Posted on 04/17/2006 7:13:16 AM PDT by Panerai
Apple's corporate policy for dealing with unsolicited ideas may be changing. The company held a special meeting to discuss ways to improve its cold-hearted, boiler-plate response to any unsolicited improvements or suggestions submitted to the company, after it found out that it shattered a nine-year girl's heart. According to CBS 5 News, 9-year-old Shea O'Gorman wrote to Apple CEO Steve Jobs as her class was learning about writing business and formal letters. The third-grader wrote Jobs to offer suggestions on improving her iPod nano, such as adding song lyrics so listeners can sing along to their tunes. Although it took three months, the company finally responded to her letter--although it was not what O'Gorman and her family were expecting. Instead of a polite response from Jobs, the girl received a cold, stern letter from Apple's legal counsel telling her that the company didn't accept unsolicited ideas and that she should not send any suggestions to the company.
Apple's full legal policy, designed to protect itself from protracted legal battles about royalties and licensing from submitted ideas, was available online, according to the letter received and read by both O'Gorman and her family.
"She was very upset, and kinda threw the letter up in the air and ran in her room and slammed her door," the girl's mother told CBS 5 News.
Although Apple declined to comment on the story, a company representative reportedly called the girl to offer an apology (following an inquiry by CBS 5 News); in addition, the report says that Apple held a special meeting last week to discuss ways in which it could improve its corporate policy when dealing with children.
ping
She was expecting a job offer...and to be a dot.com millionaire by 12.
"My lawyers will SUE you, my little pretty! And your little DOG too!!"
--I suppose the mother will be filing a lawsuit--
I suggest a class action lawsuit by all people who have had their feelings hurt by Apple's policy!
susie
Shattered her heart indeed...if her heart is this easily "shattered" then, IMHO, the parents need to spend a lot more time instilling in her what is really valuable in this life, or at the very least recognize that what occurred here was not any kind of "earth shattering" event.
Young children have little of value to say on some topics. Allowing them to go through life thinking that Generals and CEOs are eagerly waiting to hear what they think, is not doing the children any favors.
Some kids have too much self-esteem. Reality smacks them in the face and they fall apart.
Well, they do have deep pockets.
Steve Jobs doesn't care about the children!
So.....? Their response to her idea?
Uhhhh...... yeah, well weeeeeee.... uhhhh.....already came up with that idea, yeah, THAT'S the ticket!
Let kids have their dreams.
Thats a pretty tall exaggeration, PBRSTREETGANG.
It said that she wanted on her iPOD Nano:
...song lyrics so listeners can sing along to their tunes
I assume this policy is to prevent accusations that Apple is using an idea from an unsolcited customer suggestion.
Still, the P.R. person could have seen this letter as an opportunity instead of a threat.
Our youth -- the future
John McCain's in training for
their temper tantrums . . .
I work with several people in my office who are just like that.
oops, I didn't read the article obviously, as it states the reason in black and white. sorry.
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