Difference between revisions of "MacOS"
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| − | |LAUNCH=March 24, 2001 <ref name="releaseDate">An Illustrated History of macOS https://www.git-tower.com/blog/history-of-macos/</ref> | + | |LAUNCH=March 24, 2001<ref name="releaseDate">An Illustrated History of macOS https://www.git-tower.com/blog/history-of-macos/</ref> |
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==Ethicality of macOS== | ==Ethicality of macOS== | ||
===Price=== | ===Price=== | ||
| − | [[File:OS X Leopard Disk.jpg|200px|thumb| | + | [[File:OS X Leopard Disk.jpg|200px|thumb|left|OS X 10.5 Leopard Install Disk. Price: $129]] |
| − | When Apple first released macOS under Mac OS X, updates were installed using a physical install disk. For the first four years of Mac OS X updates (Mac OS X 10.0-10.5), Apple charged $129 for an install/upgrade disk. Starting with Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, Apple dropped the install disk price to $29 in an effort to improve update adoption rates. Just two years/updates later, with the release of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, Apple yet again dropped the price to $19. Finally, just one year later, starting with OS X 10.9 Mavericks, Apple decided to stop charging for updates. OS X 10.9 Mavericks was the the first over-the-air (OTA) update for macOS, and users were able to download and update to OS X Mavericks for free through the Mac App Store.<ref name="price1">Apple Just Ended the Era of Paid Operating Systems https://www.wired.com/2013/10/apple-ends-paid-oses/</ref> | + | When Apple first released macOS under Mac OS X, updates were installed using a physical install disk. For the first four years of Mac OS X updates (Mac OS X 10.0-10.5), Apple charged $129 for an install/upgrade disk. Starting with Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, Apple dropped the install disk price to $29 in an effort to improve update adoption rates. Just two years/updates later, with the release of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, Apple yet again dropped the price to $19. Finally, just one year later, starting with OS X 10.9 Mavericks, Apple decided to stop charging users for updates. OS X 10.9 Mavericks was the the first over-the-air (OTA) update for macOS, and users were able to download and update to OS X Mavericks for free through the Mac App Store.<ref name="price1">Apple Just Ended the Era of Paid Operating Systems https://www.wired.com/2013/10/apple-ends-paid-oses/</ref> |
| − | Once Apple made their operating system free to update, Microsoft soon followed suit and started releasing free-to- | + | Once Apple made their operating system free to update, Microsoft soon followed suit and started releasing ''free-to-install'' and free-to-update Windows updates. The difference between Microsoft and Apple's approaches to operating system updates is that Microsoft's Windows operating system is ''free-to-install'' and free-to-update, while Apple's macOS operating system is only free-to-upgrade.<ref name="price2">No, OS X isn't free -- but that might not matter for Microsoft https://www.cnet.com/news/no-os-x-isnt-free-but-that-might-not-matter-for-microsoft/</ref> To download Windows for free, all it takes is a quick search online which will bring you to Microsoft's official [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10ISO Download Windows 10] web page. From there, users can select their computer architecture and download a digital install image to install on any device. Unlike Windows, the only way to download a copy of macOS for free is if your Apple computer currently is running an older version of macOS, or if you buy a brand new Apple computer that comes with macOS pre-installed. If you don't have a Apple computer, you would be unable to download this "free" operating system. In reality, the price premium that customers pay when purchasing an Apple computer actually goes to paying for lifetime firmware updates. |
| − | It ''is'' very ethical of Apple to make their operating system free to download from the Mac App Store, as it encourages macOS users to regularly update their operating system to protect themselves from security threats, viruses, and exploits. However, macOS is not unconditionally free, it's is only free to download with the purchase of an Apple-manufactured computer | + | It ''is'' very ethical of Apple to make their operating system free to download from the Mac App Store, as it encourages macOS users to regularly update their operating system to protect themselves from security threats, viruses, and exploits. However, macOS is not unconditionally free, it's is only free to download with the purchase of an Apple-manufactured computer. |
===Hackintosh=== | ===Hackintosh=== | ||
| + | ====What is Hackintosh?==== | ||
| + | A '''hackintosh''' is any computer not manufactured by Apple that runs macOS. The word "hackintosh" is a play on words of Macintosh, and it implies that the user will have to modify/hack macOS firmware to recreate the functionality of running macOS on a Macintosh computer. There are many reasons why an advanced user might want macOS on a non-Apple-manufactured computer such as: cheaper costs, custom and replaceable hardware, design preferences, and the need for computing power not offered by Apple.<ref name="hackintosh1">What Is a Hackintosh Computer? https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-hackintosh-832719</ref> | ||
| + | ====Legality==== | ||
| + | Installing macOS on any non-Apple-manufactured hardware is a violation of the macOS End-User License Agreement (EULA). According to Apple, all hackintosh computers are illegal due to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The macOS EULA states that users do not "buy" macOS, they merely license it from Apple. However, the wording of the license specifically prohibits the install of macOS on any non-Apple device. Installing macOS on a non-Apple computer is a breach of the EULA contract and, by extension, a violation of the DMCA. In most countries, violating a EULA contract is not illegal because the EULA is a contract. However, a breach of the DMCA are is a copyright violation, which is illegal because the DMCA is a federal copyright law.<ref name=hackintosh2">What is a Hackintosh Computer? https://www.hackint0sh.org/what-is-a-hackintosh/</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | =====Psystar Corportation===== | ||
| + | [[File:Psystar Logo.png|100px|thumb|left|]] | ||
| + | Apple has historically turned a blind eye to the [http://www.osx86project.org/ OSx86 Project], the largest community of hackintosh enthusiasts. The OSx86 Project has been around for years and provides support for users who want to create their own hackintosh machines. The one time that Apple intervened with hackintosh community was when the Psystar Corporation began selling hackintosh computers through their website. Psystar Corporation's machines were the the first commercially distributed hackintosh computers. In July 2008, Apple filed a copyright lawsuit against Psystar Corporation, claiming that by selling machines with macOS installed, Psystar was in violation of the DMCA. Psystar Corporation responded with two lawsuits against Apple for monopolistic behavior and anti-competitive practices. This case garnered major media attention, and ended up reaching the Supreme Court, which ruled that Psystar Corporation had violated Apple's copyright. In short, it seems that Apple only gets involved when macOS is commercially distributed by a third party company. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
Revision as of 19:39, 13 March 2020
|
macOS is a desktop operating system created by Apple Inc. It was first released on March 24, 2001 under the name Mac OS X 10.0 Cheetah. 11 years later, Apple shortened the name of their operating system to OS X with the release of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. 15 years later, Apple changed their operating system's name to macOS with the release of macOS 10.12 Sierra.[1]
Contents
History
Ethicality of macOS
Price
When Apple first released macOS under Mac OS X, updates were installed using a physical install disk. For the first four years of Mac OS X updates (Mac OS X 10.0-10.5), Apple charged $129 for an install/upgrade disk. Starting with Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, Apple dropped the install disk price to $29 in an effort to improve update adoption rates. Just two years/updates later, with the release of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, Apple yet again dropped the price to $19. Finally, just one year later, starting with OS X 10.9 Mavericks, Apple decided to stop charging users for updates. OS X 10.9 Mavericks was the the first over-the-air (OTA) update for macOS, and users were able to download and update to OS X Mavericks for free through the Mac App Store.[2]
Once Apple made their operating system free to update, Microsoft soon followed suit and started releasing free-to-install and free-to-update Windows updates. The difference between Microsoft and Apple's approaches to operating system updates is that Microsoft's Windows operating system is free-to-install and free-to-update, while Apple's macOS operating system is only free-to-upgrade.[3] To download Windows for free, all it takes is a quick search online which will bring you to Microsoft's official Download Windows 10 web page. From there, users can select their computer architecture and download a digital install image to install on any device. Unlike Windows, the only way to download a copy of macOS for free is if your Apple computer currently is running an older version of macOS, or if you buy a brand new Apple computer that comes with macOS pre-installed. If you don't have a Apple computer, you would be unable to download this "free" operating system. In reality, the price premium that customers pay when purchasing an Apple computer actually goes to paying for lifetime firmware updates.
It is very ethical of Apple to make their operating system free to download from the Mac App Store, as it encourages macOS users to regularly update their operating system to protect themselves from security threats, viruses, and exploits. However, macOS is not unconditionally free, it's is only free to download with the purchase of an Apple-manufactured computer.
Hackintosh
What is Hackintosh?
A hackintosh is any computer not manufactured by Apple that runs macOS. The word "hackintosh" is a play on words of Macintosh, and it implies that the user will have to modify/hack macOS firmware to recreate the functionality of running macOS on a Macintosh computer. There are many reasons why an advanced user might want macOS on a non-Apple-manufactured computer such as: cheaper costs, custom and replaceable hardware, design preferences, and the need for computing power not offered by Apple.[4]
Legality
Installing macOS on any non-Apple-manufactured hardware is a violation of the macOS End-User License Agreement (EULA). According to Apple, all hackintosh computers are illegal due to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The macOS EULA states that users do not "buy" macOS, they merely license it from Apple. However, the wording of the license specifically prohibits the install of macOS on any non-Apple device. Installing macOS on a non-Apple computer is a breach of the EULA contract and, by extension, a violation of the DMCA. In most countries, violating a EULA contract is not illegal because the EULA is a contract. However, a breach of the DMCA are is a copyright violation, which is illegal because the DMCA is a federal copyright law.[5]
Psystar Corportation
Apple has historically turned a blind eye to the OSx86 Project, the largest community of hackintosh enthusiasts. The OSx86 Project has been around for years and provides support for users who want to create their own hackintosh machines. The one time that Apple intervened with hackintosh community was when the Psystar Corporation began selling hackintosh computers through their website. Psystar Corporation's machines were the the first commercially distributed hackintosh computers. In July 2008, Apple filed a copyright lawsuit against Psystar Corporation, claiming that by selling machines with macOS installed, Psystar was in violation of the DMCA. Psystar Corporation responded with two lawsuits against Apple for monopolistic behavior and anti-competitive practices. This case garnered major media attention, and ended up reaching the Supreme Court, which ruled that Psystar Corporation had violated Apple's copyright. In short, it seems that Apple only gets involved when macOS is commercially distributed by a third party company.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 An Illustrated History of macOS https://www.git-tower.com/blog/history-of-macos/
- ↑ Apple Just Ended the Era of Paid Operating Systems https://www.wired.com/2013/10/apple-ends-paid-oses/
- ↑ No, OS X isn't free -- but that might not matter for Microsoft https://www.cnet.com/news/no-os-x-isnt-free-but-that-might-not-matter-for-microsoft/
- ↑ What Is a Hackintosh Computer? https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-hackintosh-832719
- ↑ What is a Hackintosh Computer? https://www.hackint0sh.org/what-is-a-hackintosh/
