Wired takes down Hackintosh video

Wired is being sued for posting a video on how to get Mac OS X on an MSI Wind, shown here.

(Credit: CNET)

Update at 11:30 a.m.: It seems that Chen did not understand exactly what happened regarding his article. Updates throughout.

Wired has confirmed that Apple contacted the publisher about a blog post with step-by-step instructions on how to get Mac OS X running on a non-Apple Netbook and decided to remove the offending video.

Earlier in the day, Brian Chen, who writes for Wired's Gadget Lab blog, posted a message to Twitter spotted by Gizmodo saying "just found out Apple is suing Wired for my video tutorial on hacking Netbooks to run Mac OS X."

It turns out, however, that Apple merely contacted the Conde Nast division regarding the post in question, and after reviewing the post, Wired decided to remove the video from its site, a company representative confirmed. Chen updated his Twitter feed to that effect shortly after we contacted Wired.

The video no longer appears on Wired's site. The original article with step-by-step instructions on how to circumvent Apple's restrictions on where Mac OS X can be installed is still up as of this moment, and Wired is currently reviewing it but plans to leave it up for now, the representative said.

Apple has appeared to gently tolerate the "Hackintosh" community that sprung up after the company decided to adopt Intel's x86 processors for the Mac, so long as the project didn't advance much beyond science fair mode. But it has shown a clear interest in protecting its licensing agreements for Mac OS X this year, through its legal battle against Psystar, a clone maker selling generic desktop PCs with Mac OS X preinstalled.

In its article, Wired admitted that the practice is illegal, requiring the installation of hacked software, linking to well-known torrent site The Pirate Bay to provide a source for the software. It also offered the following disclaimer: "Disclaimer: The following process potentially violates Apple's End User License Agreement for Mac OS X. Please ensure you own a copy of Mac OS X Leopard, if you wish to follow the procedure."

An Apple representative declined to comment on the situation. Evan Hansen, editor-in-chief of Wired.com, did not return calls and e-mails seeking comment.

Updated 12:25pm - Our friends at ZDNet were able to get a hold of Hansen, who had the following to say. "We made a determination that the video...we're more comfortable taking down the video." Hansen also told ZDNet that Wired tries "to default to the most conservative position we can in terms of removing content ... but we don't want to pull content (needlessly)."

[BK216]

Its reasons like this that I really have a problem with Apple. I understand you have your licensing agreements and all but WOW. Going after them because they created a helpful tutorial video? If anything, people willing to go through all it takes to create a Hackintosh would probably end up buying a Mac at one point. But noooooo

[Penguinisto]

So if someone posted a video on Wired describing how to remove Windows' built-in key/validation tools, and Microsoft demanded (and got) it taken down, how would you then respond?

Same-same...

[Vegaman_Dan]

Penguinisto:

Just to be clear, you have stated in the past that you currently own and promte the use of a "Hackintosh" yourself, correct?

[tanker1811]

Here's the thing: background to follow. I'm a Windows sysadmin and Apple certified (ACDT) and recently was looking to replace my and my wife's computers at home. I was hoping to pick up a couple of discontinued macs after Macworld, but Apple did not rev the iMac or Mac Mini line. So starts the dilemma; if Apple were to support this sort of thing I would have bought two copies of their OS, the requisite components and built Macs. Since they did not, I bought my components and am going to be running Vista (and Windows 7 later this year). My loss? sort of, but I still have a decent setup that I'm pretty happy with. The real loss is Apple's; not for my business, but that of my three kids that are just learning how to use a computer... Windows, not Apple. Very shortsighted, and at the end of the day, bad business.

[Penguinisto]

s'okay - they'll get Macs when they hit College, so it all evens out in the end ;)

[Words_Matter]

Read through this once or twice before flaming it and see if you follow where I'm going.

Copyright infringement is illegal, but so is "inducing" others to infringe copyright. This is the essence of Apple's lawsuit against Psystar. Because this is such a high profile case, Apple can't just "let it slide" when it turns up on another high profile site (Wired). So from Apple's perspective, they have no choice but to ask Wired to take it down. Otherwise they might as well not have filed their case against Psystar.

Remember, Apple didn't "go after" anyone, they just asked Wired to take down the video. (Chen's tweet said, "Update: Apple is not suing Wired over the Hackintosh tutorial. My misunderstanding.")

From Wired's perspective, they have a 'helpful tutorial video' which may be construed to be inducing people to commit copyright infringement. If they don't honor Apple's request and Apple ends up winning their lawsuit against Psystar that would put Wired in a very risky position. At that point Apple could come after Wired for something they just proved was illegal. So Wired's choice is to leave up a video that doesn't directly benefit them but does expose them to potentially expensive damages down the road, or remove the video and avoid the risk. As the article says, Wired chooses to be conservative about these things (it's a lot safer that way).

It's not really about who's a good guy or a bad guy or a lovable hacker. The situation never could have played out any other way these days.

[terminalblue]

this **** is NOT cool....i saw this video and this guy does link to several torrents, but he also reminds people that it isnt strictly legal.

honestly, if apple wants to lock down their software then maybe they should go back to their obsolete hardware.

[gopnick]

The excuse everyone used for stealing music 7-10 years ago was "oh, I'll try and buy!" The same is being done this decade with software. Linking to TPB was just doing over the line. People who want to steal know where to find the software.

[mikeosta]

What kind of reasoning is that?? Thats why you have a problem with Apple? Really?? And your best argument is that "If anything, people willing to go through all it takes to create a Hackintosh would probably end up buying a Mac at one point". I am sorry buddy but that simple "helpful tutorial" video as you called it, was giving people an instructional video on how to basically violate completely Apple's EULA. As a legitimate, news source, I dont know how they even had the nerve to post that. It is one thing to report on the trends or what the "DIY" community is doing but to blatantly explain how to violate Apple's license, thats another thing. Nice try with the warning they gave, though, but just because you know your doing something wrong and you make that clear to people, that does not protect you from any legal action.

[ducttape36]

youre reasoning isnt any better. perhaps your should read this: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10020252-83.html?tag=mncol

its not illegal to tell people how to hack macintosh. Instructional videos are protected under free speech. you can make instructional videos on how to break into a bank too, with helpful suggestions on where to buy the tools to do it. its called free speech and youre allowed to do it. you can even buy something like the anarchist cookbook on amazon. yes these instructions tell you how to do something illegal, but there is nothing illegal about giving the actual instructions. apple is wrong here and so are you.

[protagonistic]

@ducttape36

You might want to rethink your statement about free speech. Instructional videos showing someone how to break the law are not necessarily protected free speech. Free speech does give you the right to say anything you want but it does not protect you from being prosecuted for violating the law. If you don't believe me try yelling 'fire" in a crowded theater.

[Penguinisto]

Err yelling "fire" in a crowded theater is called incitement. Describing in detail how to "break the law" (which is not true, since EULA violations are at worst a civil tort) is not.

[ducttape36]

re-thought it. im still right. take come law courses or at least some political classes. learn what is protected by the constitution and bill of rights.

[ducttape36]

reminds me of when the MIT students wanted to demonstrate how to hack the MBTA cards. Yes its illegal, but they were ultimately allowed to present their findings under the protection of free speech. Hopefully this plays out the same way.

[ade333]

apple is a joke. the idiot market is saturated and they're doing anything they can to make money now.

[OctaPC]

That is why it is taking a long time for Apple to grow market share. Al the smart folk are already on board. And the idiot market which is close to 90% is hard to break into. That is why Apple is targeting K-12 and college students.

[Tom Krazit]

UPDATES: Please note the updates, Apple is not suing Wired, they merely contacted the company. Chen has updated his twitter feed, and the post in question remains up.

[Prince2k3]

Seriously your getting mad at Apple for suing these people. If this was your business you would sue too. Do you think business run on no money? These guys are teaching folks how to hack and steal which in turns hurts Apple business.

[rapier1]

The question is why haven't they also gone after the hackintosh community. If this behaviour is tolerated in one community why not another?

[k23232323]

The reason they haven't( and probably never will) gone after the hackintosh community is farly simple.

The skills you need to get a hackintosh working are not those possessedby there target market.
Or in other words, your average joe would be installing osx on a pc, get stuck , say f*** it and drive to the apple store.

Now what happens when you have a well know news source, thats going to profit( you know that video got alot of hits) by making it easy to get a hackintosh working, then you have a problem.
Same thing with pyhstar, pre-build hackintoshes, with some tech support, thats scary for apple.
But some nerds talking about what .kext or driver to install to enable full sata support, or how to edit grub to allow booting of linux and osx(im using nerd talk here, what normal people don't care about), isn't rly that bad, in fact since most hackintoshes are still messed up the hacker is FAR more likely to buy a mac as there next computer.
I will probably buy a mac when they change there warrenty policies ; "On the Macbook the hard drive is not a user servicable part , installing it will void the warrenty"(some guy on apple sell u crap chat.)

[carlnunes]

The Hackintosh community (all 10 of them) is well aware of not linking to torrents and directly sharing information on how to illegally use software. So why did Wired think it was okay?

Oh well, we'll all be using some flavor of Unix very soon. Who will we sue then?

[tm_anon]

@Tom Krazit

I don't think anybody is really paying attention anymore, they just want to rant, but thanks for the update.

[assman]

Honestly I saw that video last week and was a bit astonished Wired had put it online. He blatantly advocates pirating the OS and installing it on the third-party machine.

Not that I have any problem with Hackintoshes. I spent last weekend installing osx86 on my hp pavilion laptop. Still though, I don't think it was appropriate for Wired to publish the tutorial. I figured Apple would get pissed like this.

[x86Mac]

I use a "Hackintosh" for a couple of months now and it made me a complete Mac OS X fan. I've used many of available Linux distributions and Windows for years, and since moving to Mac OS X my only goal is to save enough money to buy a Mac. I understand why Apple is protecting its OS, its business model simply says that Mac OS and a Mac computers are one single product, but i wish the price wasn't so high.

[Maarek Stele]

Why would I ruin a PC by putting a MAC OS on it?

If you're a mac user than you already throw your money away on Out Dated hardware.

[Penguinisto]

You have zero clues, do you?

(hint: Macs nowadays run the same hardware as PCs...)

[OctaPC]

True. You can ruin it better by putting viruses and botware on it.

Are you comparing anything in the second sentence? But I think I would agree. Even though Macs hold their value well, it is better not to throw your money on outdated hardware, and instead for a few hundred more buy a new computer from the Apple store.

[dude7895]

@Penguinisto
Then why does Apple insist on spreading the ideas that their computers are superior to PCs? ;)

[unknown unknown]

@dude7895 It's marketing. Would you want to buy from company who didn't think there product was superior?

Whether it actual is, is up to the person using it. I personally don't care all that much for Mac OS.

[Vegaman_Dan]

Penguinisto wrote:

"(hint: Macs nowadays run the same hardware as PCs...) "

And yet they cost 2x-3x the price. Interesting. Thanks for pointing that out.

[pithenumber]

@Octa
we don't always have a few hundred

a free anti virus does the trick and bloatware is easy to remove

[Penguinisto]

@Dan and dude7895:

...because

1) they are well-built (and not grey-market or under-specced parts, as Dell and HP are both notorious for when it comes to consumer machines). Their longevity and superior resale value more than extol this fact.

2) if you compared spec-for-spec a Dell and a Mac (or an HP and a Mac), you end up paying the same prices (and often more for the non-Mac machine).

HTH,
/P