By:Tim Robertson
Publisher, My Mac Magazine
publisher@mymac.com

Creative freedom is the foundation upon which I publish My Mac Magazine each and every month. There has never been a time in which I have told any of our staff what to write about, which opinion they could or could not express within our electronic pages. That is not to say, however, that I publish every column submitted from our writers. I have often had to send back an article, review, or opinion column to the writer for changes. That is publishing. But creative control falls upon the writer or artist, with no interference from our staff or me.

Recently, another web site published a column written by Rodney O. Lain, in which it was critical of Mac OS Rumors. I read Mac OS Rumors at times, with the understanding that much, if not all of the information, is rumors. Rumors can be either based on fact or fiction, and for the most part everything they report on I take as fiction. That is my right as a reader. It is also my right to say anything I want about Mac OS Rumors I see fit. Fortunately, I am also the publisher of My Mac Magazine, so I know my opinion will indeed be published for all to read.

Keep in mind: Rodney is a writer, not a publisher.

When he wrote his "controversial" column about Mac OS Rumors, the web site he wrote for published it happily -- as I would have done. However, according to what I know (and I could be wrong), Mac OS Rumors threatened the web site that published Rodney's opinion piece. Rather than sticking up for their creative talent, which is their honor-bound duty, they pulled the column -- without telling or asking Rodney first. At the first hint of trouble, they (allegedly) took the easy was out and ceded to the demands made by Mac OS Rumors and took it off their site.

I was not happy.

Sitting in my suite on the 35th floor of the Marriott hotel here in San Francisco during Macworld Expo, I learned of this. Thankfully, I knew where Rodney was staying in town, and had in fact met him the day before at the Mac Writers' Party. I have been reading his excellent columns for the past few months, and had a lot of respect for his opinions and writing ability. So after a phone call and getting some more information on the whole story, a deal was made. My Mac Magazine is now gladly post his article on our web site, promote it, and give it a prominent link on our main page.

Why do this?

I believe it is not only the moral responsibility of a publisher to stick up for his creative talent, but also to have the moral compass to do what is right and true. After all, what does the publisher publish without columns, reviews, or articles? Nothing.

Rodney came up to the hotel room, and together with Adam and myself, we came up with "The Realist."

Go and read what Rodney wrote. If in fact the people at Mac OS Rumors were the driving force behind getting his column pulled from that other web site, I ask that they contact me if they have a problem with us publishing the same column. If Mac OS Rumors were not behind pulling the column, I would be very happy. Creative freedom is the bastion of our industry, as a rumor site, above all else, should know. A rumor site, after all, publishes stories that may or may not be true, which may or may not be hurtful to a company or its readers. And while I don't personally care much more for such sites, it is their right to publish.

It is also Rodney's right. If no one else will prove and defend that right, I will.

Tim Robertson, Publisher

Tim Robertson
publisher@mymac.com