Wired weighs in (again) on Apple vs people who break the law

" I don't mind the firing of warning shots..." How many letters from Apple legal do you think TS (and plenty of other sites) received over the years? Are those not warning enough? It would be foolish to keep warning and keep threatening and then never follow through.

Sejuru, yes I am entirely too entrenched in Academia. It's painfully true (especially to me). However, I'm not Marxist. I'm more of a realist who has idealistic dreams. In an ideal world, I'd like businesses like Apple in situations like these to take a little bit less of a Goliath against David stance. I don't mind the firing of warning shots, but I think pursuing a full lawsuit when they have the money to do so and the sued don't is a rather severe abuse of imbalanced power that doesn't match the crime, no matter how legal letter of the law it is. I'd rather see Apple say, take this info down, search internally for the leaks, and not get the bad PR they are currently getting with their litigious actions.

Face it C.K. You've spent too much time in academia. More than just disenchantment with Apple, you're starting to sound anti-capitalist, even Marxist. Economics is not a zero-sum game. Great corporations create wealth, particularly those so innovative (like Apple) that they create entirely new markets. Tell me what is monstrous about that? Apple owns their intellectual property just as you own the products you've purchased.

I am unaware of all the details of the case, but is it not possible that Thinksecret's sources are people like the cleaning staff, or people who have not signed the Agreement refraining them to speak about new products? If this is the case then Apple has no right to sue, its their fault that specs are getting leaked. On the actual debate itself will someone please explain on how the 'leaks' are harming Apple. Someone famous once said "theres no such thing as bad publicity" and all that sites like Thinksecret do is generate buzz. Putting aside the legal standpoint I don't think it makes business sense for Apple to sue.

Al, no. They are mine. I like products. I tend to hate companies. Companies are like Godzilla. They provide me with entertainment and protection from other large monsters (other corporations), but they often step on little people in the process while filling the air with radiation. I am disenchanted with Apple, but they're the lesser of two evils in my book, so here I am...

+1 Funny to Kesey (re: Kettle) C.K., tell you what. You're so disenchanted with Apple, why don't you box up all of your neat little Apple gadgets and send them my way. ;) Thanks for a lively discussion, everyone!

And to further Kesey's point: http://apple.slashdot.org/apple/05/04/27/0133247.shtml?tid=192&tid=187&tid=3 Apple is no different than any other bloated corporation with a big shot CEO.

"And if your life is so boring that you need to read rumors or advance news about a company that makes consumer electronics in order to have fun... then maybe you need to get out a bit more." Hello Kettle.

It's funny how Apple can be perceived by some as the anti-microsoft. Anyone who's had Apple hardware fail with no Applecare surely sees them for the corporate america corporation that they really are. Anyhow - point is - nobody would be surprised if Microsoft sued in this situation. Apple finally has the clout and doesn't stay true to its roots. They're like the dork that became cool in high school and made fun of the dorks.

"Think Secret has the same problem as Miller and Cooper. If TS reveals their source, nobody will ever talk to them again. If nobody talks to them, they have nothing to report, TS goes away, either effectively or in fact, and the public loses a source of information. That is a bad thing for Think Secret. It's also a bad thing for the Mac fans who read TS." This is the silliest thing I've ever heard (ok, maybe just the silliest today). 1) the public's source of information should be the actual source, in this case Apple. Apple will tell us what they have planned when they want us to know. Not good enough for you? Tough. 2) Entertainment value is not a good reason to break the law or encourage others to do so. Let's put it this way - and I'm going to be overly dramatic for effect - let's say a company that makes porn videos decides that the real money is in child pornography. Sure enough, there are adults who have no qualms about shooting or participating in videos that feature sex acts with kids. But one day the porn shop gets raided and amongst other things, the police demand names and addresses of every person who participated in the making of the illegal and sickening filth that someone somewhere considers entertainment. Of course if Mr Kiddie Porn hands over the names of these scum bags, he's going to have an awfully hard time getting any other sickos to ever work for/with him again on his next illegal venture, isn't he? And think of all those poor perverts who are being deprived of the entertainment they once enjoyed... Give me a friggin break. TS doesn't have to publish illegally obtained trade secrets in order to be make money. Trust me - we don't work for free around here and we choose a different path. And if your life is so boring that you need to read rumors or advance news about a company that makes consumer electronics in order to have fun... then maybe you need to get out a bit more.