San Francisco (CA) – A TG Daily article chronicling the bloody Mac clone wars sparked a fierce debate over Apple’s controversial “tax” and its control over OS X. However, EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich told TG Daily that Club Cupertino’s tax was “no different” from the premium BMW, Mercedes and Lexus puts on its automobiles.
“Consumers will pay a premium for just about any item, as long as the benefits outweigh the costs,” Divnich told TG Daily in response to a query about a future Apple game console. “The Apple tax is just a clever name for the premium Apple can charge for its products because owning an Apple product has some social and cultural benefits.”
Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter expressed similar sentiments.
“Apple will always have the Apple faithful, who are reminiscent of the Sony faithful in the 70s and 80s who bought only Sony TV and stereo components,” said Pachter. “These people would buy an Apple refrigerator, if one was offered, on the basis that it was less complicated to chill food.”
Indeed, a number of Apple faithful have voiced their support for Club Cupertino in its ongoing legal battle against Mac clone-manufacturer Psystar. For example, Technophile vehemently disputed the latter’s claim that it wanted to peacefully “coexist” with Apple and provide a viable option for “people [who] simply cannot afford an Apple computer.”
“Psystar is NOT your friend. No matter what they are spewing, they are just a bunch of hucksters who see how they can make a killing off of idiots willing to cough up some money for a second rate machine,” wrote Technophile. They don’t care about ‘availability’ or ‘working alongside Apple.’ They just want to make a quick buck. I hope Apple fries their a***** and whoever is backing them too!”
Another TG Daily reader known as “Ralf the Dog” concurred.
“Psystar can go and write their own OS if they want. They can not use an operating system that is only licensed to run on Apple hardware. Apple spent a great deal of time and money writing a very good operating system,” opined Ralf. “They sell this operating system as a loss leader to get people to buy their hardware. It was never sold as a standalone product. Psystar can go to Redmond Washington in a hand basket.”
Others, however, disagreed.
“What gives Apple the right to say they still control how you use a product that you have purchased from them?” asked Bob M. “Oh, that’s right they have a nice little racket going and if such a thing became widespread it would hurt their business model so the world should accommodate [them]. Apple sells a product OS X in this case and if I or anyone else should purchase that product I should be able to do whatever I want with it to include installing it on whatever hardware I want or resale it if I so choose just as long as I don’t make copies to give away or sell. If Apple doesn’t want me to do that they shouldn’t sell it to me.”
TG Daily reader Bill agreed with Bob M’s statement, adding that Apple didn’t know the first thing about free enterprise.
“Typical Apple behavior. They want their ‘apple and eat it as well,’ noted Bill. “They don’t know what free enterprise is. Free up OS for clones, etc. They make the hardware and the software and rape their users…But oh, they must like it!”
