Gag
Waste of corporate resources, including valuable time managing the program. Arbitrary and ripe for abuse. Incompatible with Jobs' successful policy of simplifying and focusing on making great products.
Overall a bad sign for the future of the company. Suggests that management feels the need to maintain power by playing a political game, and "being nice" rather than performing well and producing great products.
Another great American company will likely go down the tubes after Jobs is gone. It won't be long before the Chinese own, design and produce everything of importance.
I prefer Steve Jobs's approach, as he expounded on it when he came before the Cupertino local government people when unveiling the "Spaceship One" proposal. I don't remember the exact wording, but it was something like, "I'm a simple guy. The way I see it, we pay the taxes, and you guys [the government] provide the public services." This was in response to someone on the city council suggesting they could "do something for the community" as for example Google providing free Wifi in the town surrounding their headquarters.
Apple pays taxes. So do their employees, who only have jobs and pay taxes because Apple is successful. That's your charity right there. Steve Jobs has provided for far more charity than just about any other CEO in the country over the last decades.
This despite what journalists wanna-be-productive-members-of-society "choose your favorite charity" dilettantes have been writing about Jobs in the last several months. Way to dance on a better man's grave just before he seems likely to pass away.
Oh well, just another lame political game that is little more than a distraction to people doing their jobs and doing them well. Like I said, a bad omen. Either this will be a program with poor oversight that is likely to be abused, or it will be a distraction to management. In any case, it never makes sense to throw money around wantonly when times are good, because chances are, they won't always be so good. You think the folks at Apple would know this more than others. Just follow the rules and pay your taxes. That's all they need to do.
Id' be happy if whoever is responsible for bringing this to fruition at Apple got demoted.
