“John Wiley & Sons, a leading publisher of technology books, said Apple Computer has removed all its titles from the shelves of Apple stores in apparent retaliation for the upcoming publication of a biography of Apple CEO Steve Jobs,” Dawn C. Chmielewski writes for The Mercury News.
“The books disappeared from Apple stores last week after a month of increasingly contentious discussions about publication of the book, ‘iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business,’ said author Jeffrey S. Young. The book, co-written with William L. Simon, offers an unflinching account of the rise, fall and rebirth of one of Silicon Valley’s most charismatic figures,” Chmielewski writes. “Apple spokesman Steve Dowling declined to comment on Young’s book or whether the company had removed Wiley publications from its stores. An Apple executive was provided with an advance copy of the book, a person familiar with the situation said.”
Full article here.
I’m not sure I get why they pulled their books…are they mad that the Biography wasn’t published by them? Anyone else know about this?
“Read the article”
*sigh*
Now I get it. But if this is for real, then Apple isn’t doing themselves any favors. If what the author says is true, then the Biography is actually much more positive than the original written 20 years ago. I for one, am going to buy this book.
This is going to affect more than just the publiher, the individual authors are going to lose money by this as well. Unless the biography is filled with lies, Apple shoult not boycott the company or punish the other authors just because Steve Jobs doesn’t like the fact that he can’t control everything.
Personnally, I think the name of the book is a bit unflattering, though it may be unintentional. While I think “iCon” supposed to be “Icon,” it looks to me more like “Con,” as in con artist. That might be enough to ruffle a few feathers at apple.
My two cents.
it’s good to be the king…
Last time I checked, it was o.k. for companies to choose which products they will sell and not sell. Unless you live in Outer Slobovia, you shouldn’t have a hard time finding the book.
I don’t like a number of things about this scenario, but it is kinda’ funny– playgroundish.
It’s like “I’m gonna’ take my bat and ball home if you don’t play fair.”
There is a world of difference between Icon and iCon…
NOW where am I supposed to get my [insert subject matter here] For Dummies books when they come out??!!
The worst thing about this is David Pogue and Bob LeVitus are published by Wiley, and their non-‘Dummies’ books are generally informative. Otherwise, Peachpit and O’Reilly books are, IMO, more comprehensive than the few ‘Dummies’ books that Wiley pumps out related to Apple products.
In the long run, it won’t matter; when was the last time anyone paid full retail price for a book at the Apple Store, anyway?
I can’t wait. Jobs is a fascinating person. I doubt that I’d like him in person but I love reading about him. The fact that they’re removing this publisher’s books from the stores is just another interesting facet to his persona.
If I owned a business that sold products made by another business, and that business made/marketed a product that was unflattering about me or my business- damn right I would sever that business relationship.
That said- contractual obligations/considerations might impact my decision but not my desire to terminate the relation (short term).
The publisher new the risk they were taking when they decided to publish this book. They were either fools or felt the profits made by this one title justified risking the releationship.
Answer- They were Fools for underestimating Steve’s desire to control his image.
Ah the other shoe drops. Power corrupts and Absolute power gets you drunk.
Where’s the book on the Woz?
Steev,
The problem is that there are many other authors that had nothing to do with the biography, except for the misfortune of having the same publisher, that are being punished by Apple’s action. Apple has every right to boycott the specific book or individual author, but it’s not fair to punish the other innocent authors.
Personally, I think the “iCon” in the title is extremely clever – even more so with what MacNewbie pointed out.
Apple makes great computers, devices, and software. Apple also has the right to decide what products it sells in it’s stores. However, IMHO Apple’s reaction is childish – like a spoiled, insecure, brat who is going to take away his toys and is not going to continue to play simply because he can not have everything his way. (And this is very consistent with everything that I’ve read or heard about Steve Jobs – gotta love the irony.)
JW&S – relax – Apple’s response is going to draw positive attention to your book and have people seek out this book and your other titles. Apple may have won the battle over shelf space, but word is out.
Steve may want to control his image, but I think a slippery slope is being tread on by using the corporation for which he works to implement a personal vendetta against the publisher.
I think the title, however, goes a little to far. iCon? Sure it uses the iWhatever moniker like many Apple products. But the capitalized portion is a work in its own. Icon. iCon. I con…. Hmmm
I think Steve’s decision to pull all of the publisher’s titles currently in the Apple stores is bad. Sure, ban the biography, but let the other titles remain. This complete ban only supports the positions of the targets of Apple’s recent lawsuits against other “journalists” and diminishes Apple’s own position on protecting it’s business (not it’s leader’s personal whims).
Methinks thou dost protest too much, Steve. Take it like a man – Bill Gates does. If you’re going to grow the business, Steve needs to grow, too.
This is kinda petty of Jobs – isn’t freedom of speech in the first amendment? If there are statements that are untrue he can always sue for libel.
Fact is creating a stink about something like this creates more publicity for the item in question and bad PR for Jobs and Apple. Let it go dude.
The classic example is the Sex Pistols – the gov’t (or the BBC can’t remember which) banning “God Save The Queen” sent the single to number one immediately and propel the Pistols into the limelight.
“Isn’t freedom of speech in the first amendment?”
Yes. But Apple isn’t keeping anything from being published. Constitutional concepts like “freedom of speech” refer to our freedom from government limiting our speech, not the marketplace. Just because you have something to say doesn’t mean that you have the right to demand a venue from which to say it. Whether it’s shelf space in the Apple Store or the ability to post on a business’s discussion board.
zupchuck-
Steve’s image is Apple image.
Camus-
Why should Apple be responsible for the other Authors that publish through Wiley. Perhaps the other Authors should bitch to their publisher about risking their entire line by publishing a book that is nothing more then the crap that greets patrons as they wait to pay for their goods at the local Grocery store.
And for all of you who think this is petty, it happens all the time in all different industries. That initself doesn’t make it correct or incorrect, it’s just that a company has a right to choose who they do business with. Why continue with a partner that is willing to sour the business relationship?
Petty? Who in this thread can say they have been or ever will be in a similar situation? Please.
Nothing like a bit of controversy to jump-start sales, heheh.
Who will change candyass Jobs diapers tomorrow. What a crybaby whimp.
Steve Jobs has always been pissy with the press. He’s always demanded absolute control of his image.
The truth ought to count for more to a man who is a billionaire and can’t be hurt by anyone short of a head of state. (Or our short head of State!)
Too bad, Steve. It just makes you look weak and pitiful to do such a lame thing as retaliate for daring to do what our country is all about – FREEDOM! (In spite of our pseudo-justice department.)
Steve Jobs is one of the most innovative and visionary leaders of the late-20th, early 21st centuries. He has accomplished more in his one lifetime than most people could even dream of accomplishing in thiers. He will long be remembered as the creator of the Apple Macinosh and yet, there is on thing that he needs to do…
He should take a sedative and fscking RELAX.
I’m not sure the authors of the various books removed from the stores should be mad at Apple.
Wiley risked their entire line with one book. The authors should be mad at Wiley for risking their sources of income by pissing off one of their major distributors.
Jobs is precisely the kind of guy that somewhere along the way he will self-destruct.
Can’t wait to see it … I’m fed up with this asswipe’s behavior.
Steev,
If Apple/Jobs is so concerned about image, perhaps Mr. Jobs should engage brain before engaging his mouth or parking in HP spaces (something Woz has documented in conversation).
As somebody else posted more succinctly, Steve should just relax. And Steve should be upset over his own actions, not somebody else for writing about them. It sounds like Steve isn’t too comfortable with himself.
What a shame.
iCon.
That title is brilliant.
Zupchuck-
SJ is doing just fine. If he were to have changed anything, Apple wouldn’t be the company it is today.
Look how much free publicity Apple is getting out of this — during WinHEC and right before Tiger’s release. As they say, there’s no such thing as bad publicity. Another brilliant move by the Apple PR machine!
Wow. So much for free speech Mr. Jobs…
Steev,
If SJ is doing just fine, why is he over-reacting so much to the biography. The best way to discredit it is to ignore it. Instead, he’s focusing attention away from Apple’s business and on his own personal image (and yes, his image is Apple’s, but then he is tarnishing his own image in his personal vendetta).
I agree, he’s a brilliant business man. His return to Apple has outstripped his first tenure there. But I find it ironic, he’s hurting the other Wiley authors and probably filling the coffers of the biographers!
Steve Jobs really doesn’t need to worry about this biography. Probably the majority of the people that read this book are going to be people that already respect/adore Steve Jobs, so I don’t think this book is going to change anyone’s opinion of him, at least in a negative way. Most likely people are going to see how important he was to the Apple company that we see today and will end up respecting him even more.
Steve has every right to be displeased with this book and have it banned from Apple stores. However, as long as the book isn’t full of lies and the author or publisher isn’t doing anything illegal or unethical, Steve shouldn’t hold the publisher accountable for the opinions of one author.
He may be hurting other Wiley authors but his stunt has guaranteed that this unauthorized biography will sell out.
king_alvarez –
You’re right that Mac/Jobs zealots are likely to be the majority of the readers. But they already know the good stuff. If there’s dirty laundry in there, it’s possible it will take the shine off the halo they’ve given him.
A smart PR move by the publisher and/or Apple! Even if is isn’t even true, “bad” publicity could stimulate excellent sales for both companies in this case.
Who cares if the book brings up some dirt on Jobs. Even the biggest Mac fans have a feeling the guy can be a pretty big pr*ck. We don’t like Steve Jobs because he’s a nice guy, we like him because his companies make “insanely great” products. He needs to let this go. I think it’s a pretty weak move.
Apple is more slimey than we all realize.
I believe a monopoly by Apple (such as Microsoft has) would be everyone´s worse nightmare.
Doesn´t the President of Russia do the same thing as Steve Jobs- tries to control the press and his image.
All dictator´s (and egoists such as Jobs) are doomed by their own ego and vanity.
Steve must have one hell of an Ego..I can see him now…NO! assholes, I want my book to be the only one!…
LOL…What a jerk.
Kit,
every celebrity tries to control their image and the way it’s presented; that’s why PR firms were invented. Johnny Carson once successfully sued a travel agency because they used his image in an advertisement to sell trips to Las Vegas, and another time he sued a portable toilet maker for naming their product Here’s Johnny (you can see why he didn’t want to be associated with such a product!). Jeff Foxworthy successfully sued a t-shirt manufacturer because they used his tagline “You might be a redneck” without his permission. For most celebrities, their most valuable asset is themselves, and letting people run roughshod over your valuable property is definitely not the American way.
I’m with Jobs and Apple on this one. They were in negotiations with Wiley for awhile and Wiley ended up playing a losing hand. Apple has every right to sell what books or products it wants to sell and ignore the ones it does not want to sell. Period.
Is Apple demanding that Borders not sell iCon? Is it making a stink about Amazon selling it? It just wants no part of a company that is slandering/gossiping about its CEO. And I wholeheartedly agree with that position.
All of you people who think SJ and Apple are being petty need to consider this: If someone was trying to damage your reputation, would you help them? If the answer is no then please shut up.
Thanks and have a nice day.
-Beeblebrox (the original).
Beeblebrox, It’s not about helping them. They don’t have to sell the bio in their stores but pulling all the publisher’s books because of it is pretty weak.
Sounds like Apple is becoming petty as – come on Steve, grow up!
Beeblebox- is stating what everyone else seems to forget. Apple’s is not trying to ban the book, it’s just not a good practice to do business with companies that participate in the negative press about your company or high profile execs.
Gredo- How else could they continue to do business with Wiley? Oh you want to print an unauthorized biography? Sure no problem. We’ll continue to sell your products.
Zupchuck- Wiley needs to take responsibility for the position they placed their Authors in. Not Apple. Besides, as Beelblbrox has stated, Wiley sells their products other places besides Apple. They aren’t going to starve. Anyway- Besides best sellers, don’t most Authors get paid in advance for thier books?
Computer books are such a scam. If you can’t get the info for free it isn’t worth it. Biography writers are such loosers anyway. Why don’t they publish autobiographies? Oh, because they’re uninteresting flakes out to make money on someone else’s back. If Jobs doesn’t want to talk, don’t listen
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050427/D89NG00G1.html
Steev,
Oooh, let’s not upset Steve Jobs! He might get mad at us because he didn’t bless every word in his biography!
Hooey, Wiley is taking responsibility, it’s standing behind it authors. Steve is taking a hissy fit. As you said, Apple’s image = Steve’s image. Steve’s image is looking more and more like spoiled brat (which probably just reinforces the comments he doesn’t like in the book).
Either way, Mr. Jobs has the opposite effect he probably had intended – the biographer makes more money (the advance is covered out of royalties and is making more on top that advance by additional sales due to the controversy), the sympathetic Wiley authors have their titles removed from Apple’s store, and Wiley makes more money than before out of the whole thing.
Like I said before, Apple should have just ingnored the biography and not had it sold in their stores. A lot fewer people would have noticed.
Would you have noticed if this story hadn’t been posted by MDN (because it didn’t exist)? Probably not until MDN posted an article about the existance of the biography, if that.
Unauthorized biography? They are usually the most truthful. Who wants to read Steve’s personal ego trip (maybe his business ideas and execution, though) about his wonderful life without any of the crap? I want to read about the whole person, not the blessed version.
Zupchuck,
Your’s is the attitude of the immature, scandal loving masses. How is declining to support an enemy (and that is what you become when you set out to slander or ruin the reputation of another person) a “hissy fit”?
I challenge anyone posting to this thread in support of Wiley to turn their other cheek if someone you thought was a business partner decided to go out and publicly malign or damage you.
Wiley feigns that they just “don’t understand” why Apple has done this. Puleeze. The folks at Apple read the manuscript. If it was favorable to Steve and Apple it would be in the windows of every Apple store in America. The fact that not only is the biography banned from the stores but also the entire line of Wiley books, should tell you something about the content of the book.
Bottom line, Apple has the right to sell or not sell what it wants. Why should the yapping masses (represented by the sample of Steve critics on this list) be so holier than thou that they can demand that Apple activly support a company that activly is seeking to damage the reputation of their CEO.
-B
P.S. Zup, are you saying that if Apple just banned the biography itself from the stores that no one would have reported this news? Please give me a break.
beeblebrox,
Why is acurately reporting (there is no eveidence of slander) what Steve Jobs has done during his life considered an active attack on the reputation of Steve Jobs? It’s Steve’s life, not some made-up script.
I’m not being immature, I’m being prudent. Ignoring the biography is thing to do, not bring attention to it. Apple has scored a publicity coup for Wiley when in fact Apple wants to diminish Wiley’s profits. By booting Wiley out, they’ve brought all kinds of attention to the very book Steve doesn’t like. And don’t assume that the decision was made by Apple – it was likely made by Mr. Jobs.
That sounds like an immature attitude to me.
Sheesh, do you think computer sales will go down because of a biography? Come on. How many Hollywood celebrities have lost jobs because of an unflattering (we are assuming in SJ’s case, but the book isn’t out yet)? None, they get more popular, people view more of their movies. The smart ones turn it back on its ear.
I’m not scandal loving, but I am curious about both sides of Steve’s life. I don’t see people slamming Woz for talking publicly in the past about SJ’s habit of parking in handicapped spaces? That’s a fact, not slander. If you don’t want publicity, stay out of the lime-light.
If Steve blessed the bio and it were put in full view in all of the Apple stores – I’d very much not be likely reading it. Who likes to read propaganda unless you have blind faith in the church of Apple?
If this were about Bill Gates instead, this line of posts would be about Bill “getting what he deserves” and “sticking to him”, etc. But since there’s dirt in the life of Apple’s CEO, folks are acting like their priest got caught with a parishoner’s wife.
After the book comes out, we may see it as much ado about nothing.
I challenge you boycott all of Wiley’s books because your boy Steve didn’t like what was written about him. You have the right as much as Apple.
Zup,
Printing or saying something negative about someone is gossip. Gossip is a form of slander in that it is incomplete and typically without context or balance. It seeks to damage another person’s reputation without giving them an opportunity to tell their side of the story on an equal footing. Oh, and just because he is the head of a company does not give a slander salesman the right to publish dirt on him without impunity. This idea that people can openly gossip/slander a person just because they have a high profile is bunk pure and simple.
Indeed, I challenge your whole line of argument that this kind of gossip doesn’t hurt Jobs. Obviously it does, IT ALREADY HAS! Unless you somehow personally know Steve I gather that all you really know about him is what others have said or written of him. You have formed your negative view of him precisely because others have slandered/gossiped about him such as is the case with the Wiley book.
Furthermore, you have no idea if it was Steve or someone else at Apple who nixed the sale of the Wiley books. It may very well have been a consensus opinion amongst the brass at the company (who I guess are just not as smart as you regarding the kind of publicity Apple benefits or doesn’t benefit from). Really, you are speaking entirely from ignorance. Whether Steve nixed it (certainly his right) or not is really beside the point in any case. Why should he support someone who is speaking negatively of him. Do you know anyone who does?
Finally, I have yet to hear whether you personally would put up with a business partner who actively worked to damage your reputation for profit. I don’t really know if you are a hypocrite on this issue or not so here’s the test: If, in fact, you don’t mind people going after you personally then please feel free to post your real name and address to this thread and I or someone else herein will volunteer to contact your business partners/employer and let them know that you have no problem if they decide to undercut your reputation for their own self aggrandizement. If they are as unprincipled as Wiley they may oblige.
-B
beeblebrox,
If indeed Wiley published slander (false AND malicious statements or reports about someone), then Steve Jobs should sue the pants off of Wiley.
If it is gossip, then it deserves the same attention as the National Equirer – none.
If this “gossip” hurts Jobs reputation, then it is libel. And again, Jobs should sue the pants off of Wiley.
Show me how the book has hurt Jobs (seriously, the title includes “the greatest second act in business” and I would tend to agree). The only actions that seem to hurt Jobs reputation is his bull-dogged approach to squelching Wiley and perhaps some of his own personal actions to which others took offense. And put in the context of the recent lawsuits against some websites (deserved or not), one naturally questions (as a number of sources have, including the one that MDN linked to above) the results vs. the intended results.
If Apple’s fortunes are so tied the IMAGE of Steve Jobs, one really should question the long-term viability of Apple.
As for business partners – we don’t know what arrangement exists between Wiley and Apple for shelf space in their stores and revenue derived from the sale of Wiley’s books there. Does Wiley have ownership in Apple (as a true business partner would)? Does the contract have a clause forbidding publication of anthing Apple might object to?
Do I mind people going after me personally? It depends. If it is slander or libel, most definately. And I would pursue it very vigorously. If it is gossip? Well, it’s just gossip and deserves no attention.
Nice test idea, though. But I don’t need to take it up to make my point. And frankly, I’ve probably spent more time discussing it than it is probably worth.
Are you going to boycott all of Wiley’s books? Before or after you read iCon? I would assume you would read the book if only to verify that what is published is mearly gossip, or crosses the boundary into libel or slander.
I am not. I don’t need it to help decide whether to continue to buy Apple’s products. I’ll let the products stand on their own merits.
Gossip deserves no attention? Really?
“Psst. I heard that the person who claims to be Zupchuck on MDN is a child pornographer. Really, I believe it’s true…”
If I used your real name and had some publishing company behind me then people might actually believe this gossip. I didn’t say it was true, I only said I heard it from another source.
And as for Jobs suing, you are not very familiar with libel and slander law if you think that it is easy for a public figure to win such a suit (which is why they are rarely brought despite facts being available that would disprove the slander).
Furthermore, gossip might actually be true but it also might be damaging to a person’s reputation if said truth were widely known, especially if it is couched in innuendo or a negative opinion.
“I’m not sure if Zupchuck is a pedophile but I once saw him at the YWCA showering with a bunch of boys, if you know what I mean, nudge, nudge.”
People should have the right to sever relations with anyone who seeks to do them harm. One person’s opinion.
Cheereio
-B
“People should have the right to sever relations with anyone who seeks to do them harm. One person’s opinion.”
True, but I fail to see your reasoning behind your mean-spririted response to an otherwise polite discussion asking for some clarification on a couple of points you made. It’s a rather sad commentary on your debating skills and ability to cope with a dissenting opinion to yours.
If the gossip/slander/libel opinion struck a raw nerve because of your own personal experience, I would have appologized. But that is something not made clear, otherwise. It was not intended as a personal attack. And if a raw nerve was struck? After your last response – I really don’t care so bugger off.
I’ll take your quote to heart. I suggest you follow your own advice.
Toodles
-Z
Zup wrote:
“so bugger off.”
So I’m mean-spirited?
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I believe it was you and several others who said about Jobs, in your “polite discussion” (and this is just a sample):
He’s a…
“spoiled, insecure, brat”
“petty”
“candyass”
“crybaby whimp [sic]”
“pissy”
“asswipe”
“pr*ck”
He’s also a person who:
“should engage brain before engaging his mouth”
throws a “hissy fit”
is a “spoiled brat”
The last three “polite” quotes are your own Mr. Chuck.
I’m coming down hard on you because you are representative of the cavalier and dismissive attitude of the masses regarding the truly horrific damage that gossip and slander can do to a person, public or otherwise.
Note how you reacted when I just gave a hypothetical example of some gossip one might start about you (in your anonymous persona no less). Your “hissy” response proves my point.
-B
P.S. I don’t follow Steve Jobs’ personal life and I don’t care to. Furthermore, I would make the same defense of Steve Balmer or Bill Gates in the same circumstance. These people do not deserve to have their reputations damaged by writers who are just out looking for a buck.
Yes! Finally something about ROBLOX ONLINE GAME.