“Apple ‘fanboys’ have gained a negative reputation as a hostile entity,” Violet Blue writes for ZDNet. “The vitriolic fanboy mob mentality has made online discussions about Apple difficult to keep civil, and has created an environment of increasingly shocking and disturbing hostility.”
“In my opinion, it’s damaging Apple’s reputation,” Blue writes.
“This week, ‘king of the fanboys’ John Gruber and Apple evangelist Shawn King were instrumental to an online witch hunt that eventually included threats of violence toward a female blogger,” Blue writes. “The witch hunt was based on inaccurate information about Macworld exhibitors that the men had provided to the public. I know because that blogger is me. And I’m not the first person to have a troubling story like this about these people.”
Blue writes, “What is happening here is a problem. And I believe it is a lot of what is perpetuating Apple’s bad image. It is an aspect of Apple’s legacy from an older era – one that needs to go away.”
Read more in the full article here.
Shawn King rebuts Blue’s piece here
MacDailyNews Take: You do ill if you praise, but worse if you censure, what you do not understand. – Leonardo da Vinci
In war, resolution; in defeat, defiance; in victory, magnanimity. – Winston Churchill
I can’t be bothered to get into their fight but…
I’ve seen a lot of fanboi vitriole in comments sections. I know it puts people off Apple. I’ve not reposted articles that would be good for new or potential switchers because of the tone of the comments. I say some among us are doing more harm than good.
Seriously, she is funny. She must be getting her period. I always wanted to think like her: you can be mean to someone else but never let anybody be mean back to you. That’s awesome!
By the way, if the ‘fanboys’ like me are such a problem, and such a taint on society… why is Apple kicking so much ass in the marketplace? Outside of Samsung, I don’t think any Android hardware parters are making a profit. WIth a record like that, why not stand up and say, “I hate to say it, the fanboys are right on this one”… What you should be doing is looking at Google and saying, “WTF happened to this business model!?”
Clearly the emperor has been steadily losing in a metaphorical game of strip poker.
The Apple image is fine. Get a grip …
Why does this even get a mention on MDN? Do I come here to read about tacky flame wars conducted at the most moronic level? No.
No serious writer uses terms like Apple Fanboy – it’s use even in forum posts is always an indication people have left their brains behind, so what’s it doing here.
The stupidity of most of the comments here tells all.
I do agree that this “fanboy” issue is overplayed, but it must be decisively resolved, as it is one of the gambits of the counter-revolutionary forces in the mindshare battle. We will continue to oppose this cynical psychological manipulation until it is recognized as the blatant misrepresentation that it is.
The denouement is certain to resemble the gradual dissipation of an unruly lynch mob after a tipping point of incredulity is reached, after which the histrionics of the inciters are seen to be puerile, their claims false, and their motives despicable.
why does shawn’s page refresh over and over and over and over and over and over and over again in Safari, but not in any other browser and how do i make it stop, besides dumping Safari
Could it be that continuous dismissal by those outside the Mac community has hardened the “fanboys”? It seems that no matter where Apple stands they are always discounted as niche, controlling, toy-like and et cetera ad nauseam.
The shrillness of the shrikes will only escalate as Apple accelerates on Glory Road. Only the shrewdest of these have begun to recede into the weeds, unwilling at the last to become road kill for their liege the prince of mediocrity.
Funny how the Violet Blue rant doesn’t hammer a stake into the heart of the Anti-Apple FUD mongerers, trolls, ignorami, ad nauseam.
What is the Apple ‘fanboy’ attitude but a response to the constant barrage of ignorant anti-Apple hate and loathing? Hello?
IOW: The source article is just more-of-the-same, yet-another attempt to tarnish Apple’s and Apple user’s reputations via FUD mongering. ~yawn~
Sorry Violet Blue. Your perspective is dim. But I like the outfit. 😉
talk about witch hunt.
Gruber QUOTED her, with plenty of context, and maybe one line of snark.
(and if some bozo made an online threat, HE’S responsible?)
so yeah, someone’s trying to start a witch hunt against gruber. “king of the fanboys == king of the witches??”
Except once the “fanboy” word is used (any use, not just apple) we all should know by now to move on… don’t feed the trolls… because it’s the internet equivalent of a lawyer “pound the table”.
The Shawn King rebutal was hilarious! In the end it turns out she was getting grief for her own poorly written earlier article. While ZDNet has always had a bit of an anti-Apple slant in their “journalism”, this just looks like a cry for help.