But the first sale doctrine prevents any companies from controlling how their physical product is used, after it is purchased. This is why used bookstores exist, and it is why HyperMac should be allowed to keep doing what they're doing.
If Apple doesn't change how it handles these types of small issues, it is going to earn a reputation as a big corporate bully. I find the whole matter rather ironic since Apple has always insisted on thinking differently from the rest of corporate America when it comes to their products and how they do business. Yet, it seems that these exact kinds of tactics are exactly what a power hungry corporation with a dried up bin of marketable ideas would resort to to stay afloat.
Commonly used interface cables generally aren't controlled by any one company, but rather are overseen by an industry-wide consortium, with clearly published requirements to file an application for permission to use them, and an unbiased review process to grant such permission regardless of any individual companies' competitive interests.
