Is it legal to download Yosemite if I'm not a dev?

[JerTheGeek]

Hello all
I am stoked for Yosemite but I don't want to wait for the public beta. I'm not a dev but I know that I could just download it online (for example from iModZone DownLoads) to a separate partition and be good to go. BUT my question is, is this method legal? If it is I want to do it ASAP, but if it isn't I'll have to wait
And also, has anyone received their redemption codes yet for the public beta?
Thanks,
JerTheGeek

 

[WhackyNinja]

Just wait my friend, patience is always a virtue especially for this new OS X.

I believer the Public Beta should be out this summer (maybe in July)

 

[dmccloud]

Hello all
I am stoked for Yosemite but I don't want to wait for the public beta. I'm not a dev but I know that I could just download it online (for example from iModZone DownLoads) to a separate partition and be good to go. BUT my question is, is this method legal? If it is I want to do it ASAP, but if it isn't I'll have to wait
And also, has anyone received their redemption codes yet for the public beta?
Thanks,
JerTheGeek

The Developer Previews are intended only for Devs who have joined the Mac Developer Program and have paid the annual fee - it is not intended for the general public. The public beta codes won't be going out until sometime after July 4th - they said it would start this summer. If you did download Yosemite from a site like that, you're definitely violating the EULA of the DP release, and potentially violating the DMCA and related laws as well.

 

[JerTheGeek]

The Developer Previews are intended only for Devs who have joined the Mac Developer Program and have paid the annual fee - it is not intended for the general public. The public beta codes won't be going out until sometime after July 4th - they said it would start this summer. If you did download Yosemite from a site like that, you're definitely violating the EULA of the DP release, and potentially violating the DMCA and related laws as well.

Thanks for the input, I really wasn't too sure about all the legal stuff. I definitely don't want to violate anything just to get the beta!

 

[thekev]

Thanks for the input, I really wasn't too sure about all the legal stuff. I definitely don't want to violate anything just to get the beta!

I don't suggest installing anything in Beta as your primary OS. If you install something that is in beta, make sure you have a recent backup. These things can have major bugs and aren't really intended for day to day use when in beta.

 

[cocky jeremy]

You're fine. I wouldn't worry about it. If you want it, download it.

 

[pdjudd]

This is not difficult. Unless the site you download it from is not Apple or you don’t have an authorized link to download the software from Apple - it’s not legal to download.

Yosemite as it exists today is not public software and unless you are getting it from an authorized source, it isn’t legal to obtain it.

Of course the only legal way to get it is from Apple and the only way currently to get it is if you are a paid developer.

 

[eastamherstbias]

just do it.

But be warned it is buggy and things will crash. Microsoft Office is constantly crashing when I print.

 

[bigjnyc]

Just go for it man, nobody will come knocking on your door. I am willing to bet way more non developers download apple betas than the actual developers that its intended for. And you're doing it on a separate partition which is smart.

 

[Peace]

To answer the very basic question posed by the OP. No. It is not legal to download if you are not a developer.

 

[Shrink]

You're fine. I wouldn't worry about it. If you want it, download it.

just do it.

But be warned it is buggy and things will crash. Microsoft Office is constantly crashing when I print.

OP has demonstrated an admirable ethical stance and gone to the bother of checking on whether what he is doing is right.

Others don't seem to share OP's laudatory behavior.

 

[c1phr]

Please keep in mind that it's not even a beta. It's a Developer Preview, so it's even more buggy than a beta. I need to agree with others, at least wait until the public beta goes out. I really don't think there are any groundbreaking features that are worth the effort and headache that it has the potential to cause at this point.

 

[cocky jeremy]

OP has demonstrated an admirable ethical stance and gone to the bother of checking on whether what he is doing is right.

Others don't seem to share OP's laudatory behavior.

It isn't hurting anyone, it isn't costing anyone anything. There's literally no reason to not get it now if you want to try it. Outside of it being buggy, anyway.

 

[eastamherstbias]

OP has demonstrated an admirable ethical stance and gone to the bother of checking on whether what he is doing is right.

Others don't seem to share OP's laudatory behavior.

Or this is not our first rodeo.

 

[pdjudd]

It isn't hurting anyone, it isn't costing anyone anything. There's literally no reason to not get it now if you want to try it. Outside of it being buggy, anyway.

It’s not about cost. The OS is not publicly available. Unless you have legitimate access to the software (which is only from Apple) it’s still piracy.

 

[Zorn]

It's not illegal, it's just against Apple's TOS. If you want it go ahead and install it.

 

[rorschach]

It's against the TOS/EULA. However, since OS X is now free I'd say it's not too big of a deal, ethically.

 

[tywebb13]

The point of the beta programs is to test apps and provide feedback to apple (through the bug reporter website for developers, and the feedback assistant app for appleseed and public beta testers).

If you are not a developer or a member of appleseed, or a public beta tester, then you have no official means of providing apple with appropriate feedback on bugs.

So what exactly is the point of installing it if you have not obtained it by official means and hence have no official means of providing apple with feedback?

 

[Night Spring]

It just bothers me sometimes when people get hang up on legal/illegal.

What is legal/illegal isn't always quite relevant to what one should do. For instance, it's illegal to jay walk. But if you are at an intersection and there's no cars in sight, is there any real point in strictly following the law and waiting until the lights turn green before you cross?

On the other hand, in most places, there's no law saying you have to stop and help someone who's hurt. So if you live in a place where it's legal to walk by and not help someone who needs help, does it make it right to do so?

As for downloading the beta, well, the people who are providing the files for download are definitely violating their agreement with Apple. But that's violating a civil contract, which isn't quite the same thing as doing something illegal. You violate a civil contract, the other party, in this case Apple, can sue you, but the government isn't going to come and arrest you or otherwise punish you. What is interesting is the status of the people who download the files. Technically, they never entered into a contract with Apple, so it seems to me that Apple can't do anything about the people who download the files. If anyone has more knowledge of the law and can provide insight into this point, I'd appreciate it.

 

[Jacksonc]

It would probably be better if you wait for the DP2 or DP3. It will have less bugs.

 

[cocky jeremy]

It’s not about cost. The OS is not publicly available. Unless you have legitimate access to the software (which is only from Apple) it’s still piracy.

Call it whatever you want, but I paid $2,000+ for my iMac, and they're giving me OS X for free anyway so I'm trying it now.

 

[MisterMe]

It just bothers me sometimes when people get hang up on legal/illegal.

What is legal/illegal isn't always quite relevant to what one should do. For instance, it's illegal to jay walk. But if you are at an intersection and there's no cars in sight, is there any real point in strictly following the law and waiting until the lights turn green before you cross?

On the other hand, in most places, there's no law saying you have to stop and help someone who's hurt. So if you live in a place where it's legal to walk by and not help someone who needs help, does it make it right to do so?

As for downloading the beta, well, the people who are providing the files for download are definitely violating their agreement with Apple. But that's violating a civil contract, which isn't quite the same thing as doing something illegal. You violate a civil contract, the other party, in this case Apple, can sue you, but the government isn't going to come and arrest you or otherwise punish you. What is interesting is the status of the people who download the files. Technically, they never entered into a contract with Apple, so it seems to me that Apple can't do anything about the people who download the files. If anyone has more knowledge of the law and can provide insight into this point, I'd appreciate it.

This is complete and utter nonsense. Virtually every country on Earth has both civil and criminal codes. They are both law. It is one thing for an individual to make a personal choice to violate the law. However, it may also be a violation of law to encourage others to violate the law. Such behavior may earn this fan site extra scrutiny. This is why some fan sites specifically forbid software piracy or even the discussion of software piracy.

 

[mmomega]

It just bothers me sometimes when people get hang up on legal/illegal.

What is legal/illegal isn't always quite relevant to what one should do. For instance, it's illegal to jay walk. But if you are at an intersection and there's no cars in sight, is there any real point in strictly following the law and waiting until the lights turn green before you cross?

On the other hand, in most places, there's no law saying you have to stop and help someone who's hurt. So if you live in a place where it's legal to walk by and not help someone who needs help, does it make it right to do so?

As for downloading the beta, well, the people who are providing the files for download are definitely violating their agreement with Apple. But that's violating a civil contract, which isn't quite the same thing as doing something illegal. You violate a civil contract, the other party, in this case Apple, can sue you, but the government isn't going to come and arrest you or otherwise punish you. What is interesting is the status of the people who download the files. Technically, they never entered into a contract with Apple, so it seems to me that Apple can't do anything about the people who download the files. If anyone has more knowledge of the law and can provide insight into this point, I'd appreciate it.

You seem competent enough to understand laws but are choosing not to just because you don't feel like it today?
This is more like when kids would sneak in to a movie theater without paying, one kid would buy a ticket and then go open the fire exit doors so his friends would get in for free.
So people try and justify a reason for breaking the rules because it isn't what they want to do and act like they aren't doing anything wrong. Just because one doesn't feel wrong in doing it doesn't mean they should do what they want.

Or by saying because I paid $2000 for a computer entitles me to getting a paid program without paying. So what about the people that paid $2000 + 99?

Just saying.... it gets tiring logging on and reading countless posts from people that are getting a DP or beta they shouldn't be using and then complaining because something went wrong and they don't know how to fix the problem they just created when in reality they shouldn't even have the problem in the first place.

 

[Julien]

Call it whatever you want, but I paid $2,000+ for my iMac, and they're giving me OS X for free anyway so I'm trying it now.

Actually he/she did not call it want they wanted, they called it what it is.

Obviously (or at least not likely) Apple's not going to take legal action but it is a violation of copyright law to illegal download and install. No matter what you MAY feel is your justification or perceived right.

 

[mmomega]

Hello all
I am stoked for Yosemite but I don't want to wait for the public beta. I'm not a dev but I know that I could just download it online (for example from iModZone DownLoads) to a separate partition and be good to go. BUT my question is, is this method legal? If it is I want to do it ASAP, but if it isn't I'll have to wait
And also, has anyone received their redemption codes yet for the public beta?
Thanks,
JerTheGeek

The only response I could offer is, if you can find a legal download link from the company that created Yosemite, then you're good.
Seeing as though Apple only gave out redemption codes to get Yosemite through the app store then I'd say you may have problems finding any download links that can be considered "legal".