New York Times:
It wasn’t just Gawker. The waters quickly muddied after the first wave of obituaries passed. Thanks to Facebook and Twitter, anyone with a beef against Mr. Jobs or Apple found a platform to sound off about an industrialist who doubled as a pop star.
The Steve Jobs backlash began as quickly as the mythmaking had. Candlelight vigils were just starting to form outside Apple stores worldwide when bloggers began their assault.
I suspect it’s a combination of the ever-shortening news cycle and bloggers’ and news posters’ understanding that everything to do with Apple is link bait.
I am not at all surprised about this. TO be honest I am surprised it took as long as it did considering all the Apple haters we all read about and thier uncouth messages in forums etc.
It just seems to be the way things are now. Things that would NEVER be said in person are frequently spat out in forums under the guise of anonminity. I always try maintain a respectful attitude whether it be online or face to face. It’s too bad other people don’t.
The issue isn’t what some random jerk said on a forum some place as much as the behavior of readily identifiable bloggers and journalists.
The myth making has been running for 30 years. Jobs accomplishments don’t need careful collection and analysis now that he”s gone. They surround us, nearly ubiquitous in our mobile technology. After all the mewling and petty carping is forgotten, Steve Jobs’ legacy will still remain, and will stand the test of time.
As Peter Cohen has already remarked on the AMB Podcast, this is mostly the work of cowards, emboldened now by the fact they need not worry of a response from Jobs.
“I suspect it’s a combination of the ever-shortening news cycle and bloggers’ and news posters’ understanding that everything to do with Apple is link bait.”
That would explain why usually reputable publications like Forbes and WSJ have taken to posting the most pathetic articles their web based arm can find.
I understand that however I think the same “anonymity” comment still applies. I try to consider what I type with what I would actually say to someone face to face. Something I am afraid it seems many people do not, bloggers et al.
New York Times got one thing wrong. Gawker was backlashing Jobs and Apple way before he was dead. Started when they were informed that offering prizes for info about the alleged tablet was potentially illegal, zoomed up with they got raided over the iPhone 4 postings over in the Gizmodo wing and went into overdrive when Apple banned them from all future events.
Its only backlash because people are reading about it now. Stories of Steve Jobs’ unpleasant attributes have been available in published form for years. These things are not news.