To sue, or not to sue? That is the question-- the question that Apple's had to ask itself a lot over the past couple of years. Back when the original Bondi Blue iMac was first unveiled, we recall more than a few snide remarks from the Wintel camp about how it would take more than pretty colors and translucent plastic to sell a computer. Hey, we agree wholeheartedly; it also takes attention to detail, strength of design, ease of use, and a whole lot of other factors that Apple poured into the iMac. But the irony, of course, is that the Wintel manufacturers eventually decided that, no, it doesn't take anything more than pretty colors and translucent plastic to sell a computer. At least, that's the only conclusion we can reach after seeing all those uninspired iMac lookalikes that limped to market over a year after the iMac first debuted.

Fish PC, however, is different. Now, you know that Apple sued just about all the makers of those iMacalikes, and was quite successful in its efforts; all of the suits were settled out of court except for the original case against Future Power, which still hasn't entered trial. So we've been wondering just what action, if any, Apple plans to take against Fish PC, the Australian manufacturer currently pushing a translucent monstrosity available in five different colors. While the Fish PC is by no means an all-in-one design-- more like all-in-seven, if we haven't lost count-- there's no doubt where its makers got the idea that see-thru colors sell computers.

Well, according to CNET, Apple only became aware of Fish PC last Friday, and is currently evaluating whether or not to pursue legal action. Apple spokesperson Alec Rosen didn't know for sure whether or not the Fish PC infringed on Apple's intellectual property, but admitted that "it looks pretty darn close to an iMac." Fish PC, for its part, denies that its new system copies Apple's consumer success: "In no way are we copying or trying to copy other machines." By way of proof, the company notes that its base unit "looks like a fish standing on its tail." Fair enough; we wholeheartedly believe that nobody would steal the idea of making a computer that looks like a fish. Apple should probably sit this one out, translucency be damned. C'mon, who really wants to start a tussle with a bunch of people who make computers that look like trout? For all we know, they're dangerously unstable-- and we're not talking about the computers.