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Apple CEO Steve Jobs to ‘iPodRip’ dev: Forced name change ‘not that big of a deal’

Thursday, November 19, 2009 · 4:43 pm · 47 Comments

“The Little App Factory seems to have a big problem on their hands. The company received a letter from Baker & McKenzie, representing Apple, asking that The Little App Factory change the name of one of their most successful applications. Why? It has the word iPod in it,” Daniel Brusilovsky reports for CrunchGear.

“iRip (formally known as iPodRip) was originally written in 2003 at the MacHack developer conference,” Brusilovsky reports. “Basically, iRip lets your copy and transfer your songs from iPod and iPhone to your computer.”

The Little App Factory CEO John Devor emailed Steve Jobs regarding the issue. Amazingly, Jobs replied:”

Change your app’s name. Not that big of a deal.

Steve

Sent from my iPhone

Full article here.

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Comment Feed

47 Comments

1 2 3 Next »

troy

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 5:45 pm · Reply

That’s why he is the boss, solution fast and simple
maccy

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 5:47 pm · Reply

Steve has always been down to earth, approachable, common sensible. That’s why he’s effective in the long run. People know he’s real.
PC Apologist

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 5:55 pm · Reply

It’s a pretty big deal after 5+ years to change the name of a successful product. Especially for a small company like LAF.

They haven’t got the muscle to fight it, but they should make a token effort. Let Apple decide to sue a partner who creates an app that’s been WIDELY used and recommended by Apple, Inc. Show up and represent themselves in court, get ruled against, and THEN change the name.
R2

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 6:02 pm · Reply

LMAO!!! Oh man, that is priceless.
Jubei

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 6:03 pm · Reply

Piece o Crap Apologist gets it wrong again.
joe mama

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 6:04 pm · Reply

actually
i think it was kind of a dick answer.
if he had the time to answer the email, then he had time to be cordial at least.

im just sayin
jarrettdailynews

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 6:10 pm · Reply

As a CEO, to even have or make the time to answer this is amazing. The guy asked for help, Jobs helped him. Almost like a woman though. Ask for an answer then complain about the answer you recieve because it isn’t the answer you wanted.

And before you all flame, I am married (2x) so don’t hit me with the “not all women are like that” crap. I am very much in love with my wife, and yes she is the same way.
MCCFR

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 6:15 pm · Reply

You can sometimes see why Apple and its apologists (which numbers MDN far too often) get a bad rep.

That’s pretty perfunctory way to treat a developer, even one who’s been dumb enough to incorporate the name of a trademarked product (and a trademark that Apple have been pretty defensive about for years) into your own product.

That said, we should all remember that when Apple was told to change the name of Rendezvous, it did so and most of us probably don’t recall the original name of Bonjour.

Steve still needs to work on his people skills, otherwise he’s squandering all the good karma he’s earned from creating the best technology company in the world by being a dick.
Bob

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 6:16 pm · Reply

“if he had the time to answer the email, then he had time to be cordial at least.”

He was on his iPhone. Without a real keyboard that’s the most he could type in the 10 or 15 minutes that he had.

Bob
ericdano

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 6:17 pm · Reply

I’m wondering why they got around to it now. I mean, 6 years of using iPodRip….and now Apple gets around to making a stink about the name?

Though Steve is right on this one, rename it.
ken1w

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 6:18 pm · Reply

I think “iRip” is a better name.
LordRobin

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 6:18 pm · Reply

@PC Apologist
So they should waste money on time and lawyers to fight a fight they can’t possibly win, just to “make a point”?

Read the comments on the article. They’re almost entirely pro-Apple, and several point out the many times Apple has been forced to change the name of its products for much the same reason.

——RM
Steve516

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 6:23 pm · Reply

lets be clear here folks – the app violates some iPod related policies by allowing you to “steal” tracks from an iPod and put them on an unauthorized machine. I say he got off easy.
LordRobin

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 6:24 pm · Reply

Oh, and just BTW — I think this developer should be pretty goddamn grateful that Apple has left him alone as much as it has, given that iRip is a product designed to enable something that the iPod was specifically designed not to do, namely, moving music back from the iPod onto the computer. The iPod was designed not to allow this so that it couldn’t be viewed as enabling piracy.

That Apple never even lifted a finger to stop applications like iRip from working speaks to how open-minded and they are. With that in mind, it’s f***ing silly to make a big deal out of the name.

——RM
TowerTone

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 6:25 pm · Reply

Next they will get a letter from iFart asking them to change….
Steve516

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 6:26 pm · Reply

within a minute of each other we post similar comments – amazing. your’s is much better
thethirdshoe

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 6:31 pm · Reply

Oh just look at the coverage that they just got. For Free. Steve spoke to them.
This little app that could story will be in the Wall Street Journal in a day.
I had never heard of it till this moment.
$$$
Frank

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 6:34 pm · Reply

don’t look for iSugarCoat in Apple’s product matrix anytime soon
Regular Reader

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 6:35 pm · Reply

“Change your app’s name. Not that big of a deal.”

Can somebody tell me where the Mighty Mouse is on the Apple Store? I can’t find it.
Hotshot

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 6:36 pm · Reply

Steve and his shills strike again. Total confirmation of why you don’t get any confirmation or even a response when you ask about a fix for something that Apple doesn’t even admit is broken. Want an example – totally horrid quality of iMovie to DVD all because Steve long ago decided for the rest of us that nobody needs DVD.