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An Open Letter to Apple Computer : Stop Suing Net Journalists if you want my Money!
Your recent legal threats against web journalists is preventing me from buying a new Mac or iPod from you.
I have been using Apple computers before the first Mac and the 1984 Mac 128k was my first computer. I was a devoted mac fan through the Power PC era and only bought my first Windows based PC in 1999. I have always had great respect for Apple and their place in the development of the personal computer and the digital world.
I understand the necessity to keep company secrets and plans under wraps until the proper time but your recent legal action to threaten lawsuits against Internet journalists is short sighted and counter productive. This was not the right way to deal with the Internet rumor of new products.
Journalists have a duty to the public to pass information and this sets a bad precedent. The rumor of a $500 iMac, a Flash Memory based iPod or an audio mixing tool is not going to greatly affect apple position in the market. In fact these rumors create positive hype and buzz that most companies would be envious. No one is reading Dell. Compaq and HP rumor websites. The possibility of cool new digital tools is a good rumor to have.
Most of the Internet reading public know that net rumors are to be taken with a grain of salt. They are very rarely 100% true but are seldom 100% wrong. Apple is well with in their rights to go after engineers and contractors that are prematurely leaking product information but threatening lawsuit is not the way to make Internet rumors go away. If Apple PR were to deny the rumors and smile and say "Wait and see at the Mac world Expo" it would not confirm the rumors and keep the potential customers interested and waiting to see if the rumors are true. If you sue the messenger rather than when the actual leak it sets a dangerous precedence that could create chilling effects to the future of on line journalism. It is because of on line journalism that we know about massive security holes in Touch Screen Voting systems and the public is well served by allowing journalists to protect their confidential sources. This is a fundamental First Amendment right. The integrity of the First Amendment is greater than keeping word of a new iMac secret for a week.
You have an extremely desirably market position as a cool hip alternative to Windows PCs and Linux systems. If Windows Longhorn's DRM architecture is as restrictive as expected I might buy a Powerbook and swear off buying Windows based PCs for good. I am one of your dream customers. I am a graphic designer nerd who loves digital media and has a tendency to spent to much money on cool digital doohickeys. I have a blog and I keep up with the issues related to digital freedoms and rights. I am a supporter of the EFF and it pains me to see the EFF have to take up legal arms against you on behalf of the Internet journalists that you are suing.
"Bloggers break the news, just like journalists do. They must be able to promise confidentiality in order to maintain the free flow of information," said EFF Staff Attorney Kurt Opsahl. "Without legal protection, informants will refuse to talk to reporters, diminishing the power of the open press that is the cornerstone of a free society."
When I first read about the possibility of a Sub-$500 iMac I was excited about getting one. I have a LCD monitor and USB keyboard and mouse and it would fit in great with my digital life. Your over active sue-happy legal department does not represent the garage roots of Apple and it makes me extremely hesitant to fork over my hard earned cash for an iMac. It makes me sad. I don't want you to turn into a Microsoft or SCO.
This is the night before the Mac world expo and rather than thinking about the possible products to be unveiled tomorrow I am worried about your sue happy legal department being chastised by the EFF.
Jake at January 10, 2005 
Nerd
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Comments
I will actually cry if Apple turns to the Microsoft side of things. Mac OS made me turn my thinking around from hating computers in general to hating Micrsoft/Windows computers. Why does every good thing go bad?
Posted by: Shawn at January 11, 2005 11:35 AM
I though Gruber had a good right up on how this effect Apple (the company as a profit making entity).
Posted by: Anthony at January 11, 2005 3:49 PM
I already read and linked to that article. It is too damn bad because I could really use a top of the line Mini Mac. I don't think Apple is beyond redemption.
Posted by: Jake of 8bitjoystick.com at January 11, 2005 5:45 PM
Hm. The stories you linked to aren't real clear, so I guess my question would be: Is this a case where the journalists were just reporting rumors? Or is it possible that Apple leaked the info to the journalists directly, in exchange for a non-disclosure agreement until the day of the show? Because violating an NDA is the only good reason I can think of to sue over something like this.
Posted by: Evilninja at January 11, 2005 10:59 PM
The journalists printed info from an anonymous source that broke an NDA. CNN picked up the story and Apple stock surged but Apple is suing the first to break the rumor.
Posted by: Jake of 8bitjoystick.com at January 11, 2005 11:12 PM
