Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Blogging, Steve Jobs, TUAW Business
Leave Fake Steve Jobs fake
The other day, I posted a little summary of the latest attempts to discover the identity of anonyblogger Fake Steve Jobs. At the time, I thought finding FSJ's identity out would be a good time, a fun mystery to solve. Many of you (most of you, I'd say) disagreed, saying that it didn't matter who FSJ was-- as long as he wrote strong, insightful (and often hilarious) pieces about what Apple was up to, you were willing to let him have his anonymity. And after hearing your good points, I have to tell you (because this doesn't happen very often): I changed my mind, and decided to agree with those who wanted FSJ to stay FSJ.So here's what we're going to do at TUAW. We've heard your opinions. We've talked it over as a staff, and we've agreed: FSJ is much more fun as FSJ himself, not some writer pretending to be him. And so we're pledging, to you, not to write any more speculation, ever, about FSJ's identity. You're exactly right-- it's much more fun having him anonymous, for both him and us. He's a great insight on Apple's comings and goings, and if he doesn't want us to know who he is, we don't want to either. Here at TUAW, we're going to leave Fake Steve Jobs fake.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Kaegan Donnelly said 10:40PM on 7-18-2007
Kutos. Most definitely.
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reid Dudley-smith said 10:52PM on 7-18-2007
This should be the blogosphere's Spartacus moment.
"I AM FSJ!!!"
-Reid.
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scott said 10:54PM on 7-18-2007
I AM FSJ!
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FSJ said 11:04PM on 7-18-2007
I'm FSJ. No, really!
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dan workman said 11:10PM on 7-18-2007
Good call.
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Real steve jobs said 11:36PM on 7-18-2007
I'm FSJ
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SSteve said 11:41PM on 7-18-2007
I'm Batman.
All these "I'm FSJ" posts gave me an idea: If lots of well-known folks come out and admit they're FSJ, no one will know who the real fake one is.
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Bruno said 12:03AM on 7-19-2007
There's no point to FSJ if you know who's writing. It's just not the same thing. It's like going to Disneyland and having the characters walk around carrying the heads of their costumes instead of wearing them. It breaks the whole illusion. And the illusion is the basis for the whole concept. It's fundamental to the enjoyment of the blog and its content.
Valleywag are a bunch of whiny wankers and you can tell that from so much of the content on their site, not only their FSJ inquisition. Too many blogs these days are simply creating their own stories for the sake of having something to occupy otherwise blank pages. It's a sad state of affairs indeed. FSJ already generates so much content that these other blogs regurgitate, they'd only be killing off their long term harvest for a short term reveal.
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Devon Shaw said 12:06AM on 7-19-2007
Bravo. Good call guys.
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Nick said 12:52AM on 7-19-2007
Just look at the Valleywag site - it's junk. They don't care about the point of FSJ, they just want to find his identity so they can get dugg in the hopes of luring people onto their site. Sorry, but crappy stunts to get the spotlight = no bookmark.
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Malcom O said 1:07AM on 7-19-2007
I'm Bizarro Steve Jobs!!!
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Joseph said 1:13AM on 7-19-2007
I knew FSJ, FSJ was a frined of mine, blogger, you're no FSJ!
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Carl said 1:39AM on 7-19-2007
Does this remind anyone else of "The Gospel According to Larry"? Wonderful book.
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Mitch said 1:52AM on 7-19-2007
Good decision.
Long live FSJ!!!
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djfred said 3:28AM on 7-19-2007
Good! The best part of not knowing who FSJ is being able to make up crazy identities and post them in his comment section as obvious statements of fact. I really don't want to know.
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Michael said 3:43AM on 7-19-2007
"... he makes it pretty clear that he's had an experience he doesn't want to have."
If and only if you take FSJ seriously.
In truth he was probably laughing behind his hand even while he wrote that. I don't mean that he *wants* to be found and is only pretending not, just that the emphatic language he's using there -- "It's creepy. It's gross. It's wrong" and so on and so forth -- is just FSJ. Disproportionate language about things is one of the ways he uses to get laughs.
In the same piece, he refers to another journalist as a "sodomite". I think this is what the left calls "homophobia" -- silly semi-literate ideological buzz-word -- but it is pretty impolite and pretty unnecessary. Or it would be if FSJ were being serious. He isn't. And for all I know FSJ himself is gay. He makes jokes and using outrageous language, usually foisting it in imagination on Jobs, is part of that. If FSJ is really rattled by Valleywag, then I'm a Martian.
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Nic said 4:20AM on 7-19-2007
@ 18 - Michael, small point and slight off topic but sodomy isn't an indication of homosexuality, it is simply an act that can be practiced or forced on anyone independant of the giver or receivers own orientation.
Not had enough tea this morning so feeling sligthly pedantic.
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Steve said 4:56AM on 7-19-2007
Thank you.
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bryan said 6:20AM on 7-19-2007
I'm FSJ and so is my wife!
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stealth43 said 6:30AM on 7-19-2007
Wow! Pro Bono Populi.
Nice to see reasonable criticism heard. Mike it takes a really large pair of cojones to admit you are wrong (or change your position on a subject), especially on a site as heavily frequented as this. You could've let one of the other folks post the editorial, but having made the original post, you stepped up yourself. This doesn't go unnoticed. V. classy.
evaD
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