The story behind the Apple OS is fascinating. Traditionally, Apple used Motorola CPUs, but later migrated over to Intel CPUs. Apple hasn’t made much information available about installing the MacOS on non-Apple products. In fact, one computer developed by Psystar resulted in a lawsuit from Apple because they didn’t like their operating system to be installed on non-Apple computers.
The lawsuit was surprising to many computer users, because the very fact that anyone would create a clone to run their operating system should be considered a compliment of their design.
Most Mac-users would never consider buying a clone, so market shares would never be moved away from Apple products anyway. But one can understand that there is big business in keeping your products unique. But it could be argued that money isn’t made from selling hardware – whereas the big bucks are earned by selling more software.
In that regard most Mac-users value the easiness with which they can handle all creative needs. When you unpack your Mac, you have a unique experience of unwrapping a very stylish design. Look at YouTube. You will see many videos of people unpacking everything from their iPods to iMacs, and it’s simply because the design is far superior to other computer suppliers.
I have unwrapped many pc’s since I bought my first computer second-hand in 1989, and every time has been special but never quite as unique as when I got my first MacBook in 2007. That was a definite special moment I still remember, and as we got iPods for all our kids – and gave some for my two eldest nieces when they reached the age of confirmation – we have always felt it was a special moment when seeing the ease with which their products could be turned on, the USB-cable connected with a computer, and then music put on them like nothing else.
Even the cheap iPods are handled very well when you have iTunes – even on a traditional Windows-pc. Apple products are superior to competitors’ products, and so Apple should be proud so many people want to run their operating system.
It is interesting, by the way, to remember that Apple traditionally allowed some producers to install the MacOS system, but upon Steve Jobs’ return in the mid-90’s that was stopped. Apple has text in their end-user agreement that says: “You agree not to install, use or run the Apple Software on any non-Apple-labeled computer, or to enable others to do so.” That text might as well be removed because Apple has so much goodwill among its customers that it need not fear any competition.