Here we go again, Apple apologists spewing nonsense. I suppose if you want to call journalism spying, you can jump on the bandwagon of goverment officials who want to call any investigative reporting the same thing. I suppose that's why we don't have any decent mainstream news sources anymore - everyone's afraid to be investigated for breaches of supposedly classified info. Try to find some news on CNN and you'll see what I mean.

Hey, what I find hillarious is all these news organizations saying Apple shouldn't be doing this because of "freedom of speech" and "journalistic rights" and all that. Why? If they have the right, won't the courts rule as such and give them an even stronger conviction that they can work as they seem to think they have the right to. They all say its a bad lawsuit, but everyone has the right to sue over stupidity (h***, someone finds a finger in their chili, they want to sue the fast food chain. Why? Was it undercooked? Did they get sick? Oh, for the money, right.) The judges can easily rule "Sorry, free press, protect sources, blah, blah, blah."

But its like they want everyone to agree with them and not take anyone to court. Rather than believe their 'laws' will be reaffirmed, its like they believe they'll lose their rights as journalists, so they don't want anyone suing over this because of their fear someone will lose and they no longer have this freedom of the press. And if all that happens, its not a judges fault, or a lawmakers fault, its Apple's fault for suing in the first place.

The release date of an unannounced product is now considered a trade secret? NO! Apple's claim is bull, they'll lose the ThinkSecret case once it's heard in full. Otherwise, why not sue everyone who published the Apeil 29 date before Apple announced? Why not sue the LA Times for writing an article about iTMS weeks before it was announced? Go ahead, sue the LA Times Apple. Pick on someone your own size.

Umm, first, no one knew when Tiger was going to be released until they announced it (everyone was saying the 15th, after that it was just guessing). Second, they're not suing over a release date, their suing over the release of WHAT was being released (and, actually, one thing that wasn't released, namely that Asteroid project). h***, anyone can say "New iMacs at MWSF!", but its another to say "Hey, we've got new specs of the iMac mini, and here's the flash-based player, and then there's this thing here...". In fact, PowerPage ran pictures and content from confidential internal Apple presentations verbatim, even though they specifically stated "For internal use only" on them (so you can't even claim "I don't know, someone sent me this stuff, how was I supposed to know it was a trade secret").

Really, the iPod has been around for years and still none of the competition has come really close to producing a better or as good product. What exactly was the product in question, some mixing box for music, like Apple is the first to invent one of those! This is more about stopping leaks and scaring those under contract to keep their mouths shut. For an entertaining read check out piratebay.org and their response to Apple's lawyers.

What does there have to be to be considered a "backlash"? How many must express their disapproval and how? I'll tell you what- I haven't stopped buying Apple products, because I think these actions represent the decisions of a few (Jobs and the lawyers), not most of what Apple is- it's engineers, designers, etc. Believe it or not, even though Jobs leads and represents the company he is not Apple by himself.

The question is, what is the alternative. There seem to be only two main alternatives: Microsoft and the Linux community. Never will I choose Micro$oft. They are much worse than Apple. And, though I admire Linux and the Linux community, I prefer Mac OS X as my daily personal computer environment.

But all these lawsuits against some of the very most enthusiastic users, who, in my opinion, help Apple and the community a whole lot more than they may hurt it, and and this aggression against small, local retailers who have serving the community and Apple as well does not sit well with me, and does not help Apple's image with me.

And, be sure that if things like these continue in the long-run and get worse, it will eventually affect Apple.

particularly mad - mad enough to defend Apple in "vehement" terms - was the suggestion that this lawsuit would hurt Apple sales or standing in the public.

If the cowardly t*** that is Jason O'Grady (who has recently disabled comments on his blog almost at the same time as his being named as one defendant in the Apple trade secret lawsuit) and the infantile Nick De'Plume hadn't threatened Apple sales I would have kept my mouth shut and let the courts make their decisions.

As it stands, I am mobilized by these two losers' hostile advances, inadequate defenses and moral ineptitude.

To Apple for defending itself AND for the way its handled the lawsuits. They made their point and I feel justice was done.