Why I Disagree With Psystar

I'm an avid Mac user and wouldn't trade my machine for anything. I do agree that there is a need for a mid-range Mac, just like the ones "Psystar offers":http://www.psystar.com/index.php?&page=shop.product_details&category_id=21&flypage=flypage_images.tpl&product_id=38&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=72. So when "Psystar":http://www.psystar.com/ started shipping systems, it looked pretty tempting. Then "Apple sued them":http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080715-apple-finally-sues-unlicensed-macintosh-cloner-psystar.html because of EULA violations and now "they are counter-suing":http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2008/08/27/psystar-finally-answers-to-apples-suit-by-suing-right-back.

From TFA(The Freaking Article) emphasis added:

bq. Pedraza told CNet that his goal is to make Mac OS X "more accessible, to provide an alternative" to what he characterizes as exorbitantly priced "generic hardware." Though Apple's most recent hardware uses the x86 architecture and uses many of the same components as other PCs, calling Apple's hardware "generic" is just unfair. And, Apple is under no obligation to make its OS available to install on any hardware. One of Apple's selling points it that it makes "the whole widget," and its approach has generally worked in its favor.

That's the whole point. The reason why Mac's have such a great reputation is because Apple does have so much control over them. That doesn't mean there won't be "problems":http://www.geocities.com/surfithead/pblines.htm. These are complicated pieces of machinery. And you know what? Despite those problems, "Apple's satisfaction rating for Q2 2008 (85) is 'all-time high' for the computer industry":http://www.forbes.com/2008/08/18/apple-consumer-satisfaction-tech-enter-cz_ah_0819apple.html?partner=yahootix.

If there is one thing a marketing guy can tell you, it's that "people who complain are some of your best customers":http://www.crosspond.com/apple/hall_of_shame/1. They complain because they have expectations, and they let you know when they aren't met. It's a sign of a quality company when people care enough to complain about your products "instead of just throwing them away":http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/17/technology/17spy.html?_r=1&hp&ex=1121572800&en=178b2edcf06c6a45&ei=5094&partner=homepage&oref=slogin. They spend a lot of money and they know what they are supposed to be getting.

All in all, I think the market that Psystar is trying to reach is something that Apple should definitely notice. However, they are definitely going about it the wrong way and for sake of Apple, I hope they lose their lawsuit.