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Psystar's website was temporarily offline yesterday as it was overwhelmed by visitors intrigued that it was selling a $399 system running the OSx86 unauthorised port of Leopard.

Under the terms of its licence, Leopard cannot be installed on "any non-Apple-labeled computer". But Psystar believes that this violates US anti-trust laws.

"What if Microsoft said you could only install Windows on Dell computers?" a Psystar spokesperson said, ignoring the fact that Microsoft's business model relies on being able to install Windows on as many computer models

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as possible.

Apple has yet to make its move, though a "cease and desist" letter is certain to be arriving at Psystar's Miami HQ, if it has not already done so.

Psystar says that not only is its Mac clone cheaper than any Apple computer, it is also "faster than most" with its Intel Core 2 Duo 2.2GHz processor and integrated graphics.

One of Apple chief executive Steve Jobs first decisions when he rejoined the company in 1996 was to close down the short-lived Mac clone business that had eaten into Apple's own sales while doing little to expand the Mac user base. Since then Apple has stressed that its integration of hardware and software is a key factor in the Mac user experience, providing greater reliability and compatibility. Jobs has since resisted overtures from both computer makers such as Dell and PC owners to license OS X for use on non-Apple hardware.