How very Apple...

Jan 13, 2006 16:27 GMT  ·  By

Ever since the Intel transition was announced a huge number of Windows users have gotten incredibly misty eyed over the idea that they will soon be able to run OS X on their 'dull' little grey boxes.

Apple's position on this has been very clear since the get-go, stating time and again that they will not allow OS X to be run on anything other than Macintosh hardware.

Now, as the Intel native version of OSX is shipping inside the new Intel-based iMacs and MacBook Pros, efforts have begun anew. Much to the surprise of those who dug deep enough, Apple has left a little message to would-be experimenters.

The message is located in /System/Library/Extensions/Dont Steal Mac OS X.kext and contains the following text:

_name Dont Steal Mac OS X [...] Copyright (c) 2006 Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved.

The purpose of this Apple software is to protect Apple copyrighted materials from unauthorized copying and use. You may not copy, modify, reverse engineer, publicly display, publicly perform, sublicense, transfer or redistribute this file, in whole or in part. If you have obtained a copy of this Apple software and do not have a valid license from Apple Computer to use it, please immediately destroy or delete it from your computer.

Despite the almost humorous approach, it is unclear at this point whether the file is part of the safeguards to keep the operating system on the appropriate hardware, since it is not to be found on the PPC version of 10.4.4, or simply a Apple-styled word of advice.