Since last year, a small company called Psystar has been selling Mac clones that, in some cases, are more powerful than Apple’s own computers in the same price range. Now, the company has hit on another way to spread the OS X love: It will begin licensing its software to other companies that want to build and sell ersatz Macs. There are just a couple of problems that potential buyers might want to be aware of: Apple hasn’t given Psystar permission to do this, and is in the process of suing the company for copyright infringement. Oh, and Psystar is also in Chapter 11.

Despite these challenges, Psystar continues to sell its computers online, and recently unveiled its own version of Apple’s Snow Leopard software. According to the company:

In an effort to spread the Snow Leopard experience to an ever expanding number of people, the licensing initiative will allow manufacturers to have their hardware Psystar certified and have their computers pre-loaded with our unique technology.

The company’s prices look competitive, and the licensing option could drive overall pricing down even further, if any companies are brave enough to join Psystar in its fight against Apple. However, buying a Psystar isn’t for the faint of heart. Customers aren’t eligible for Apple’s normal software and hardware support. And upgrades are, oh, complicated. While new customers can use Snow Leopard, if you’ve got an older Psystar, you may want to skip it. According to the company, upgrading “may cause harm to your computer, resulting in possible re-installation of OS X 10.5 and a loss of data.”

Psystar To Sell ‘Secret Sauce’ Behind Mac Clones [InformationWeek]

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