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All You Need Is Love (5/18/98)
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The relationship between Apple and the press continues to grow cozier and cozier, especially following the recent iMac and Mac OS X announcements. In fact, some of the coverage of Apple's recent accomplishments is so positive and glowing, it borders on the indecent. Consider, for example, this article in the San Francisco Examiner, which not only proposes that Apple is "giving everyone what they want," but even contrasts that strategy with Microsoft's attempt to "force-feed its crummy products to unhappy users." It's almost as if we're in an alternate universe or something.
Now, while it's true that the Examiner article was almost certainly written by a Mac-lover, without the recent reversal of sentiment about Apple in the press, it almost certainly wouldn't have gotten printed. A year ago, writing anything about Apple more optimistic than "they'll go under within two years" was a cardinal journalistic sin right up there with revealing a confidential source. (Heck, a year ago there were less-positive article about Apple in MacAddict!) It's quite amazing how much the tide has turned.
The real reason we mention the Examiner article, though, is that the author hit upon a great rationale for why Steve Jobs continues not to accept the permanent CEO position: it keeps the press hanging on his every word. Every announcement he makes is heard by throngs of reporters, who show up to every event because they can't afford not to be there the one time when he finally either announces he's staying for good or stepping down for someone else. It's such a simple and elegant theory that we at AtAT are embarrassed not to have seen it ourselves-- we hope we're not losing our eye for a good conspiracy theory.
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And Now For A Word From Our Sponsors |
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 | | The above scene was taken from the 5/18/98 episode: May 18, 1998: As promised, the Justice Department and twenty states filed suit against Microsoft, even as the software giant sends its steaming new OS to computer manufacturers. Meanwhile, Apple continues to garner favor in the press, despite Steve's subtle game of "bait and switch," and here come the sites dedicated to all things Steve...
Other scenes from that episode: 715: Get Ready to Rumble (5/18/98) It's official-- even as Microsoft ships Windows 98 to computer manufacturers, the Department of Justice and the attorneys general of twenty states announced today that they will indeed file suit against the Redmond Giant for alleged anticompetitive practices... 717: Hallowed By Thy Steve (5/18/98) Speaking of virtual love-fests, there's a new site worth checking out called the Steve Jobs Helipad. (The title, faithful viewers will no doubt realize, is a reference to the helipad Steve recently had built in order to allow him to commute between Apple and Pixar via helicopter.)...
Or view the entire episode as originally broadcast... | |  |
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