New York Times Reports on Apple's Obsession With Secrecy

[zami]

Work spaces are typically monitored by security cameras, this employee said. Some Apple workers in the most critical product-testing rooms must cover up devices with black cloaks when they are working on them, and turn on a red warning light when devices are unmasked so that everyone knows to be extra-careful, he said.

Hahaha, little surprise then they forgot to add FireWire to the first Unibody MacBooks!

 

[kingtj]

Depends, really....

I think seeding incorrect information to employees for the purpose of derailing the "rumor mill" is fine, BUT I would draw the line at using it as a tactic to "hunt down and prosecute" employees who leaked said info.

It's one thing to use whatever tactics are at your disposal to help keep the public "in the dark" about your trade secrets, before you're ready to reveal them. It's another to have a corporate policy of distrust of your own employees.

While I can see the value in keeping certain projects secret, spreading misinformation to spot leaks has trouble written all over it.

I think it'd be "cool" to work on something secret and watch the eventual public feedback on it. However, I'd have reservations working for a company that did not trust it's employees...

 

[staypuffinpc]

trust?

It's one thing to use whatever tactics are at your disposal to help keep the public "in the dark" about your trade secrets, before you're ready to reveal them. It's another to have a corporate policy of distrust of your own employees.

Um, you seem to be missing the point that the original perpetrator is an employee that is breaking a signed commitment. The issue of "trust" has already been broken by an employee and Apple is putting the bait out to see who is the one making $$ by illegally (yes, it's illegal to break an NDA) sharing information with the masses. Call it distrust, but it's a reaction to others' actions.