Apple has allegedly threatened Wired for posting a video tutorial that provided instructions for configuring a Mac-clone netbook, according to a tweet by Gadget Lab writer Brian X. Chen. Although his first message suggested the publication was facing a lawsuit, an update revealed that Apple likely sent a cease and desist order. Despite the lack of a formal lawsuit, Wired apparently conceded and removed the videos from its website.The Gadget Lab videos detailed the necessary steps to install Mac OS X on a netbook. Although a variety of similar material exists on the Internet, Chen's descriptions were particularly thorough and even included a reference to The Pirate Bay for finding a bootlegged version of OS X.
The instructions did include a disclaimer that acknowledged the illegality of such practices, while recommending that the viewer own a copy of the OS before following the procedure.
The Cupertino-based company is currently involved in a heated legal battle against a clone-maker, Psystar, that offers PCs bundled with preinstalled versions of Mac OS X. Apple was also recently recently criticized for sending a cease and desist order to a Bluwiki site that contained discussion threads relating to reverse-engineering the iTunesDB file which controls playable media on the iPod.
|