Psystar, the company responsible for the 'Open Computer' and a continual thorn in Apple's side, has filed for bankruptcy protection. According to court papers, Psystar owes more than $250,000 to shipping companies, the IRS, and its attorneys.

"Debtor sales have been greatly affected by the decrease in consumer spending," Psystar said in a statement. "The financial crisis has also caused creditors to tighten up their terms and become more demanding for immediate payment."

Psystar gained notoriety for taking on Apple by selling computer systems equipped with Mac OS X. In July of last year, Apple sued the company for copyright infringement, however that lawsuit has now been temporarily suspended until the bankruptcy protection goes through proceedings.

Image Credit: Flickr Joe Gratz