A company called Psystar has announced that it is selling a $400 computer that can run Apple's Leopard operating system. Psystar is referring to the machine as the Open Computer (a change from the original name, Open Mac) and claiming that it is "The Smart Alternative to an Apple."

I doubt that Apple is very happy with this development, and I suspect that Psystar probably has a few messages from Apple's lawyers on its answering machine. As Wired's blog points out, Apple's end user agreement states that its software can be used only on Apple hardware. Apple has a long and rocky history with clone hardware producers, and has aggressively sought to maintain its monopoly on both its excellent software and the sleek machines it builds to run it.

And that's a shame, because a lot of people would like to buy a Mac but are put off by the price. The most basic Mac Mini is 50% more than the Open Computer, despite being slower and having less memory. Of course, I can't say for sure that the Open Computer works as well as a real Mac. But I hope that Apple will get the message that there is demand for cheaper computers that can run its software. It needs to either produce its own cheaper machines -- such as the eMac I'm using to type this post but that is no longer available -- or allow clone manufacturers to produce on their own. In the long run, it can only help Apple increase its market share.