The Hidden Message to OSx86 Trawlers

Not just to be contrary, but isn't it possible that Steve wants to ENCOURAGE hackers to port OS X to Windows??
I mean, isn't a warning like this copy protection notice, buried in a binary, just begging techno-geeks everywhere to do something about it? Steve knows this, and he also knows that the right combination of empty threats and no real security would quickly get PC users everywhere exposed to the OS X option. And without the industry (ahem, Microsoft) being able to claim it was intentional.
Dontcha think?

"Establish a linkage between a chunk of the OS code and some firmware code inside the machine such that the OS boots only if both pieces are present and unaltered."

Things like this can be always traced. firmware simulated and the check modified, or even simpler by modifying and disabling the bit that does the checking between the two.

More annoying would be if each app Apple pushes out did this, instead of the OS, so each app would have to be patched. Optionally varying this on each update of the app (software update from the apple menu i mean) so they'd have to be re-patched. Still breakable, just helluva annoying for users. But I think that's as good of a protection as you could get in this case ... make is so annoying/unusable for people who mod the OS to run on non-apple hardware so they don't actually bother, while hiding all the annoyances from normal users. (ie. don't even try to use MS's activation, I'd just give up on apple if that happened)

re:"What's next?"... or a 'Donate Now' button. Mac OS X as shareware! :)

It will be interesting to see how people try and get past the TPM stuff that is on the new boards. As well as how stringent Apple will be about "licensed" copies.

Establish a linkage between a chunk of the OS code and some firmware code inside the machine such that the OS boots only if both pieces are present and unaltered.

...or they decided to ask nicely, since every other type of copy-protecting their OS will be broken in a matter of time. :-) This looks like social copy-protecting... What's next? a video with Steve Jobs telling you how bad it is to steal? :-)

i dont see why the iMac version would be any different?

all the protections added to pre-release versions of OSX for intel have been broken. the latest ones will be too, just a matter of time.

note that i'm not specifying a preference, merely stating a fact.