OpenMac: to be or not to be Mac OS X on noname computers

Given the ever-growing popularity of Mac OS X and Apple's move to Intel processors, this is to be expected. A hitherto unknown manufacturer, PsyStar from Miami, USA announced on April 14 the supply of computers capable of running an unmodified version of Mac OS X 10.5 “Leopard”.

The first swallow is called OpenMac and is assembled on the basis of components available to all. The stated price is $ 399. For four hundred, you will have at your disposal a computer with an Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 processor (2.2GHz), 2 gigabytes of DDR2 667 RAM, a motherboard with integrated Intel GMA 950 graphics, a DVD ± R drive with SATA interface and 20x speed, as well as 250 gigabyte hard drive. All this will be assembled in the Asus TM-211 case.and, most importantly, it will be able to run Mac OS X. Additionally, with OpenMac, you can install a video card based on the GeForce 8600GT for $ 110 and a Firewire controller for another $ 50. In principle, both of them, you can try to install it yourself.

For comparison, Mac mini for $ 599 will offer you a 1.83GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, a gigabyte of RAM, an 80 gigabyte hard drive, and Firewire support in a miniature system unit.

The advent of OpenMac recalls the days when officially approved clones of Apple computers existed. This was in the 90s when the company was managed by Gil Amelio and was rapidly losing its market share. So, until 1997, on the market it was possible to find computers manufactured by Power Computing, Motorola or UMAX, which were running Apple System 7 and were faster, cheaper than the original Macs. It should be noted only that they looked more like brothers from a large PC camp. It was believed that issuing licenses for the production of Mac-compatible computers was the only way to gain a foothold in the market.

Practice has shown that licensed clones did not help Apple in any way, Jill Amelio was fired, and Steve Jobs came in his place, who, with the release of Mac OS 8.0, put an end to clones, which, according to some sources, he called "leeches." Time has shown that Jobs knew what he was doing.

OpenMac is not at all similar to the clones of those times. The first and probably the main difference is that PsyStar was unlikely to somehow coordinate its actions with Apple. Despite the fact that, according to PsyStar, OpenMac installs a licensed Mac OS X operating system and provides an original installation disk for it, the company directly violates one of the conditions of the license agreement for Mac OS X, namely: "You agree not to install, use, or run this Apple software on any computer that is not approved by Apple or to help anyone else . "

There is no doubt that Apple will make every effort to prevent new products such as OpenMac. PsyStar’s website ceased to respond almost immediately after the news, "as soon as the legal department of Apple I was drunk morning coffee ^© ». However outages site can be caused by increased interest in the new product, which seems to have no problem with bargaining The first day Apple was renamed Open Computer.

And before the advent of OpenMac, there were already ways to install Mac OS X on ordinary personal computers that require modifying EFI or using the EFI emulator. And PsyStar, besides a successful attempt to get to the news pages, probably didn’t say anything new about installing Mac OS X on ordinary computers, because OpenMac uses the EFI emulator to install and run the operating system, and maybe they won’t even ship a single one OpenMac, although there probably wouldn’t be a shortage of applicants.

And yet, what do you think: the Pandora’s box is already open and Apple needs to prepare for an attack of clones from many noname companies from the Asia-Pacific region or will Steve Jobs again be able to leave behind all competitors and envious ones? Opinions vary. Someone is defending Apple’s right to exclusivity, while someone believes that this, like the iPhone unlocking adventure, is the first sign that Apple will not be able to dictate its terms everywhere. What will happen next?

Based on materials from eFluxMedia , PC World , Ars Technica and Mac Observer .