Member Avatar for jose456891

I used to be a PC guy. The reason i converted to macs is because one day i decided to try out leopard on my PC. I researched how to make a PC run OS X. Finally one day I found out how to make a hackingtosh.

Hackingtosh is a regular PC running OS X. this is the best way to own a "mac" with out hitting the wallet too hard. I thought it was really fun turning my PC into a "Mac" or Hackingtosh.

I thank the OS X community for introducing me to Mac's

If you own and old mac and would like to upgrade to the newer machines or simply try out leopard with out loosing an arm you could build your own hackingtosh for less than $300 bucks and have identical hardware as the mac pro! Just google osx86

good luck to all

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Member Avatar for flynismo

I used to be a PC guy. The reason i converted to macs is because one day i decided to try out leopard on my PC. I researched how to make a PC run OS X. Finally one day I found out how to make a hackingtosh.

Hackingtosh is a regular PC running OS X. this is the best way to own a "mac" with out hitting the wallet too hard. I thought it was really fun turning my PC into a "Mac" or Hackingtosh.

I thank the OS X community for introducing me to Mac's

If you own and old mac and would like to upgrade to the newer machines or simply try out leopard with out loosing an arm you could build your own hackingtosh for less than $300 bucks and have identical hardware as the mac pro! Just google osx86

good luck to all

um, it's Hackintosh....and probably not wise to advertise that you have Mac software on your pc, for legal reasons; never know who'll take notice...

Member Avatar for ilaureano

Congratulations!, making yourself a hackingtosh is one of the more satisfying things in the computing world.

Using a hackingtosh is more less in a legally-grey area. I think it's not tecnically illegal, but there are many people that don't think is -at least- moral.

Member Avatar for flynismo

Congratulations!, making yourself a hackingtosh is one of the more satisfying things in the computing world.

Using a hackingtosh is more less in a legally-grey area. I think it's not tecnically illegal, but there are many people that don't think is -at least- moral.

If you purchased a license, then it's in the grey area...but most simply get an iso off the torrents, and that is illegal.

Not that it would stop me from doing it, lol...I just wouldnt advertise it.

Member Avatar for John A

Would reading some of the OS X software license agreement help spell things out a bit clearer for you?

2. Permitted License Uses and Restrictions.
A. This License allows you to install and use one copy of the Apple Software on a single Apple-labeled computer at a time. This License does not allow the Apple Software to exist on more than one computer at a time, and you may not make the Apple Software available over a network where it could be used by multiple computers at the same time. You may make one copy of the Apple Software (excluding the Boot ROM code) in machine-readable form for backup purposes only; provided that the backup copy must include all copyright or other proprietary notices contained on the original.

C. Except as and only to the extent permitted in this License and by applicable law, you may not copy, decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble, modify, or create derivative works of the Apple Software or any part thereof. THE APPLE SOFTWARE IS NOT INTENDED FOR USE IN THE OPERATION OF NUCLEAR FACILITIES, AIRCRAFT NAVIGATION OR COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS, LIFE SUPPORT MACHINES OR OTHER EQUIPMENT IN WHICH THE FAILURE OF THE APPLE SOFTWARE COULD LEAD TO DEATH, PERSONAL INJURY, OR SEVERE PHYSICAL OR ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE.

3. Transfer. You may not rent, lease, lend, redistribute or sublicense the Apple Software. You may, however, make a one-time permanent transfer of all of your license rights to the Apple Software (in its original form as provided by Apple) to another party, provided that: (a) the transfer must include all of the Apple Software, including all its component parts, original media, printed materials and this License; (b) you do not retain any copies of the Apple Software, full or partial, including copies stored on a computer or other storage device; and (c) the party receiving the Apple Software reads and agrees to accept the terms and conditions of this License. You may not rent, lease, lend, redistribute, sublicense or transfer any Apple Software that has been modified or replaced under Section 2B above.

Is your "hackintosh" an "Apple-labeled machine"? Nope, not by a long shot. Copy-protections in place on the OS X disks that you buy at the store prevent you from installing it on a non-Apple computer, so to get it working, you either have to a) download a hacked version of OS X, or b) hack it yourself. Either way, you're breaking even more clauses of the agreement (as if one wasn't enough). :icon_rolleyes:

I wouldn't call that a 'grey' area of the law.

Member Avatar for flynismo

What exactly is an Apple-labeled machine? Can anyone label a machine as "Apple"?

Member Avatar for John A

What exactly is an Apple-labeled machine? Can anyone label a machine as "Apple"?

Perhaps a machine labeled by Apple? Actually, the license that I pulled off the web was a bit old; here's the updated section 2.A from the Tiger license agreement:

A. This License allows you to install, use and run one (1) copy of the Apple Software on a single Apple-labeled computer at a time. You agree not to install, use or run the Apple Software on any non-Apple-labeled computer, or to enable others to do so.

Member Avatar for atlex2

Throw one of those apple stickers on it, the ones that come with ipods. Problem solved, they left too much room for interpretation, a good lawyer could fight this case.

Member Avatar for John A

Throw one of those apple stickers on it, the ones that come with ipods. Problem solved, they left too much room for interpretation, a good lawyer could fight this case.

Hmm, that only leaves, oh, software piracy. Remember that off-the-shelf copies of OS X have protection in place which prevents itself from running on non-Apple licensed computers (and even if you did manage to reverse-engineer a legal copy that you bought, you'd be in violation of section 2.C, see above.)

Member Avatar for atlex2

Why is making a kernal extension allowed then? I would argue that by not enforcing their policy in the EULA in cases like that, they wave their rights to it and that they agree that it is unenforceable.
In the end, apple doesn't care so much about an individual doing this than a company (psystar?).
Still anything is possible with a good lawyer.

Member Avatar for John A

>Why is making a kernal extension allowed then?
Because the kernel is open source. Apple obviously has a different licensing policy for their open source code. Where the open source ends and the closed begins is at a certain closed-source kernel module which checks to see if it's running on a genuine Apple machine. If it is, it'll happily decrypt the Finder and Dock binaries during runtime. If not, well, then you just have a really nice Unix shell.

>Still anything is possible with a good lawyer.
Just curious, would you say that software piracy is a grey area of the law?

Member Avatar for ZakAdelman

This is really an non argument Apple sells it's computers them self or through authorized stores, like the booths at Best Buy. If you did not get one either of those 2 ways it is not licensed hardware . Still like it has been said before you either hacked the software or downloaded a hacked version. Both are illegal in most countries. If you like Mac so much consider buying one but if you just hate PC get Linux (Free) and a theme that looks like OSX. No legal issues there.

Member Avatar for atlex2

No, not piracy, but usage rights.
Zak, you're right it's not an argument....

Member Avatar for ZakAdelman

Until the agreement is argued in court it is still breech of contract and reverse engineering, which is all hacking really is, is still illegal as well. And of course copyright if you are sharing it. I am not sure if you bought a real copy and downloaded the modified copy if that is illegal. The court does not know either.

Member Avatar for lawrence123

Copies of OSX bought from apple are not retail installs they are upgrades, because every mac comes with OSX preinstalled.

The protection OSX uses isnt really copy protection, it uses EFI instead of a standard BIOS. That is why things like OSX86 hacks or the EFI-X work because they emulate the EFI firmware that OSX uses to install.

Member Avatar for NicAx64

I can paste a Apple label sticker on my monitor !
then can I have the chance to use hacking tosz ?

I'm glad to put the apple logo infront of the intel computer
fan even. and on my T-shirt my cap even anywhere you need.

lol !

However I went today to buy a apple mac mini to EPSN, The original price is just 599$ but they sell it 800$ here. :( . I don't
see that is correct . but that's there are reasons that ppl to do it.

Member Avatar for NicAx64

The protection OSX uses isnt really copy protection, it uses EFI instead of a standard BIOS. That is why things like OSX86 hacks or the EFI-X work because they emulate the EFI firmware that OSX uses to install.

I also installed the iAxxx in my intel 915 MB and intel 2.66 processor with 1.6 GB ram. and I went to the EPSN and check the
performance of the Mac-Mini. But my desktop computer takes about 4 minitues to boot. But apple mac mini boots it before 1 minitue.

There is still a huge darwback of the performance. Is that bios problem makes that performance ?
Anyway I heard about those PCI cards that contain original bios , so then can I use it and archieve the mini-mac performance ?

Member Avatar for jsepeta

How is taking items that you buy and welding them together for personal use "illegal"? If you were selling these devices to compete against Apple in the marketplace, that would be a different problem entirely. But as Apple's software license carries about as much weight as my mattress tag, I'm not sure I agree that just because a corporate entity doesn't want someone to do something, it shouldn't be done. People hotrod their automobiles all the time, making changes to the performance or look of their cars. Does Ford go after them in a court of law? Of course not. Hacking your own pc should be no different.

Member Avatar for jingda

So are you saying the hackintosh should be approved off and it is right to do that?

Member Avatar for cocolio

so... weho cares about the licencing? here area lot of apple fanboys who dont get the idea that they have spend a lot of money in a piece of hardware that, lets be honest, overpriced, i have the Leopard installed on my HP DV6000 and is working smoothly, even better than a MBP from 2008, so why to bother on it, anyway if bought the disc in Germany you are legal? why because the agreement is inside the box and the buyer doenst know about that, so in Germany the agreement gets null for that reason.

commented: I care -2
Member Avatar for jingda

I care and so does other Apple users around the world and members in this forum.

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