Just when you thought you saw it all. So, we all know about Psystar, the two lawsuits between them and Apple, and all the other stuff that's been regurgitated about ten million times on OSNews alone. Well, that little company has taken its business to the next level - by announcing an OEM licensing program.The Florida clone maker sent out a press release today, in which it announced its OEM licensing program. Under the program, the Mac clone maker will license its 'virtualization technology' (which, as far as I understand it, means an EFI implementation and a bootloader) to other manufacturers. Psystar will certify other companies' computers, making them Psystar Certified, allowing them to use their technology to run Mac OS X on non-Apple labelled computers.
The Psystar certified machines would receive normal updates through the "Safe Update" technology (that negates the "normal", right?). The press release curiously emphasises that customers can install Mac OS X Snow Leopard themselves. This is a rather clear indication of the path the company will follow in the future were they to lose the legal cases with Apple. Were they to lose, Psystar will cease installing Mac OS X, and will leave it up to the consumers. I can see them selling machines completely ready to boot and install Mac OS X, which Psystar happens to ship alongside these machines in a box. Apple couldn't really do anything about that, now, could it?
Stuff like this brings a smile to my face. Sure, I doubt this license program will get anywhere, but at least these guys are not afraid of Apple, nor are they in it for the money (i.e., a big settlement with Apple). You may question their methods, but at least they are trying to accomplish something we should all want: control over the hardware we buy, control over the software we buy.
