Apple drops Consumer Reports/iPhone 4 threads down memory hole [updated]
Update 3pm Tuesday:Wired's Epicenter blog points to at least two threads referencing the CR story that have been left intact. Perhaps an overzealous forum manager has now reined in the urge?If you were looking for a message thread on Apple's support forums pointing to Consumer Reports' article 'not recommending' the iPhone 4, it's not there any more. Apple's support forum moderators deleted the thread. Bing cached it.
If it happened once, maybe you'd say it was a glitch. But what if it happened twice? Three times? Four times, five, six?
Sadly, this isn't the first time we've heard about Apple deleting discussion board threads on topics which are unflattering to Apple's products. It's closer to the fiftieth time. In fact, we've heard so many reports about this happening that it seems safe to call this standard operating procedure for Apple's discussion boards. That's not to say that there are no negative threads on the discussion boards, but the ones that are there are the ones that Apple's moderators have decided to leave active.
It's hard to imagine what Apple hopes to gain by doing this. Instead of having one negative news story, now we have two: not only did Consumer Reports come out and say they don't recommend the iPhone 4, but now Apple seems to be trying to prevent people from talking about it on their support board.
Want some overwrought comparisons to Orwell's 1984? Apple seems to be begging for it.
Thanks to reader Paul Richards for pointing this out.
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Update 3pm Tuesday:Wired's Epicenter blog points to at least two threads referencing the CR story that have been left intact. Perhaps an...
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August 23 2010 at 5:10 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyit is seem nice.
August 05 2010 at 3:24 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyTantrums, Tantrums: Sid Harth
(Expletive deleted) idiots. Have you no respect for the great Stevie (I wonder) Jobs? Stevie (I wonder NOT) at least (Expletive deleted)s. You idiots, dildo (Expletive deleted) can't get it up. Therefore, wherefore, go around brandishing your (you know whats) and whatnots. cursing.
Remember, Stevie, at least provides good paying jobs to Americans. If it were not for him doing the right thing, why, all those computer coolies from China, India, Europe and Pakistan would come to America and bring with them their mail order brides. Imagine all those little computer coolies flooding the computer, computerized gadgets and gizmo markets of future?
Why, it would be an infamy you would have to live with the rest of your natural lives and/or commit mass suicide like lemmings into the Atlantic and/or Pacific oceans. Perhaps, into the Gulph of Mexico.
Simmer down. Behave. If not Stevie ( wonder NOT) BP would kill Y'all.
Have a nice day.
http://navanavonmilita.wordpress.com/
...and I am Sid (Expletive deleted) Harth
As Judas Gutenberg once astutely put it, "the culture within Apple is little different from that which exists within North Korea." If you want democracy and free expression in Apple, someone is going to have to run the guillotine.
July 16 2010 at 10:54 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI donno. I think I disagree with the author. I actually think its a smart move on the part of Apple to delete comments in their support forums.
Think a bout it logically. If you have a problem with an Apple product, do you A) go Google (or yahoo/bing) search the error for tips, B) go directly to Apple's support forum. If you opt for B, you're more likely to be a fanboy than if you opt A. Fanboys will dismiss any evidence that contradicts their belief that Apple can do nothing wrong and seek out information that reaffirms them (we all do that to some extent). I mean if you're reading this right now, you're probably not an Apple person anyway.
Nothing will hit Apple fanboys harder than a link on Apple's forum about how much they suck. I mean thats like hitting them in their base. If I was Apple, I'd play defense and rather go ahead and let people make fun of me who aren't customers than lose my base.
OH NOES! Its gone from the Bings cash too. Must be another M$-Apple conspirecy against Teh Googls!
Even the Bing cache has been pulled!
"Could not find the requested document in the cache."
The thing is that steve is bitten by his own dogs here.
Apple is creating great hard- and software no doubt. But that is not enough to them. They go about like they _invented_ video calls. Maybe the would claim they have invented the mobile phone after all, and all devices before the iphone were merely a prologue. They introduce a piece of hardware as if it was unfallable, god-like, all-problems-resolving, revolutionary.
And that is why they just cannot afford to have it such basic flaws. Being a bit more humble in the first place might make it easier to admit that apple engineers are just human, too.
I am a Liaison for the DCF (Dell Community Forum). We do not delete threads or post that dog on Dell. That would be stupid. Apple does not understand Social Media. Most good forums do not censor post for unflattering comments. These are the reasons we delete post -
- Profanity
- The use of character substitution to circumvent the profanity filter
- Legalistic, social, religious, or political beliefs
- A post that violates any personâs privacy (including the names and contact information for Dell employees and Site users)
- Is harassing, defamatory, abusive, pornographic, obscene or otherwise objectionable (in our sole judgment)
- Contains false or deceptive language, unsubstantiated or comparative claims regarding our or others products, third party advertising, spam, chain letters, or any other solicitation
/me loathes apple, explanation here:
http://sam.nipl.net/apple.html
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