Free Republic

I don't hate Apple. I don't even hate Apple-lovers. I do, however, possess deep odium for the legions of Apple polishers in the press corps who salute every shiny gadget the company parades through downtown Cupertino as if they were members of the Supreme Soviet viewing the latest ICBMs at the May Day parade. The Apple polishers buffed and shined this morning in response to yesterday's Steve Jobs-led introduction of the new video iPod. The headlines captured their usual adoration for the computer company: "Apple Scores One Against Microsoft In Video Battle" (Seattle Post-Intelligencer); "Video iPod Premieres in Apple's Latest...

Apple Computer Inc. has retaliated against the publisher of an upcoming unauthorized biography about chief executive Steve Jobs by removing dozens of other technology books sold by the publisher from Apple stores around the world. Apple removed the books last week from all 104 of its stores after failing in a monthlong attempt to persuade John Wiley & Sons not to release "iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business," which is to go on sale within the next six weeks, the publisher said. The book-spurning is only the latest attempt by Apple executives to crack...

With the recent high-profile news reports of ways to circumvent Napster-to-Go's digital rights management (DRM) software, it was only a matter of time before someone targeted iTunes. Hacker Jon Lech Johansen has done just that. Most known for his software that breaks the copy protection of DVDs, Johansen with the help of two counterparts has released PyMusique, what they bill as "a fair interface to the iTunes Music Store."

Nearly a decade ago, just a few months after Microsoft shipped Windows 95, I asked Bill Gates if it was a conscious decision in the development of that product to give Windows more of a Mac look and feel. Of course I knew he'd say it wasn't, but I couldn't resist asking. "There was no goal even to compete with Macintosh," Gates proclaimed. "We don't even think of Macintosh as a competitor." That was a crock, so I pressed the issue a little. I asked him how he accounted for the widespread perception that Windows 95 looked a lot like...

Apple Macs: Objects of devotion By Stephen Evans BBC North America business correspondent It's tempting to think that Steve Jobs is some sort of religious leader rather than the chief executive of a rather successful computer company. And you could be forgiven for thinking that his Apple products are objects of religious devotion rather than mere pieces of plastic enclosing silicon chips. The Cult of Mac does have some rational basis. There seems little doubt that the products are very good. Its strong attractions are usability and good looks (though not usually price until this week's announcement of a...