http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/ Engadget Comments for Apple shuts down Think Secret http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 1:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/
No, OSX is FAR better off than Vista on many counts and what do you think about MS, do you think they don't pull off stuff like this also?

The only camp that can be cosidered "holy" is the Linux crowd and that's because they're free.

Now back to the story, I think he'll be able to rebuild another site even though that's bad on Apple's side, unless he also has agreed to not work on any more sites dedicated to Apple in which case that really sucks.

AKBlade13]]>Dec 20th 2007 1:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/..excluding BSD/mach darwin for the most part...
anyway, they qualify as holy too.]]>Dec 20th 2007 2:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/The case with Apple & Think Secret, there was an agreement between the two.
In the Anti Microsoft sites, they were just shut down. over & over.
You people that keep insinuating that Apple is the true 'evil empire' while typing away using Windows make me laugh. ]]>Dec 20th 2007 8:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 10:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/
Reality called, it wants you to visit more often.]]>Dec 20th 2007 10:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/
You're kidding, right?

"and ipods\iphones are under-featured compared to the real entries into those markets"

"Real entries" = non-Apple entries, apparently. Ease of use is the most important feature, anyway.]]>Dec 20th 2007 10:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/
"Mac OS X 10.5.2 Update, the next in a year-long series of planned updates to Apple's new Leopard operating system, promises to be one of the most hefty maintenance releases put out by the company for its operating system software in recent years."

I date back to Finder 1.1g and consider Leopard one of the buggiest pieces of software I've ever seen. So while I'm not going to make any comparisons with Vista, which I haven't used, I'm also not going to buy Leopard until a stable release is available at retail. (Much the way I waited until 10.2.5 was available at retail. 10.2.0 was a stinking, steaming turd of a release too.)

(Although if Apple's going to support Leopard for only a year as AppleInsider suggests, it's probably better to skip it entirely.)

As for Think Secret, I'm glad he did well, but it never returned to the quality it had before the suit. Sic transit gloria.]]>Dec 20th 2007 11:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 1:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 1:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 1:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 8:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 9:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 1:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 2:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/
There is a fine line betweeb insider information and journalistic freedom.

I guess the word is that company secrets are protected and I must say I do agree and I am glad that the settlement was acceptable to both.
M]]>Dec 20th 2007 1:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/
I see two possible cases here:

Either he shut down the site to protect the people who broke the NDA (admirable)

-or-

Apple paid him off to shut down the site (sell-out)

But, we will never know. Of course his response ("I'm very satisfied with the settlement") tells me it is probably the latter, since no one would be happy about shutting down a popular site.]]>Dec 20th 2007 3:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 3:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Even though he didn't sign the NDA, his sources did. By not revealing his sources, he's sort of aiding them in their illegal activities. Kind of like what other journalists do, except he's not going to jail for it, he just has to shut down his website.

I'm not saying that I'm happy with it, but that's where I think they're coming from.]]>Dec 20th 2007 6:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 8:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/
The problem here was that they were specifically asking people to break their contracts in violation of law and making it somewhat valuable to do so...sure it might have only been in getting street cred, but there was an explicit exchange. It is like telling a kid that if he goes into a candy store and steals a bag of gumballs he'd be cool. And then standing outside all day every day telling everyone to do it. Once or twice might be forgiven, but this guy setup a hotline to report these things. People were rewarded for their efforts by Nick (and some not just through 'being cool'). You making it rewarding to break the law and you are going to get smacked down.

This is something even sleazy mainstream media wouldn't dream about doing. Sure, if it was a gov't coverup or something of vital national interest, but this is an eff'n consumer product. Nothing that NEEDS to incite others into breaking the law. If he had gotten people to spill the beans on Apple pouring industrial waste into the sewers of Cupertino -- it would have been for the public good and the leakers could have claimed whistleblower status, but it wasn't.

Lets not pretend this has anything to do with the first amendment -- it has to do with someone inciting someone else to break the law and pretending to stand behind some unconnected legal principle while doing so.

]]>Dec 20th 2007 8:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/
Well, to keep a positive spin on this, he could be happy because the settlement insured that all of his sources would remain secret. I know I would be happy that my sources were not betrayed, even if it was no fault of my own, even if it meant losing my popular site. To the jaded person this may not sound likely, but I still have some hope in people.]]>Dec 20th 2007 10:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/
Clifyt gets it mostly correct, in that, in this case, a large part of the reason for the legal action involved the fact that Ciarelli was actively enticing Apple employees, working under NDA, to supply him with secret information that he could then turn around and post for profit. Think Secret didn't shut down to protect his sources, or because Apple paid him off. Ciarelli almost certainly agreed to a settlement because his lawyer explained that if it went to court, he was going to *lose*.

@clifyt: The First Amendment is not a blanket statement that one can say or print *anything*. If it were, all libel, slander, and "secrets" laws would be unconstitutional. They are not. The First Amendment was never intended as complete protection for *anything*, nor has it ever been construed that way by the courts. In general, your rationale beyond that is correct: broadly speaking, the courts weigh the question of the public good vs. the party's interest in maintaining secrecy.

Had Think Secret revealed that Apple was dumping mercury into San Francisco Bay, that clearly would have been in the public's interest to be made public, despite an employee's NDA. Disclosing a plan to develop an audio breakout box, the drooling of Engadget-reading geeks notwithstanding, does not come under that heading.]]>Dec 20th 2007 10:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/
If you assist in breaking the law, you are breaking the law, just to a less punishable degree, but still a crime. Apple is right on this one and anybody would fight to protect its internal secrets.

Being a journalist doesn;t mean you can report on anything.
M]]>Dec 20th 2007 11:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 1:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/
..and while you're messing with your site...

post edits, please.]]>Dec 20th 2007 2:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 9:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 1:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 1:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 2:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/
Damn those college kids! Always disrespectin' my beloved outsourcing corporation. ]]>Dec 20th 2007 2:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 1:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 1:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 1:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 2:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 1:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 1:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/..and yeah, ditch the avatars.
cheeckkkkinggg...]]>Dec 20th 2007 2:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 2:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 2:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/It's last post except for the press release was December 14th, then 8th, then November 29th, and then the 14th. The huge jumps in publishing lost a lot of traffic, probably causing him to just sell it.

Avatars - Lose em.]]>Dec 20th 2007 2:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 3:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Better not say anything]]>Dec 20th 2007 3:29AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 5:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 6:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/
Why does Apple so often get credit for 'inventing' things like 'mp3 player', or the color white, or wifi-enabled mp3 players? Is it seriously just marketing clout?
]]>Dec 20th 2007 7:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 7:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 7:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/
Hre...let me help you: mp3, the file format and codec, are own, licensed and patented by Frauhoffer. You cannot get any more PROPRIETARY than that. It is the definition of what proprietary means.

mp4 is a CONTAINER FILE FORMAT.

More to the point, there is no deference to mp4/m4a on the iPod.

What was the point you were feebly attempting to make, anyway?! ]]>Dec 20th 2007 3:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/apple-shuts-down-think-secret/Dec 20th 2007 7:21AM