X

Psystar begins deposing Apple executives

Company says it is in the process of deposing several Apple executives in copyright infringement case that Apple brought against the Mac clone maker.

Jim Dalrymple Special to CNET News
Jim Dalrymple has followed Apple and the Mac industry for the last 15 years, first as part of MacCentral and then in various positions at Macworld. Jim also writes about the professional audio market, examining the best ways to record music using a Macintosh. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CNET. He currently runs The Loop.
See full bio
Jim Dalrymple
2 min read

Psystar lawyers have begun deposing Apple executives in the copyright infringement lawsuit brought by Apple last year, the Mac clone maker announced.

Surprisingly, it seems that Psystar executives are actually enjoying themselves. In a Thursday post on its Web site called "A taste of their own medicine," Psystar seems to gloat over the fact it is now deposing several Apple executives. "For the past week and for the following ten days we will be doing depositions of some of Apple's highest level people. After numerous depositions of Psystar employees and associates the shoe is finally on the other foot, oh the joy!"

Apple accused Psystar of copyright infringement after it began making Mac clone computers and selling them with Mac OS X installed. Apple's license agreement clearly states that the operating system can only be installed on an Apple-labeled computer.

Psystar is even allowing its customers to submit questions to ask the Apple executives, according to a report on AppleInsider. The company said it will take the top 10 questions to each executive deposition.

According to the blog post, Apple executives being deposed are:

  • Aug. 07 -- John Wright -- OS X -- Senior Software Manager
  • Aug. 12 -- Kevin Van Vechten -- OS X -- Software Engineering Manager
  • Aug. 13 -- Phil Schiller -- Marketing -- Senior VP Worldwide Product Marketing
  • Aug. 14 -- Mike Culbert -- Mac Hardware -- Senior Director
  • Aug. 18 -- Gary Thomas -- TBD
  • Aug. 19 -- Simon Patience -- OS X -- Head of Core OS
  • Aug. 21 -- Mark Donnelly -- Apple -- VP Finance and Worldwide Business management
  • Aug. 21 -- Greg Christie -- TBD
  • Aug. 21 -- Bob Mansfield -- Mac Hardware -- Senior VP Mac Hardware Engineering

Psystar said these executives were chosen because they are the most knowledgeable in their field.

The company kicked up the rhetoric a notch since changing lawyers in July. Psystar is now being represented by Houston-based Camara & Sibley, which is also defending convicted music-pirate Jammie Thomas-Rasset.

Psystar filed for bankruptcy protection in May, which normally could shield a company from its legal woes. But Apple asked the court to lift the automatic stay of proceedings in the copyright case. Apple won its argument, and a new trial date has been set for January 11, 2010.