mac operating system

[dipalina]

Can you buy the full Mac operating system? I want to partition my hard drive and install the mac os x legitimately. I was wondering if it is possible to purchase the full edition of the operating system NOT the upgrade edition. If so where can it be purchased?
____________________________
market samurai ~ marketsamurai ~ marketsamurai.com

[Shane R. Monroe]

As I understand it, some versions can be purchased outright - some only in the form of an upgrade. I'm not the mac guy around here, so .. hopefully someone else will chime in.

[siliconcowboy]

You can purchase a "full" copy of some versions of Mac OS X [aka the $200 versions], but to my knowledge ALL licenses dictate that it be ran on Apple branded hardware. So if your intention is to run it on a non Apple machine legitimately then on paper you can't really do that. With that being said Apple has never gone after any INDIVIDUAL for running OS X on non-Apple hardware.

The closest you could get to being legitimate is to buy Leopard and then the upgrade to Snow Leopard. I haven't been paying attention to see if the Mac Store works on non Apple hardware [I imagine it does] but the next version of OS X will not have physical install versions available for purchase [DUMB, but that is another conversation].


And just to be thorough, you can't simply buy those dvds and have them work. You have to go through a lot of work. See wikipedia for more information [lots of useful links in the reference section].

Also just to add I am a Mac user, a Windows user/developer and I dabble in Linux. I love OS X, it is awesome, however I personally wouldn't find it worth it to go through the hassle of going the x86 route. I'd use Ubuntu first [possibly Mint]. My friend on the other hand runs a rig that runs OS X that would cost him several thousand dollars through Apple and absolutely loves it. [He also drives 3 24" monitors which he claimed no mac pro could do at the time]. So to each his own.

If you want to dabble in Mac OS X maybe try the x86 route for a while and if you like it that much consider picking up a Mac Book from Microcenter [if they have them in your area] for $999 [Cheapest price i've been able to find] or a Mac Mini.

[AdamJury]

All of the Snow Leopard (10.6) "Upgrade" DVDs work just fine as full installers on fresh hard drives. No copy protection, no checking for previous installs/discs, no need to upgrade from a previous version.