Apple wins…we lose?

Anyone following Apple related news probably already is aware of the start of this story. Some Mac News sites (Of which MyMac doesn’t really apply) got hold of some pre-MacWorld info on the iPod Shuffle, the Mac mini, and the yet-to-be-released (or properly named) Asteroid. Apparently, stealing the thunder from Steve Jobs is a crime punishable by magical hemorrhoids and the painful itch of psoriasis. Not to mention the hungry hoards of Apple lawyers. A Federal Judge has ruled that the emails disclosing these trade secrets must be turned over to Apple.

I think Apple is taking the wrong track on this. Any publicity is better than none, especially when you’re as far back, percentage-wise, on the desktop front as they are. To be fair though, it isn’t like “ThinkSecret.com” and some of the others don’t go out of their way to solicit pre-product information. While Apple used the upcoming “Asteroid” product as the basis for their lawsuit, what I think they were REALLY pissed about was the release of information on the Mac mini and the iPod Shuffle.

While it was cool to see Steve up there on stage with these products, pretty much everyone interested already knew about them.

It’s hard to decide what opinion to form on this for me. On one hand, I am a firm believer of freedom of the press and salute those reporters digging for truths to protect the rights of people like you and me. On the other hand, where does Apple’s rights to withold information (certainly not life threatening or freedom smashing to be sure) about new products before their official release begin and end?

Thinksecret.com not only actively hunts out information on Apple’s products, they troll for it. They guarentee anominity for those who would knowingly violate their signed Non-disclosure agreements. The people who violate these agreements ARE breaking the law. While they can’t go to jail for doing so, the companies that make you sign such agreements have the right to fire those who obviously can’t be trusted with trade secrets. When found out, you can guess that it won’t be easy for these people to find new employment. Maybe this is something they should think about before betraying the companies they work for.

Before any of you start screaming at me about freedom of the press and the public’s right to know, we aren’t talking about anything where people’s lives are at stake. No one is going to be accused of spying in Russia and put to death because of it. No one’s health is threatened by disclosing Apple’s secrets (like it was for whistle-blowers in the Nuke or tobacco industries). So why do they do it? Maybe they got passed by on a promotion or just like tweaking Steve’s famous temper. Well, unless the Federal Judge’s ruling is overturned, there will be a few less secret tellers at Apple in the near future.

What’s your take on this? Opinions are welcome.