Apple Computer Inc is reportedly starting to make good on its MacWorld promise to restrict the activities of the Macintosh clone vendors to the extent that they expand the overall market rather than simply cannibalizing Apple’s own sales; in other words limiting cloners to niche markets and keeping the most advanced designs out of their hands. US reports say the company sent Mac clone makers a letter saying it had no schedule for certifying their newest CHRP Common Hardware Reference Platform machines. Cloners need Apple to certify that their hardware will run Macintosh software before they can sell new model. Before CHRP, Macintosh hardware, including clone kit, was designed by Apple. In November 1994, Apple told clone makers they could design their own hardware as long as it met CHRP specifications. Now they’re ready to ship CHRP systems, Apple won’t certify Mac software for them. True, Apple’s losing market share to the cloners but it’s a bit too late to shut the barnyard gate now isn’t it?
