News Flash: Apple Will Succeed Despite Rumor Mongering
Monday, September 18, 2000 — by Jon Bonner

The latest rumor is that Apple is cracking down once again on any publication that publishes rumors or gossip about Apple. Hmm…

Let me get this straight: if a magazine like MacAddict or a web site like MacWEEK talks about possible future Apple technologies (gossip), then Apple won't advertise with them. Give me a break! These publications attract a vast majority of the very type of people Apple's ads are targeted at.

Rumors must really bruise some control freak's ego out West in Cupertino. Get over it! Feel honored people are actually interested in your company's products to the extent that they want to talk about future technological possibilities.

Now before you (the readers) send me e-mail pointing out how wrong it is to publish information gathered illegally from someone who signed an NDA agreement, let me state for the record that I feel breaking an agreement is wrong. Apple should specifically put a stop to those under NDA who leak that information.

This latest threat seems much more broad based however. I guess when the Apple control freak's ego gets bruised, he/she gets out the legal or economic (advertising revenue) broadsword. The only problem is that most Mac users will side with the publications in a situation like this, so I hope clearer heads at Apple prevail and the company backs off a little.

With Linux, Windows ME, and Windows 2000 gaining momentum/popularity and another four to six months before a finalized version of Mac OS X ships, now is not the time for Apple to take any action that might alienate its core user base.

Despite a web chock full of rumors, gossip, and innuendo, Apple managed to go from "beleaguered" to "once beleaguered" to just plain "Apple" again. Based on this outstanding ability to succeed despite the Apple-perceived evils of rumor mongering, I think they'll survive a bit longer — rumors or no rumors.

jon@macsoldiers.com