Editing Macintosh clone

{{short description|Computer running Mac OS not produced by Apple}}
{{distinguish|Hackintosh}}
[[File:StarMax 3000 160MT.jpg|thumb|The [[Motorola StarMax|StarMax]] 3000/160MT, a Macintosh clone manufactured by Motorola]]
A '''Macintosh clone''' is a computer running the [[Classic Mac OS]] operating system that was not produced by [[Apple Inc.]] The earliest Mac clones were based on [[emulators]] and reverse-engineered Macintosh [[Read-only memory|ROM]]s. During Apple's short lived Mac OS 7 licensing program, authorized Mac clone makers were able to either purchase 100% compatible motherboards or build their own hardware using licensed Mac reference designs.

During Apple's [[Mac transition to Intel processors|switch to the Intel platform]], many non-Apple [[Wintel]]/[[Personal computer|PC]] computers were technologically so similar to Mac computers that they were able to boot the [[Classic Mac OS|Mac operating system]] using various combinations of community-developed patches and hacks. Such a Wintel/PC computer running [[macOS]] is more commonly referred to as a ''[[Hackintosh]]''. Apple's transition to [[Apple silicon]] means that making Mac clones is considerably harder.

==Background==
The [[Apple II]] and [[IBM PC]] computer lines were "cloned" by other manufacturers who had [[reverse engineering|reverse-engineer]]ed the minimal amount of [[firmware]] in the computers' ROM chips and subsequently legally produced computers that could run the same software.<ref name="lemjosh">{{cite web  | last =Coventry  | first =Joshua | author-link=   | title =Apples From Other Orchards  | publisher =[[Low End Mac]]  | date =2006-12-05  | url =http://lowendmac.com/2014/apples-from-other-orchards-apple-ii-clones/  | doi =  | accessdate =2007-03-04  }}</ref>  These clones were seen by Apple as a threat, as Apple II sales had presumably suffered from the competition provided by [[Franklin Computer Corporation]] and other clone manufacturers,<ref name="lemjosh"/> both legal and illegal. At IBM, the threat proved to be real: most of the market eventually went to clone-makers, including [[Compaq]], [[Leading Edge Hardware Products|Leading Edge]], [[Tandy Corporation|Tandy]], [[Kaypro]], [[Packard Bell]], [[Amstrad]] in Europe, and dozens of smaller companies, and in short order IBM found it had [[gang of nine|lost control over its own platform]].

Apple eventually licensed the Apple II ROMs to other companies, primarily to educational toy manufacturer [[Tiger Electronics]] in order to produce an inexpensive laptop with educational games and the [[AppleWorks]] software suite: the Tiger Learning Computer (TLC).  The TLC lacked a built-in display.<ref name="owad">{{cite web  | last =Owad  | first =Tom  | author-link =  | title =Tiger Learning Computer  | publisher =Applefritter  | date =2004-01-19  | url =http://www.applefritter.com/node/239  | doi =  | accessdate =2007-03-04  }}</ref>  Its lid acted as a holster for the cartridges that stored the bundled software, as it had no floppy drive.<ref name="owad"/>

==Emulators==
{{as of|1989}}, the only legal Macintosh clone was an [[Atari ST]] with Mac ROMs.<ref name="microbytes198902">{{Cite magazine |date=February 1989 |title=Nanobytes |url=https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1989-02_OCR/page/n15/mode/1up?view=theater |access-date=2024-10-08 |magazine=BYTE |page=12}}</ref> The ST can emulate a Mac by adding the third-party Magic Sac emulator, released in 1985, and, later, the Spectre, [[Spectre GCR]], and Aladin emulators. The first three of those emulators requires that the user obtain a set of Mac ROMs sold as system upgrades to Macintosh users. Later, multiple [[Emulation on the Amiga#Mac OS on Amiga|emulators]] were released for the [[Amiga]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://shapeshifter.cebix.net/|title=The Official ShapeShifter Home Page}}</ref>

Starting with the sales of [[Power Macintosh|PowerPC Macs]], a [[Mac 68k emulator|CPU emulator to run 68000 applications]] was built into the Mac OS. By the time [[Motorola 68060|68060]] processors were available, PowerPC Macs became so powerful that they ran 68000 applications faster than any 68000-based computer, including any Amiga, Atari ST or [[Sharp X68000]]. This means even a 68060-upgraded Atari ST clone or Amiga, which avoid CPU emulation, were always slower, on top of causing some programs not to work thanks to imperfect virtualization of the Mac system and remaining machine components.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://applemuseum.bott.org/sections/ppc.html |title=The PowerPC Triumph |accessdate=1 July 2011}}</ref>

[[Connectix]] also released another 68k emulator for Macs, replacing the original, called Speed Doubler, supposedly reported to be even faster than Apple's. As the years went by, the emulator was not updated to work with later versions of the original Mac OS, however, supposedly because Apple's own 68k emulator eventually surpassed it in performance, and the OS itself relied further on native PowerPC code with each new Mac OS update.

There was also a software emulator for x86 platforms running [[DOS]]/[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] and [[Linux]] called [[Executor (software)|Executor]], from ARDI. ARDI reverse-engineered the Mac ROM and built a 68000 CPU emulator, enabling Executor to run most (but not all) Macintosh software, from System 5 to System 7, with good speed. The migration from 68000 to [[PowerPC]], and the added difficulties of emulating a PowerPC on x86 platforms, made targeting the later Mac OS versions impractical.

== Unlicensed clones ==
Wary of repeating history and wanting to retain tight control of its product, Apple's Macintosh strategy included technical and legal measures that rendered production of Mac clones problematic. The original Macintosh system software contained a very large amount of complex code, which embodied the Mac's entire set of [[API]]s, including the use of the GUI and [[file system]]. Through the 1980s and into the 1990s, much of the system software was included in the Macintosh's physical ROM chips. Therefore, any competitor attempting to create a Macintosh clone without infringing copyright would have to reverse-engineer the ROMs, which would have been an enormous and costly process without certainty of success. Only one company, Nutek, managed to produce "semi-Mac-compatible" computers in the early 1990s by partially re-implementing [[System 7 (Macintosh)|System 7]] ROMs.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.everymac.com/systems/nutek/index.html | title=MacOS-Compatible Systems: NuTek | publisher=EveryMac.com | accessdate=2006-05-25}}</ref>

[[File:Outbound Systems Inc. Model 2000 rear memory slots.jpg|thumb|Mac ROM was used in the Outbound Notebook. The Mac ROM stick is shown removed, revealing the RAM slots.]]
This strategy, making the development of competitive Mac clones prohibitively expensive, successfully shut out manufacturers looking to create computers that would directly compete with Apple's product lines. However, companies like [[Outbound laptop|Outbound Systems]], [[Dynamac]] and [[Colby Systems]], were able to sidestep the Mac cloning process by targeting high-end, high-profit market segments without suitable product offerings from Apple and offering [[Macintosh clone#Macintosh conversion|Mac conversions]] instead.<ref>{{citation|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1563/is_n2_v9/ai_9820899/|title=Taking your Mac on the road: Outbound Laptop System - Hardware Review - alternative to Apple Macintosh Portable from Outbound Systems Inc - evaluation|author=Eric Taub|work=Home Office Computing|year=1991}}</ref><ref>{{citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hTwEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA5|work=InfoWorld|date=24 November 1986|page=5|first=Rory J.|last=O'Connor|title=Apple Backs Portable Mac By Dynamac- First Mac Laptop To Gain Approval}}</ref><ref>{{citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pDsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA8|work=InfoWorld|date=31 October 1988|page=8|first=Laurie|last=Flynn|title=Colby to Sell SE Model of Walk-Mac- Plans for Authorized Apple Dealers to Install Spare Motherboards}}</ref>

In the early 1980s, Brazil's military dictatorship instituted trade restrictions that prohibited the importation of computers from overseas manufacturers, and these restrictions were not lifted until 1993. A Brazilian company called Unitron (which had previously produced Apple II clones) developed a Macintosh clone with specifications similar to the Mac 512K, and proposed to put it on sale. Although Unitron claimed to have legitimately reverse-engineered the ROMs and hardware, and Apple did not hold patents covering the computer in Brazil, Apple claimed the ROMs had simply been copied.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://lowendmac.com/2016/unitron-mac-512-a-contraband-mac-512k-from-brazil/ | title= Unitron Mac 512: A Contraband Mac 512K from Brazil | publisher=low end mac | accessdate=2011-05-22}}</ref> Ultimately, under pressure from the US government and local manufacturers of [[PC clone]]s the Brazilian Computer and Automation Council did not allow production to proceed.<ref>{{citation|title=O caso Unitron e condições de inovação tecnológica no Brasil|first=Ivan|last=da Costa Marques|publisher=Brazilian Economic History Society|work=Proceedings of the 5th Brazilian Congress of Economic History and the 6th International Conference on Business History|year=2003|url=http://www.abphe.org.br/congresso2003/Textos/Abphe_2003_39.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041208203821/http://www.abphe.org.br/congresso2003/Textos/Abphe_2003_39.pdf|archivedate=2004-12-08|language=Portuguese }}</ref>

===Hackintosh===
{{Main|Hackintosh}}
When Apple migrated to the PC-Intel platform in the mid-2000s, Apple hardware was more or less the same as generic PC hardware from a platform perspective. This theoretically allowed for installation of Mac OS X on non-Apple hardware. ''Hackintosh'' is the term appropriated by hobbyist programmers, who have collaborated on the Internet to install versions of Mac OS X v10.4 onwards{{snd}} dubbed ''Mac OSx86''{{snd}}  to be used on [[Personal Computer|generic PC]] hardware rather than on Apple's own hardware. Apple contends this is illegal under the [[DMCA]], so in order to combat illegal usage of their operating system software, they continue to use methods to prevent Mac OS X (now macOS) from being installed on unofficial non-Apple hardware, with mixed success. At present, with proper knowledge and instruction, macOS installation is more or less straightforward.  Several online communities have sprung up to support end-users who wish to install macOS on non-Apple hardware.  Some representative examples of these are Dortania and InsanelyMac.

===Psystar Corporation===
{{Main|Psystar}}

In April 2008, [[Psystar|Psystar Corporation]] based in [[Miami]], [[Florida]], announced the first commercially available [[Hackintosh|OSx86]], a [[Wintel]]/[[Personal computer|PC]] computer with [[Mac OS X Leopard]] pre-installed<ref>[http://www.crn.com/hardware/207200440 Psystar Releases Mac Clone]</ref> partially with software from the [[Hackintosh|OSx86]] community project.<ref>{{cite web|author=Patel, Nilay|date=2008-04-16|title=OSx86 Project not too happy with Psystar either|url=https://www.engadget.com/2008/04/16/osx86-project-not-too-happy-with-psystar-either/|publisher=Engadget|accessdate=Sep 17, 2008}}</ref> [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] immediately sued in July 2008<ref>{{cite web|author=Fried, Ina|date=2008-07-15|title=Apple sues clone maker Psystar|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-9991572-56.html|work=[[CNET News]]|publisher=[[CBS Corporation]]|accessdate=19 November 2008}}</ref> and a protracted legal battle followed, ending in November 2009 with a summary judgement against Psystar.<ref>{{cite web|author=Elmer-DeWitt, Philip|date=2009-11-14|title=Apple wins clone suit|url=http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/11/14/apple-wins-clone-suit/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100330233518/http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/11/14/apple-wins-clone-suit/|archive-date=March 30, 2010|website=[[CNN Money]]|accessdate=November 15, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Keizer, Greg|date=2009-11-15|title=Apple Wins Court Victory Over Mac Clone Maker Psystar|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/182218/Apple_Wins_Court_Victory_Over_Mac_Clone_Maker_Psystar.html?tk=rss_news|publisher=[[Pc World]]|accessdate=November 15, 2009}}</ref> In May 2012, the [[Supreme Court of the United States|U.S. Supreme Court]] denied Psystar's appeal, closing the case for good.<ref>{{cite web|title=CERTIORARI -- SUMMARY DISPOSITION|url=https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/051412zor.pdf}}</ref>

==Licensed clones==
[[File:PowerComputing PowerCenter Pro 210.jpg|thumb|200px|A PowerCenter Pro 210, a Macintosh clone manufactured by [[Power Computing Corporation]]]]
In 1992, ''[[Macworld]]'' published an editorial stating that Apple clones were coming, and that the company should license its technology to others so it would benefit as the overall Macintosh market grew.<ref name="borrell199205">{{Cite magazine |last=Borrell |first=Jerry |date=May 1992 |title=Opening Pandora's Box |url=https://archive.org/stream/MacWorld_9205_May_1992#page/n21/mode/2up |magazine=Macworld |pages=21–22}}</ref>

[[File:UMAX SuperMac S900.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A [[UMAX SuperMac]] S900, a Macintosh clone manufactured by [[UMAX Technologies]]]]
By 1995, Apple Macintosh computers accounted for around 7% of the worldwide desktop computer market. Apple executives decided to launch an official clone program in order to expand Macintosh [[market share|market penetration]].  Apple's [[System 7|Mac OS 7]] licensing program entailed the [[license|licensing]] of the Macintosh ROMs and system software to other manufacturers, each of which agreed to pay a flat fee for a license, and a [[Royalties|royalty]] (initially {{US$|50|1995}}) for each clone computer they sold. This generated quick revenues for Apple during a time of financial crisis.<ref name="apconf" />

From early 1995 through mid-1997, it was possible to buy [[PowerPC]]-based clone computers running Mac OS, most notably from [[Power Computing]] and [[UMAX Technologies|UMAX]]. However, by 1996 Apple executives were worried that high-end clones were cannibalizing sales of their own high-end computers, where profit margins were highest.<ref name="apconf">{{cite book|title=Apple Confidential 2.0: The Definitive History of the World's Most Colorful Company|first=Owen W.|last=Linzmayer|isbn=1-59327-010-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mXnw5tM8QRwC&pg=PA254|pages=254–256|date=2004-01-01|publisher=No Starch Press }}</ref>

A total of 75 distinct Macintosh clone models are known to have been introduced during the licensee era.<ref>{{cite book
| url = https://archive.org/details/macworldmacsecre00pogu/page/452
| title = MacWorld Mac Secrets, 5th Edition
| page = [https://archive.org/details/macworldmacsecre00pogu/page/452 453]
| publisher = [[IDG Books]]
| date = 1999
| first1 = David
| last1 = Pogue
| first2 = Joseph
| last2 = Schorr
| isbn = 0-7645-4040-8
}}</ref>

The following companies produced licensed Mac clones:
{| class="wikitable"
!Company
!Products
|-
|Akia
|MicroBook Power
|-
|APS Technology
|M*Power
|-
|[[Bandai]]
|Atmark, @World (Apple Pippin)
|-
|Centralen Norrland
|Reid
|-
|Centro HL
|MacOS Clones
|-
|ComJet
|PowerCity
|-
|Computer Warehouse
|B-Machine, Boston, Cannes, Harvard, Hollywood,  Manhattan, Nashville, New York, Paris, Rome, Stanford
|-
|[[DayStar Digital]]
|Genesis, MP-Card "nPower", Millenium
|-
|DynaTec Memory Systems GmbH
|Junior, 5/300, 10/300
|-
|Gravis Computervertriebsgesellschaft mbH
|MT, TT, TT Pro, Gravision Four
|-
|International Computer
|IC 3, IC 4
|-
|Katz Media
|KMP 2000 (Apple Pippin)
|-
|Mactell
|Twister, Typhoon, XB, XB-Pro, PowerJolt Upgrade,  PowerJolt OverDrive Upgrade
|-
|MacWay
|Starway
|-
|MacWorks
|Millenium, Millenium G3
|-
|Marathon Computer, Inc.
|Rack Mac
|-
|[[MaxxBoxx|Maxxboxx Datasystems]]
|MaxxBoxx 730/200, 790/Tanzania, 860/nitro,  930/mocca, 960/tsunami
|-
|[[Motorola|Motorola Computer Group]]
|[[Motorola StarMax|StarMax 3000, 4000, 5000]]
|-
|[[Pioneer Corporation]]
|MPC-GX1, MPC-LX200
|-
|PIOS Computer AG
|Keenya, Magna, Maxxtrem, Magna Card Upgrade, Joecard Upgrade
|-
|PotzBits
|PotzBits 975, 985
|-
|Power Dome
|Alternate 4200, 4233, 4250
|-
|[[Power Computing Corporation]]
|Power, PowerBase, PowerCenter/Pro, PowerCurve,  PowerTower/Pro, PowerWave
|-
|PowerEx
|StepMAC
|-
|PowerTools
|Infinity, X-Factor, X-Force
|-
|[[Radius (hardware company)|Radius]]
|System 100, System 81/110
|-
|RedBox
|Expression 604e
|-
|Shaye
|Shaye 200, Shaye 200/II
|-
|Storm
|Challenger, Mercury, Surge, G3 Upgrade-Cards
|-
|[[Tatung Company]]
|TPC
|-
|[[UMAX Technologies]]
|[[UMAX SuperMac|SuperMac]] series: C500, C600, J700, J710, S900, S910, Aegis, Apus, Centauri, Pulsar
|-
|Vertegri
|QuickTower, ImediaEngine
|-
|VisionPower
|PowerExpress, PowerExtreme, PowerMax Pro
|}

A number of major PC clone manufacturers, including [[Gateway 2000]] and [[Acer Inc.|Acer]], along with a number of Taiwanese clone vendors, had sought to license Mac OS and produce Mac clones but had been rebuffed by Apple. Such decisions were interpreted as Apple not wishing to relinquish its position of control over the Macintosh market and being unable to support existing licensees.<ref name="computerworld19950911_apple">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/sim_computerworld_1995-09-11_29_37/page/n13/mode/1up | title=Clone problems still daunt Apple | magazine=Computerworld | last1=Picarille | first1=Lisa | date=11 September 1995 | access-date=16 February 2025 | pages=12 }}</ref> Licensing agreements with other companies remained unannounced during September 1995, these involving [[Acorn Computers]], [[Olivetti]] and [[GoldStar]], ostensibly due to supply issues around certain components used in Mac systems. Reports in MacWeek had also suggested that [[Dell]] and [[Compaq]] had been "seriously considering" the production of [[Common Hardware Reference Platform]] (CHRP) systems.<ref name="unigramx19950911_apple">{{ cite news | url=https://archive.org/details/UnigramX1995519-570/page/10/mode/1up | title=Parts Dearth: Apple Nixes Mac OS Deals | work=Unigram/X | date=11 September 1995 | access-date=16 February 2025 | pages=2 }}</ref> Systems conforming to the CHRP standard were anticipated to reduce the support burden on Apple, allowing clone manufacturers to more readily deviate from Apple's own designs.<ref name="computerworld19950911_apple"/>

===Jobs ends the official program===
In early 1997 Apple indicated that it wanted much higher license revenue from clonemakers, and other conditions. In June it and Power Computing tentatively agreed to new terms. The deal was not finalized before the July 9 departure of Apple CEO [[Gil Amelio]]. After [[Steve Jobs]] became ''de facto'' CEO,{{r|beale199711}} he personally tried to renegotiate licensing deals more favorable to Apple five times over the course of three weeks; each time, in his own words, Jobs was "basically told to pound sand".<ref>October 1997 Seybold Seminar</ref> This response caused him to halt negotiations of upcoming licensing deals with OS licensees that Apple executives complained were still financially unfavorable.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Galen|last=Gruman|title=Why Apple Pulled the Plug|magazine=Macworld|volume=14|pages=31–36|date=November 1997|issue=11}}</ref>

Because the clone makers' licenses were valid only for Apple's System 7 operating system, Apple's release of Mac OS 8 left the clone manufacturers without the ability to ship a current Mac OS version and effectively ended the cloning program.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Steven|last=Beale|title=Mac OS 8 Ships with No License Deal|magazine=Macworld|volume=14|pages=34–36|date=October 1997|issue=10}}</ref> Apple bought Power Computing's Mac clone business for {{US$|100000000|1997}} and gave their users free Mac OS 8 upgrade disks, ending the clone era.<ref name="beale199711">{{Cite magazine |last=Beale |first=Steven |date=November 1997 |title=Apple Eliminates the Top Clone Vendor |url=https://archive.org/stream/MacWorld_9711_November_1997#page/n33/mode/2up |magazine=Macworld |pages=30–31 |volume=14 |issue=11}}</ref> Only UMAX ever obtained a license to ship Mac OS 8 and get Mac OS 8 upgrade disks, which expired in July 1998 (Power Computing also got Mac OS 8 disks by their acquisition by Apple).<ref name="apconf" />

All other manufacturers had their Macintosh clone contract terminated by late 1997 and either continued their brands as [[PC clones]] or discontinued them altogether. Some of the clone manufacturers even went out of business. Reportedly, a heated telephone conversation between Jobs and Motorola CEO Christopher Galvin resulted in the contentious termination of Motorola's clone contract, and the long-favored Apple being demoted to "just another customer" mainly for PowerPC CPUs.<ref name="Jobs Makes Headway">{{cite news|url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB892507589126559000| url-status=live | archiveurl=https://archive.today/20150426152356/http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB892507589126559000 | archivedate=April 26, 2015 | title = Jobs Makes Headway at Apple, But Not Without Much Turmoil|date = April 14, 1998|accessdate=March 16, 2019 |newspaper = Wall Street Journal |last = Carlton|first = Jim}}</ref>

In 1999, Jobs had discussions with [[Ben Rosen]], chairman and interim CEO of [[Compaq]] at the time, for the world's then-largest Wintel PC manufacturer to license Mac OS, which would have been a coup for Apple. However no agreement was reached, as Apple had second thoughts about licensing its "crown jewel", while Compaq did not want to offend Microsoft, which it had partnered with since its founding in 1982. By 2007, five years after Compaq merged with [[Hewlett-Packard|HP]], Rosen told Jobs he had switched to being a Mac user.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20124402-37/jobs-reportedly-wanted-compaq-to-license-mac-os/ |title=Jobs reportedly wanted Compaq to license Mac OS |website=[[CNET]]|author=Musil, Steven|date=2011-10-23}}</ref>

In 2001, Jobs reportedly had a meeting with Sony executives, saying he was "willing to make an exception" for [[Sony VAIO]] to run [[macOS|Mac OS X]], although the negotiations later fell through.<ref>{{cite web|title=Steve Jobs wanted Sony VAIOs to run OS X|url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/2/5/5380832/sony-vaio-apple-os-x-steve-jobs-meeting-report|website=The Verge|accessdate=2014-07-08|date=2014-02-05|author=Souppouris, Aaron }}</ref>

Since Apple [[Mac transition to Intel processors|transitioned]] the Macintosh to an [[x86|Intel platform]] in 2006, and subsequent to a major increase in visibility and a gain in computer market share for Apple with the success of the [[iPod]], large computer system manufacturers such as [[Dell]] have expressed renewed interest in creating Macintosh clones.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dell: We Would License Mac OS|date=16 June 2005 |url=http://www.betanews.com/article/Dell-We-Would-License-Mac-OS-X/1118955105|publisher=betanews.com|accessdate=2010-11-16}}</ref> While various industry executives, notably [[Michael Dell]], have stated publicly that they would like to sell Macintosh-compatible computers, Apple VP [[Phil Schiller]] said the company does not plan to let people run Mac OS X (macOS) on other computer makers' hardware. "We will not allow running Mac OS X on anything other than an Apple Mac," he said.<ref>{{cite web|title=Apple throws the switch, aligns with Intel|url=http://news.cnet.com/2100-1014_3-5733756.html|website=CNET|accessdate=2005-06-06}}</ref>

==Macintosh conversion==
{{Main|Macintosh conversion}}
Unlike Mac clones that contain little or no original [[Apple Inc|Apple]] [[Computer hardware|hardware]], a Mac conversion is an [[Aftermarket (merchandise)|aftermarket]] enclosure kit that requires the core components of a previously purchased, genuine Apple [[Macintosh|Mac computer]], such as the Macintosh [[Read-only memory|ROM]] or the [[motherboard]], in order to become a functional computer system. This business model is most commonly used in the [[Aftermarket (automotive)|car industry]], with one of the most famous examples being the [[Shelby Mustang]], a high performance variant of the [[Ford Mustang]], and is protected<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.justice.gov/usam/criminal-resource-manual-1854-copyright-infringement-first-sale-doctrine |title=Copyright Infringement -- First Sale Doctrine |date=19 February 2015 |publisher=Offices of the United States Attorneys |accessdate=Sep 28, 2017}}</ref> in the U.S. by the [[First-sale doctrine]] and similar legal concepts in most other countries.

While Mac clones traditionally aim to compete directly with Apple's solutions through lower prices,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lowendmac.com/2014/apple-squeezes-mac-clones-out-of-the-market/ |title=Apple Squeezes Mac Clones Out of the Market |publisher=Low End Mac}}</ref> Mac conversions target market segments that lack dedicated solutions from Apple, and where the need for a Mac solution is high enough to justify the combined cost of the full price of the Mac donor computer plus the price of the conversion kit and labor.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MTwEAAAAMBAJ&dq=intelitec+macintosh+portable&pg=RA1-PA25 |title=Makers Proceed Despite Apple's Refusal to Sell Motherboards |publisher=INFOWORLD:Macintosh News |date=2008-04-16 |author= Spiegelman, Lisa L.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://lowendmac.com/2016/the-68000-dash-30fx-an-accelerate-mac-iifx/ |title=Makers Proceed Despite Apple's Refusal to Sell Motherboards |publisher=Low End Mac |date=2016-07-05}}</ref>

The following companies produced Mac conversions:
{| class="wikitable"
!Company
!Products
|-
|Assistive Technology, Inc.
|Freestyle
|-
|[[Macintosh conversion#Axiotron, Inc.|Axiotron, Inc.]]
|Modbook 100, Modbook 150
|-
|[[Macintosh conversion#Colby Systems, Inc.|Colby Systems]]
|Classmate, WalkMac SE, WalkMac SE-30
|-
|Cutting Edge
|Quatro 850
|-
|[[Macintosh conversion#Dynamac Computer Products, Inc.|Dynamac]]
|Dynamac, Dynamac EL, Dynamac SE, Dynamac IIsf
|-
|Hardware Research, Inc.
|Rack Mounted Mac
|-
|[[Macintosh conversion#Intelitec Systems Corporation|Intelitec Systems Corp.]]
|MX Plus
|-
|Marathon Computer, Inc.
|iRack, PowerRack
|-
|McMobile
|McMobile
|-
|[[Macintosh conversion#Modbook Inc.|Modbook Inc.]]
|Modbook Pro, Modbook Pro X
|-
|[[Macintosh conversion#Outbound Systems, Inc.|Outbound]]
|Laptop, Notebook
|-
|[[Macintosh conversion#Sixty-Eight Thousand, Inc.|Sixty-Eight Thousand, Inc.]]
|Dash 30fx, Dash 40Q
|-
|Uchishiba Seisakusho, Inc.
|BookcaSE
|}

==See also==
* [[IBM PC compatible]]
* [[Darwin (operating system)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://archive.org/details/MacClone95 Mac Clones and New O/S] movie from [[archive.org]]
* [http://www.everymac.com/systems/mac-clones/index-mac-clones.html Mac Clones by Manufacturer] (at EveryMac.com)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20170204050953/http://lowendmac.com/clones/index.shtml Macintosh clones] (at LowEndMac.com)
* [http://www.macinfo.de/rechner/index.html Infos on all macs and clones] (incl. details on some [http://www.macinfo.de/hardware/boards.html mainboard PCBs] / at MacInfo.de)
* [http://lowendmac.com/2014/apple-squeezes-mac-clones-out-of-the-market/ Apple Squeezes Mac Clones Out of the Market] (at LowEndMac.com)
* {{Citation | url = http://vintage-laptops.com/?page_id=246&lang=en | contribution = Dynamac (Macintosh clone), 360 degree model | title = Russian Vintage Laptop Museum | date = 6 April 2017 | type = museum}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Macintosh Clone}}
[[Category:Macintosh clones| ]]