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Apple Rumor Casualty...

Some thoughts:

1) Tough not to feel sorry for the guy. But, at the same time, he is putting proprietary stuff in publicly accessible (if not directly linked) areas. He should have known that was a no-no. At the end of the day, it is his responsibility.

2) Pbzone was out of line publishing his personal info. I think we can all agree on that.

3) Wouldn't it be nice if Apple and Moto gave normal road-maps? It would do two things: drive down the need for the insane rumor-sites surrounding apple (you know I love ya, arn). And it would make it possible to do real planning as an apple customer. As an example: If I *knew* that the 970 was going to be released next year, I would probably spring for a mid-level powermac now. As it is, that money sits in my pocket, hoping for an early 970 release. This problem is even more pronounced at the corporate level, where planning is more methodical, and the purchasers are even more risk adverse.

It's a pipe dream, I know, and I'm not suggesting Apple tell us all the products that are in the pipeline, but for established products, like the PM, a good roadmap would make our lives significantly better (if less exciting).

But what the hell do I know?
prat
 
Geez I've made screenshots of stuff like this too.

Some apps that need to have a lot of prefs set, it's just easier getting every pref right and then taking a screenshot.

I do it at work with our ISO-Proxy client, I can't be bothered remembering or writting down all the settings so I got the network guy to get all the settings right, and then I took a screenshot.

Much easier than writting them all down!

Poor guy :(
 
Originally posted by dukestreet
I don't think anyone is to blame but him. If you go to his site most stuff is open and available, directory listing, etc.
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Good point Duke, I hadn't visited his site. Having now looked at it I can't believe it just goes to a directory listing like that, with a folder called "Apple Internal", soooooooo stupid! :rolleyes:
 

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Originally posted by Nermal


He didn't realise the the files were shared, they were not sitting in his shared folder. He had a symlink to a different folder, which in turn had another symlink to the screenshots. It can be hard to notice this sort of thing, so don't be too harsh on him.
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Having read the young man's blog entry covering this issue, I find him to be both glib and self-serving. The young man's story does not add up. He claims that the photos in question were for his personal use. However, he also says that he had blurred the serial numbers in the pictures. Why alter the serial numbers of pictures no one else would see? Another thing--he seems to be all too familiar with covering his tracks. The sense that I get is that he inadvertantly left some information accessible, but it was too late to cover his tracks when he discovered his error. My sense is that his intended audience was his friends.
 
anything we can do?

i feel so sorry for adam. is there anything we can do as a mac community? somebody please posts the address of the apple store where adam used to work. his weblog and his story touched me and many other people here. the guys at the apple store have to know.
 
After all this, to still have directory browsing active at this time. :rolleyes:

Does not help his case if Apple decides to move forward, can't really blame pbzone (for posting the link they were sent). He made things way too easy.
 
What a horror story...

I debate whether to post here or not, for fear of it seeming self-serving. But, I have to comment that a high-traffic Mac site, news, rumor, whatever format, has a tremendous power to screw up people's lives. At MacWhispers, I, literally, base every single item I publish on direct conversations with people working in the Mac supplier pipeline. A while back, I, personally, got creamed by some ugly web publicity, fostered by a high-traffic Mac site. I know how painful that can be. Now, I'm blessed to host a site pulling around 30,000 unique visitors each day; and, I take the responsibility that entails very, very seriously.

PBZone should never have run this young man's identity, nor posted direct links to his personal server space. And, while I'm venting, here's another one: no reputable site should have ever posted FTP security access instructions to the Toshiba storage site last week. I had the same information, but chose not to post the information, as nobody from Toshiba had given me permission to do so. If a directory sits behind a password, it is not "public information."

The tone of the article here is right: There is indeed a rabid, almost viscious intensity to the quest for Apple related product information. Understood. However, there simply must remain some bit of huma kindness, decency, and ethics in pursuing that chase. Information is neat, sure. But screwing a living, breathing person for that information flat isn't right, and it's not in the Mac community ethos to which I and all of my long time Mac friends subscribe.

PBZone was wrong.
 
Re: anything we can do?

Originally posted by childlost
i feel so sorry for adam. is there anything we can do as a mac community? somebody please posts the address of the apple store where adam used to work. his weblog and his story touched me and many other people here. the guys at the apple store have to know.
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I doubt anything could be done.
Getting fired is very permanent.
Believe me, I know.
 
Originally posted by mozez
as much as i feel sorry for him, he took the screenshots, which i have to wonder why, if only for personal reasons, why do you need them, and second, taking those screenshots home is illegal, he did it to himself. maybe he didn't want to get fired, but if somebody leaked my stuff, i'd fire their ass. he's more upset he got caught, not upset about what he did. his mistake was taking the screenshots, not putting them on the web, that was an added mistake that made his mistake public. yes, that website went way too far with info, but any leak of apple stuff, or any companies stuff can have a dramatic effect on stock, compitition, and alot more.
a job at an apple store is fun and neat, but not a career, so i think he should feel lucky he's not being sued by apple and possible jail time, but rather just being let go, believe it or not, but he is lucky to just be let of the hook. he'll be fine in the end all of things. still, a sad day for rumors.
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Snap. Well said, except the part about jail, that sounds a little out of the question. I do feel for the kid, but he's a little wiser now.


Edit: Just read edesignuk's post about the Apple_Internal directory. So i got curious and went to google. I typed in "Apple Internal" (with NO underspace, but i made sure i put the quotes around apple internal). Try it yourself then look on page two of the google results, you can see this guys website as a hit. Hit google's cache feature and you will see his old jpg file names. He has one called "case_detail.jpg"
 
But the point is... it was an accidental post. A symbolic link to a symbolic link that he made by mistake.

I think pbzone's the real one at fault here.
 
Actually if you get a little deeper into his file directory you will find one heck of an iTunes MP3 collection...the speed of download off his computer is amazing...
 
shouldn't it be illegal to post somebody's personal information online without the person's permission? if so, maybe pbzone can be sued or something?
 
Originally posted by Zion Grail
I seriously hope PB Zone is held accountable for that.
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Same here. If someone supplies you with a rumor (accidental or not), you don't thank them by telling the world (and therefore telling Apple) their identity.
 
He's not done getting himself in trouble yet!

Looks like he is now sharing images from Digital Blasphemy, the hi-res ones that are in the (paid) members area. Digital Blasphemy will be pleased :rolleyes:

http://virga-x.adtn.net/graphics/

This guy is just asking to be sued for copyright infringment or something....:( :rolleyes:
 
after you get to the link where his log is...go to the website link on the left hand side and when you hit the file directory...go to projects...and there get the .mov file called "Kids are Alright" It is actually a great display of iMovie editing...and I am sure the most conservative people on this message board will find it fasinating...I say good for the kid to tackle a controversial issue like homosexuals...and you have to admit...what IS UP with that one dudes hair?????? Go and look at it. He even wanted people to go and get that file from what he left on the Google link...
 
First off, you can't go to jail for violating an NDA. It is a civil matter. They can sue the hell out of you, but you won't spend any time in the big house.

Second, I know someone who works for an Apple research group, and their spouse explained to me that if any word about any of the projects get out, no matter who told, that they would all be termnated and the group disbanded.

Pretty harsh.
 
Are you sure this isn't some sort of sting by the Music industry?

Set up to catch a huge number of idiots downloading music and other copyrighted stuff...
 
he only has himself to blame.
too bad he lost his job.
It might also make it hard for him to get another one in his field. Who would hire a guy that would be so foolish then not understand what his responsibility was. Actually I think he will get it, in a few days or months, or already.

What is PBzones responsibility? at first I thought it was wrong refering to them as journalists, but then I thought here is someone being careless with thier employers information, kind of like embezzling, or taking home office supplies for personal use. What is the difference?
 
Originally posted by Sun Baked
Are you sure this isn't some sort of sting by the Music industry?

Set up to catch a huge number of idiots downloading music and other copyrighted stuff...
Click to expand...

Well if this is...what is Limewire?
 
First, no one posted anything that wasn't available on the site. It's certainly not like PBZone did any investigating. Second, why on Earth are you turning this jerk into a victim?? He did it. He meant to do it. He was sloppy in HOW he did it, but that should make him WORSE, not some sort of blue collar hero! I don't think he needs to be dragged to the village square and flogged, but he certainly doesn't need to be viewed as some kind of martyr. Lesson to be learned: Don't put anything in print (or on the web) that you wouldn't want read in front of a jury. Do they really not teach you people that anymore?
 
Originally posted by dukestreet
You're all feeling sorry for his stupidity? I don't think anyone is to blame but him. If you go to his site most stuff is open and available, directory listing, etc. It was just a matter of time before someone found something.
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I agree with Duke. If you are going to do something that would be considered "iffy" and possibly violate a NDA, then you should be prepared for the consequences. Publicly displaying information on your own web directory, and naming files as such ("Apple Internal") just begs for trouble. I feel bad for him, but what can you do?
 
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