Hell Warming Up?

MacRumors · Oct 27, 2003

Apple's iTunes for Windows launch proudly displayed the phrase "Hell Froze Over" on their corporate site.

Hell freezing over humorously referred to the fact that Apple had finally developed a major consumer application (iTunes) for the Windows platform.

In recent weeks, Apple's site has seen a few changes due to the release of iBooks and Mac OS X Panther, but their 'Introducing iTunes for Window' splash page now removes the amusing 'Hell 'reference.

We received a report that the reason for this is due to the objection of some higher level individuals who were involved in the Richmond, VA school system iBook purchase (23,000). Due to this (high profile) objection, Apple reportedly changed their page to remove the reference.

johnnowak · Oct 27, 2003

Southerners...

lduncan · Oct 27, 2003

some people really are pathetic!

dricci · Oct 27, 2003

That's lame.

Why are people so scared of four letter words?

restiffbard · Oct 27, 2003

embarrasing

I'm officially ashamed of my Commonwealth now.

manitoubalck · Oct 27, 2003

Didn't the Eagles use that very phrase for a very similar reason?

johnnyjibbs · Oct 27, 2003

Originally posted by manitoubalck
Didn't the Eagles use that very phrase for a very similar reason?

Yep - 14 years prior to its release they said hell would freeze over before they would get back together. They did, hence the album name. Didn't hear any objections about that one. Great album too.

manitoubalck · Oct 27, 2003

I must agree, one of the best live albums released.

joanb96 · Oct 27, 2003

Reference to Windows

Hi,

So that reference to an Eagles album is BRILLIANT, because it's like Apple had said before "We'll be doing windows software when hell freezes over", like the Eagles said of a band reunion.
A great reference because we're talking about music here, so...
I loved it, what a pity it doesn't show anymore!

JoanB

Cochrane · Oct 27, 2003

There might also be other reasons for this. For example, as I already pointed out in another post Apple said they would bring 2-Button mice as soon as either Steve Jobs leaves the company or hell freezes over. Well, as they apparently don't want those mice they had to prevent hell from freezing over.

punter · Oct 27, 2003

I thought the "hell freezing over" apple page was the best and funniest I'd ever seen. I should have known that anything I found that amusing must be offensive to someone.

And now that hell has frozen over hopefully we CAN have a two button mouse

Raiden · Oct 27, 2003

I happen to be one of the people in the richmond VA Ibook program (senior at godwin high school), and on the behalf of all the kids here who think beurocratic nonsence like this, I would like to thorowly appoligize for the removal of the hell freezes over joke.

BTW, im posting this on my ibook.

MorganX · Oct 27, 2003

As liberal as I am, I don't have a problem with it.

I don't have a problem with Apple using the reference, or a large customer asking it be removed. I actually respect Apple for removing it.

the_mole1314 · Oct 27, 2003

Originally posted by Raiden
I happen to be one of the people in the richmond VA Ibook program (senior at godwin high school), and on the behalf of all the kids here who think beurocratic nonsence like this, I would like to thorowly appoligize for the removal of the hell freezes over joke.

BTW, im posting this on my ibook.

Ditto, same here

Sol · Oct 27, 2003

Now this is odd

Let me get this straight: the objection to Apple posting that hell froze came not from a religious body but from an educational one?! Richmond educators should put away their bibles and do what the are supposed to do: give their students a modern education.

Mr. Anderson · Oct 27, 2003

That is a bit pathetic, but not all that surprising.....no matter what, you can't please everyone and some are just more annoying and narrow minded than others.

D

rt_brained · Oct 27, 2003

Who the hell is in charge over there in the Richmond, VA school system?

I wanna tell them where they can go.

Exponent · Oct 27, 2003

I think it's not so much of a religious matter as the idea that "Hell" is considered a kissing-cousin to a cuss word in some more genteel quarters. It certainly is an "adult" word, in many contexts. (In other words, you'd look askance at a, say, 5 year old uttering "Hell!")

That being said, it's being used to advertise a music store with all kinds of mature content in it. Actually, I'm surprised that Apple hasn't been asked/forced to come out with a screen that blocks sales of "Explicit" songs.

And for anyone thinking this is just a conservative/religious thing, just remember that it was Tipper Gore (husband of a certain Apple Board member) who pushed _that_ whole concept.

1macker1 · Oct 27, 2003

I think the educators are right. And the phrase didnt make any sense anyway. Quicktime is already on windows. Apple knows that ignorant people love unimaginative phrases.

B.B. · Oct 27, 2003

Who's to blame here?

Most people would probably call me a conservative Christian, but this situation seems ridiculous to me. But who's really to blame here?

Apple? Nope -- they're looking out for potential future sales and they don't want to risk those just for a (very clever) web banner.

(Alleged) Conservative Christians? Nope -- they are as entitled to their beliefs as anyone else, and are free to express them in the marketplace.

The ACLU? Perhaps, but probably not -- maybe this purely cultural reference to hell will be interpreted by a secular zealot as an attempt to impose religious values in our schools.

The program administrators? Not really -- they probably aren't scared of single four letter word, instead they're frightened of...

Lawyers? -- That's it! Let's blame the attorneys who would take some group's irrational objection and turn it into a (frivolous) (very pofitable) lawsuit against the school district.

I'm a Recovering Attorney myself, and a former school district employee. I can see the fingerprints of our overly litigious culture all over this silly move.

SiliconAddict · Oct 27, 2003

PC Moron...NO the OTHER PC!!!!

$(@*&(@#@#(*&#!#!#!#~~~!!!! with a $*(@#*#@# while stuffing a banana up your *$!!@*#()$$*@#&!!!!**&# with a )$@$)(*)@(#*@# while strung upside down )*!*#$&&$*@) #(@#) #@ while #$*) in a very uncomfortable @#%)_!)$))(%(%#%# and the horse you rode in on.

PS- People like this need to be taken out back and given a severe beating for gross stupidity. Oh. I'm sorry Apple deflowered your virgin eyes. Heaven help you. How will you ever survive now that you've read those three little letter.

And I hate to say this but its not like some kid isn't going to hear a word like HELL 10,000 times in his/her life.

Thank god Jobs didn't have the slogan:
holy ****!!! HELL froze over!! There would be a national campaign to kick Apple out of the country.

jamesatzones · Oct 27, 2003

Hell Hell Hell, why is it that anything can be construed to offend someone. Boycott the Eagles, they used it first. I wonder how many teachers in VA listen to the Eagles. What about Time magazine, they have had hell on the cover if I recall correctly. This is unfortunately a time in our society where just about anything you say can offend someone.

Let's change it to purgatory froze over, or heaven heated up...

Just my view, I'm sure I will offend someone somehow just by saying this...

Dros · Oct 27, 2003

Can someone post a link about this story?

SilentPanda · Oct 27, 2003

Re: PC Moron...NO the OTHER PC!!!!

Originally posted by SiliconAddict
$(@*&(@#@#(*&#!#!#!#~~~!!!! with a $*(@#*#@# while stuffing a banana up your *$!!@*#()$$*@#&!!!!**&# with a )$@$)(*)@(#*@# while strung upside down )*!*#$&&$*@) #(@#) #@ while #$*) in a very uncomfortable @#%)_!)$))(%(%#%# and the horse you rode in on.

From Sam & Max Hit the Road

Sam: Percent sign, Ampersand, Dollar Sign.
Max: And colon, semi-colon too!
Telekenic Guy: What are you two F@*#&*g doing?
Sam: Swearing in longhand asterisk mouth

Photorun · Oct 27, 2003

What the hell! Stupid humorless bible thumpers. Hell is using peecees so clearly there's hell on earth. People who lack humor need to go to hell.

Hell Warming Up?

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