Marco Arment“Even if that's not explicitly what Apple is doing here, they simply must know that's what it looks like. And it's just about the worst look imaginable.”
Casey Liss@marcoarment
> Do they regroup and get back to creating great products to silence the critics? Or do they simply silence the critics?
The latter is just so comically shortsighted.
> Do they regroup and get back to creating great products to silence the critics? Or do they simply silence the critics?
The latter is just so comically shortsighted.
Dan Moren@caseyliss @marcoarment Silencing the critics? Nobody shut down Daring Fireball as far as I’m aware. Not like people are going to stop posting criticism?
Tanner McCoy@dmoren @caseyliss @marcoarment
Excluding someone respected like Gruber damages Apple’s credibility and makes it look afraid of honest scrutiny. If Apple’s decisions and products can’t stand up to fair criticism, it just raises more concerns about the company.
@tsizzle @caseyliss @marcoarment Not offering executives for interview is not the same as “being excluded.” As far as I’m aware, John will be at the keynote and briefings like much of the rest of the press.
The argument that somehow Apple execs were going to spill their guts up there is just fallacious.
@dmoren @caseyliss @marcoarment
I’m not trying to argue that they would say anything substantive (Grubers interviews never really do), but not showing up at all is very telling.
@tsizzle @caseyliss @marcoarment There are very clearly a lot of topics they cannot or do not want to talk about. Which, I agree, is disappointing. But it’s not shocking.
@dmoren @caseyliss @marcoarment
Sure, but now they won’t talk about anything. That’s much different than not wanting to speak on a few topics but getting people excited for others. When the only things you hear from Apple executives is from court documents, that’s not great.
@tsizzle @caseyliss @marcoarment This has all happened before. Apple pulled out of Macworld Expo because it didn’t suit their needs. They’re always going to prioritize what they think is the benefit for them. And while it was interesting to see the execs on the show, let’s not kid ourselves: they weren’t going to let slip anything they weren’t allowed to.
@dmoren @caseyliss @marcoarment
Not sure why you feel the need to defend the company so much but this is obviously different. They pulled out of Macworld and announced new ways to interact with customers. This is not that.
@tsizzle @caseyliss @marcoarment There is a difference between “defending” and “explaining.” IA lot of people seem to be shocked because they think Apple was their friend and now they’ve *gasp* changed.
They’re a profit-seeking corporation. Always have been. They were never your friend.
As for Macworld…”announced new ways to interact with customers”? What? No, they left because it didn’t behoove them to stay.
@dmoren @caseyliss @marcoarment
Ok, announcing new ways might have been a reach but they at least explained their reasoning (https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2008/12/16Apple-Announces-Its-Last-Year-at-Macworld/?utm_source=chatgpt.com). They don’t owe Gruber anything, but the Macworld exit was transparent and this is just them being petty about being critiqued.
@tsizzle @caseyliss @marcoarment Yeah, I was there. 😉 The point is, as John himself has written numerous time, Apple is going to serve Apple first, customers second, developers third, if at all.
Moreover, the pettiness, while reasonable, remains an inference, when the far simpler reasoning is that it doesn’t serve them.
Zany Ninja@dmoren @tsizzle @caseyliss @marcoarment
Gruber is quoting Steve Jobs and positioning himself as "very insightful and not negative". But the truth is, when Steve Jobs made that comment, he was explicitily referring to that one post of Gruber's, and not everything Gruber has ever written, or even Gruber as a person.
The fact is, Gruber can be very negative and not very insightful. Case in point (and the reason Apple have declined his interview):
@zanyninja @dmoren @caseyliss @marcoarment
I would like to think the leader of one of the biggest corporations in the world is not that thinned skinned. Especially when that quote is about an awful person. Not really sure how you can assume what Jobs meant from that quote. Gruber has gained a larger following and started interviewing Apple execs after his death.
@tsizzle @dmoren @caseyliss @marcoarment
Seriously?
1. That quote about "an awful person" was a deeply unpleasant insult aimed at Cook (and others). Did you even read it?
2. The Steve Jobs quote couldn't be clearer - "We think John Gruber’s post is very insightful and not negative" - it's referring to a specific post, and not Gruber, and not everything he's ever written. Of course it isn't an important point, and I was being mean-spirited by saying it...but Jobs' meaning was crystal clear.
Marc Puricelli@dmoren @tsizzle @caseyliss @marcoarment I think this is the right take but I wonder if Jobs was still alive if they would not have an exceptional press conference and respond to some of the criticism head on like they did for antenna gate. I think Cook is deeply uncomfortable with unscripted appearances.
Marc Robinson 
@marcpuricelli @dmoren @tsizzle @caseyliss @marcoarment There it is! “What would Steve do?” This discussion has officially overstayed its welcome.
@marcintosh @dmoren @tsizzle @caseyliss @marcoarment Yeah, yeah... We're all just having fun and speculating here. None of what is posted here matters don't you know? As your namesake, I'm disappointed, Marc.