InfiniteMac OSx86 - View Single Post - Psystar claims Apple has invalid Mac OS X copyright

cmdshft · 12-25-2008, 05:46 AM

I couldn't agree more with you on that one.

Here's why I feel that Apple hasn't really paid too much mind to the OSx86 community. There's no doubt in my mind that Apple goes around and takes a look at our stuff. They do. I know they do, there are many Apple employees that I have seen come out of the woodwork to talk about using OSx86. I've talked to Apple Store employees about it. They can't officially talk about it, but when I would VNC to my home machine from one at the store to show them, all they can say is "Wow, that is so cool!". Apple knows about it. 100%.

They don't do anything about it, though. How many times have you heard of a person like Jas, or pcwiz or myself, or anyone else who made/makes an OSx86 DVD get served by Apple? They don't. The only reason Psystar is in court is because they tried to cash in on the communities work. They don't go after us because of the simple fact that Apple releases source code for many components that are used in OS X itself, and many of these are used in OSx86 as well. I'm talking about patched kernels, AppleSMBIOS, and various other kexts/code.

But here's the catch: Why would Apple even really bother releasing the source code to things like their kernel or even AppleSMBIOS when they are used mostly on real Macs to begin with? They develop most of what they release when they do system updates. The average Mac user doesn't even know what a kernel is, let alone how to modify and build one. Apple knows this. Apple also knows that anyone familiar with the code can well enough build one like Voodoo did. They know what can be done with it. I personally feel that Apple just doesn't really care. They only care when people make money off of it. It's not like OSx86 is private stuff.