyers wanna chime in?
Interesting – being forced to release the source code would knock the props out from under Psystar’s business model in selling their “Rebel EFI” package.
Conversely, however, if Psystar is nothing but a front for other companies which seek to undermine Apple’s business, then releasing the source code would be exactly what they want. (Though doing so would make it even more transparent that Psystar’s existence has nothing to do with selling products, and everything to do with attacking Apple.)
I didn’t realize Psystar was run by Vigo the Carpathian!
Where are the Guantanamo guards when you need them?
This is one case where Mac owners should wish it isn’t true…but it probably is. Psystar releasing the OSC will put OSX on every wanting-hacker’s system and Psystar would be martyrs, gaining a huge following.
Sometimes evil needs to be existed. I hope that apple will be forced to make mac os x for public license so that anybody can use OS just like windows. I can see that future. Do you think I am crazy, and it won’t be happened forever? NO. It will be. I won’t be surprised at all.
Edward… You are a Fscking idiot. Probably too poor to afford a Real mac
@ SwitcherK – Please explain exactly how Psystar would be regarded as “martyrs”. Most informed observers see them for what they are – a front for competing companies which seek to destroy Apple’s business model. No “martyrs” among that bunch.
@ Edward – Please explain exactly how Apple would turn a profit by licensing OS X separately. The only reason Microsoft’s business model works is because they were handed a monopoly position by IBM back in the PC days, and have been vigorously pushing and illegally defending that monopoly ever since. (And even then, they have to overcharge for service packs like Windows 7 to keep turning a profit.) Once Microsoft loses their monopoly position, it will be extremely difficult for them to maintain a software-only business model – in fact, they’ll almost certainly be forced to copy Apple’s hardware-oriented business model.
27 October:
“VMware releases Fusion 3; Seamlessly run Windows, PC applications on your Apple Mac”.
23 October:
Psystar releases RebelEFI; Seamlessly run OS X, Mac applications on your Windows PC.
Sounds pretty democratic to me… and the market at its most innovative and best.
“Here’s to the crazies..”
“a front for competing companies which seek to destroy Apple’s business model.”
Uh…business models don’t last forever. Hell, look at the music industry.
This is fantastic news!! Apple’s monopoly of OS X is OVER. It is all out there folks. ANYONE can run OS X now. Outstanding! Well done Psystar. Well done!
@rat
OS X a monopoly?
I got news for you, OS X has been out there for nine years and its anything but a monopoly.
Let’s just hope Apple’s lawyers have less fluoride in their water than some of these commenters here.
Can someone explain to me how is that Apple’s code could be released legally? and if it can, then why hasn’t it already been done?
Hahaha – Ratty makes me laugh.
@G4Dualie Apple has a monopoly on awesome!!!
@ confused,
“Can someone explain to me how is that Apple’s code could be released legally?”
Apple’s open sourced code can be released legally only if you use it in your program, release it for no charge and release the entire source code of that program.