Psystar’s Latest Legal Manoeuvrings

Here’s some breaking news from legal eagle Dizzle over at World of Apple: Psystar have petitioned the Court to allow them to amend their counterclaim to Apple’s suit. Out goes the whole monopoly shtick and in comes an all-new First Amendment defence. Hit the link below then come back to the end of this sentence when you’re done. That was quick.

Now, we here at Æ aren’t lawyers. We don’t even play lawyers on the Internet. (I did, however, once play the Judge in a school production of Wind in the Willows — and boy did I ever send that Toad slag’s slimy backside down good. Oh, yes. Broke my gavel and everything.) But the First Amendment? Really? Sure, I can recall the time when cryptographic software was classed as a munition, but those days are long gone. Psystar’s defence is ridiculous, and if passed could have all kinds of crazy implications, like the introduction of ‘concealed carry’ laws for iPhones and iPods. Not that it stands a chance. I mean, can you imagine the late Charlton Heston declaring “they can have my cheap knock-off Mac clone when they prise it from my cold, dead hands!”? We shall see on the 15th of January, if it doesn’t get laughed out before then.

UPDATE: Um. Okay. This is a little embarrassing. Turns out the Amendment I was thinking of was the Second. Whoops. In my defence, I’m not actually from around these parts.

UPDATE 2: So I’ve just had a look at the text of the First Amendment. Psystar’s claim related to the “establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” bit, right?

• World of Apple
• via I Drank the Kool-Aid