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Apple mails 3rd grader cease & desist letter


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Apple mails 3rd grader cease & desist letter
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atomicbartbeans
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2006-04-14, 20:51

http://cbs13.com/topstories/local_story_104012157.html

All she wanted to do was make some suggestions for improvements to the nano, so she wrote Steve Jobs as a school assignment. The reply was not from Steve, but rather a sharp reprimand Apple's legal department.

What's this coming to? First TS being sued for giving away Asteroid details, and now sending 9-year-olds legal threats... I really hope this isn't a sign of things to come.

You ask me for a hamburger.
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chucker
 
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2006-04-14, 20:56

That's not entirely fair.

1) it wasn't a legal threat; it was a pointer to their policy.
2) The purpose of the policy is to protect both the company (Apple) as well as the customer (the girl).

Of course, it could be done in nicer, more personal tone, especially when talking to a little girl, which is why they're reevaluating.
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Chinney
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2006-04-14, 21:00

It definitely should have been done nicer. A company does not do itself any favours with a response like that. Just stupid.

Leads to the question...Is Apple becoming 'just another company'?

When there's an eel in the lake that's as long as a snake that's a moray.
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ghoti
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2006-04-14, 21:02

It's not a cease&desist, the title is wrong. But it's clearly not what you'd expect when you send them an idea (especially as a kid). Those lawyers really need to get those sticks out of their asses and act a little human at times.
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Windowsrookie
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2006-04-14, 21:16

how do we know that apple knew it was a 9 year old?
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chucker
 
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2006-04-14, 21:18

Quote:
Originally Posted by windowsrookie
how do we know that apple knew it was a 9 year old?
We don't; they probably didn't even read through the letter. After all, if they had, they would have learnt from the suggestions, which they want to avoid, by the very policy.
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Chinney
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2006-04-14, 21:20

Quote:
Originally Posted by windowsrookie
how do we know that apple knew it was a 9 year old?
The (apparent) tone of their reply was inappropriate regardless of the age of the person sending such a letter.
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Paul
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2006-04-14, 21:58

It was hand-written... (assuming the video is accurate... which is probably a bogus assumption, but what can you do.)
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Brad
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2006-04-14, 22:05

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chinney
The (apparent) tone of their reply was inappropriate regardless of the age of the person sending such a letter.
I've seen one of these letters before. I wish I still had a copy. The tone is not inappropriate or mean at all. It's just straightforward and clear about explaining Apple's policy to all people who solicit suggestions. It's a standard letter that goes out in all such cases.

Methinks the parents are just in a tizzy because they want to suck up all the media attention they can for themselves and their precious little princess. "OMG We're such victims! The old crotchety billionaire's assistant sent us SUCH a horrific letter! He's an abomination and we deserve free iPods and iMacs to help restitute our little sweetums' emotional distress!"

I hate people like this. Grow a pair, for god's sake.

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Ebby
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2006-04-14, 22:12

Quote:
Originally Posted by windowsrookie
how do we know that apple knew it was a 9 year old?
Uh, handwriting? I could tell from the video she wasn't a college graduate. No offense intended in ANY way.
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Chinney
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2006-04-14, 22:15

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad
I've seen one of these letters before. I wish I still had a copy.

The tone is not inappropriate or mean at all. It's just straightforward and clear about explaining Apple's policy.
They could say add some gentle and polite words to such a letter without undermining the underlying effect. A lot of the people writing in with these suggestions will be real Apple fans. There is no reason at all to give a brush off to your fans in such circumstances. Sometimes it pays to make the extra effort beyond being "straightforward and clear". It would take only about 10 minutes to edit the standard-form letter that they use to achieve a better tone.

All this being said, I have not actually seen the letter myself. Maybe if I had, I might think that the tone is fine. Does the fact that you have seen the standard letter mean that you've sent a suggestion yourself Brad?

When there's an eel in the lake that's as long as a snake that's a moray.
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Windowsrookie
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2006-04-14, 22:17

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ebby
Uh, handwriting? I could tell from the video she wasn't a college graduate. No offense intended in ANY way.

I've seen 3rd graders with better hand writing than my grandmother.
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Brad
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2006-04-14, 22:20

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chinney
They could say add some gentle and polite words to such a letter without undermining the underlying effect.
Seriously, people need to get over themselves. It's not such a big deal and they're not so important. Apple can't just go changing a standard document (one that has certainly been carefully scrutinized and approved by the legal department) for every other poorly-written letter that crosses their desks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chinney
Does the fact that you have seen the standard letter mean that you've sent a suggestion yourself Brad?
No, I've not sent any suggestions myself because I know this policy as explained on the website, but I have had one forwarded to me before. It basically reads, well, a lot like the policy on the website:

Apple's Unsolicited Idea Submission Policy

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shatteringglass
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2006-04-14, 22:23

Boo-fucking-hoo, little girl. Welcome to the real world.
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Quagmire
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2006-04-14, 22:34

From the article, I didn't get the impression she was mad because Apple said they don't take peoples ideas. I think she went off in a fit because it wasn't from Steve Jobs, but from Apple legal. But, really what could of those stuck up lawyers would of known it was a kid? I saw nothing wrong with the content of the letter from what the article told us. I bet this letter wasn't even personal written! I think they just have the general letter saved on the computer, and puts the name of the sender on that letter where it says, "Dear so and so" print it, and send it off. Sorry, but the parents are overreacting and aren't thinking clearly.

giggity
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ghoti
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2006-04-14, 22:54

Quote:
Originally Posted by shatteringglass
Boo-fucking-hoo, little girl. Welcome to the real world.
Yeah, seriously. I mean, she's nine years old. I bet she still plays with dolls and stuff. Pffff ...

BTW, that letter probably started with "Dear Mr. Jobs, my name is blah and I am nine years old." ...
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scratt
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2006-04-14, 22:54

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ebby
Uh, handwriting?
Well the thing is I bet Apple gets a few thousand letters a week of this type, and a lot are from cranks, red-knecks and all sorts... I bet a lot look like they are written by 9 year olds!

It is a shame that they don't have the time to vet each of these letters individually and give an appropriate and personalised response to each one, but it's a fact of life.. Do you want them to make computers or write nice letters to everyone?

I suspect that the person responding to this letter assumed it was from an illiterate and just stuffed it in the standard reply box. End of story.

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Brad
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2006-04-14, 22:57

Quote:
Originally Posted by ghoti
BTW, that letter probably started with "Dear Mr. Jobs, my name is blah and I am nine years old." ...
I rather imagine that letter probably started with "Dear Mr. Jobs, I am a member of the Federal Government of Nigeria Contract Award and Monitoring Committee in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)." ...

Does anyone here think the little girl called up the local news station and reported her dissatisfaction with Jobs? Does anyone here honestly think this media stunt was not coordinated by attention-grubbing parents?

I like how it's the mother who says how upset her daughter was, even though the daughter is sitting right there. Brilliant.

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chucker
 
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2006-04-14, 23:02

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad
I rather imagine that letter probably started with "Dear Mr. Jobs, I am a member of the Federal Government of Nigeria Contract Award and Monitoring Committee in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)." ...


Quote:
Does anyone here honestly think this media stunt was not coordinated by attention-grubbing parents?
I sure hope not.
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scratt
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2006-04-14, 23:24

Aw, come one chucker..

They may not have set up the thing to get attention, but I am sure that the parents immediately saw an opportunity when they got that letter from Apple.

It's like that father who won't pay his son's college fees because he is Republican and his son says he is Democrat. They still love each other, and get on really well.. And just happen to have got a web site for donations, local and international tv coverage. I am just suprised that a Democrat big name has not offered to fund his college education.. Seems like a good plan... The father can still go quail hunting and shoot his mates, whilst some other poor sap picks up the college bill.. Think that's not staged too?

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chucker
 
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2006-04-14, 23:26

I guess my "I sure hope not" could be interpreted in a wrong way.

I meant "I sure hope nobody is as naïve as to think the parents didn't see an opportunity".
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JK47
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2006-04-14, 23:30

Technically, she could have submitted the ideas under the feedback policy. All she needs to do is select 'iPod' and list them as an enhancement. In this way, Apple does, in fact, accept ideas for improvements on existing products.

Kudos to Apple for taking this seriously to have a meeting about it and re-think their policy towards children.
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Brave Ulysses
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2006-04-15, 00:02

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad
I've seen one of these letters before. I wish I still had a copy. The tone is not inappropriate or mean at all. It's just straightforward and clear about explaining Apple's policy to all people who solicit suggestions. It's a standard letter that goes out in all such cases.

Methinks the parents are just in a tizzy because they want to suck up all the media attention they can for themselves and their precious little princess. "OMG We're such victims! The old crotchety billionaire's assistant sent us SUCH a horrific letter! He's an abomination and we deserve free iPods and iMacs to help restitute our little sweetums' emotional distress!"

I hate people like this. Grow a pair, for god's sake.

Oh give me a break. You people disgust me with your senseless and worthless defense of Apple sometimes. This is an asshole action taken by a company that is becoming more and more out of touch with what made them great and more and more like every other awful could care less about the customer company out there.

Inexcusable and very embarrassing. But even more so is trying to justify it.
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scratt
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2006-04-15, 00:04

Quote:
Originally Posted by chucker
I guess my "I sure hope not" could be interpreted in a wrong way.

I meant "I sure hope nobody is as naïve as to think the parents didn't see an opportunity".
Oh. RIght... I did interpret it the wrong way. Sorry.

I was really suprised by [my interpretation of] your answer actually as you are a pretty cynical chap, chucker (not that I disapprove of that view on life, in healthy measures).
So I am glad to report that the world is still spining on it's correct axis of rotation!

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scratt
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2006-04-15, 00:07

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brave Ulysses
Oh give me a break. You people disgust me with your senseless and worthless defense of Apple sometimes. This is an asshole action taken by a company that is becoming more and more out of touch with what made them great and more and more like every other awful could care less about the customer company out there.

Inexcusable and very embarrassing. But even more so is trying to justify it.
No. We just see life the way it is.
It is totally unreasonable to expect any celebrity, or large company to respond appropriately to every letter they get.
And when they do mess up, someone is always ready to exploit it.

Apple have even tacitly admitted that there may be a problem and have devoted time to the mistake.
What would you have them do? Send her a new iBook as well? I am sure the parents are hoping for that, so they can sell it for the raw ingrediants to cook up Crystal Meth in the bath while the kids at school...

'Remember, measure life by the moments that take your breath away, not by how many breaths you take'
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chucker
 
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2006-04-15, 00:07

Quote:
Originally Posted by scratt
Oh. RIght... I did interpret it the wrong way. Sorry.
's fine. I had actually wondered after submitting whether someone would misinterpret.

Quote:
[Y]ou are a pretty cynical chap, chucker (not that I disapprove of that view on life, in healthy measures).
Too bad it's not healthy in my case.

Quote:
So I am glad to report that the world is still spining on it's correct axis of rotation!
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Brad
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2006-04-15, 00:08

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brave Ulysses
Oh give me a break. You people disgust me with your senseless and worthless defense of Apple sometimes.
Please. You obviously have no idea who I am if you believe I'm the type to rally a "senseless and worthless defense of Apple."

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brave Ulysses
This is an asshole action...
This is likely the standard, sterile response that goes to thousands of others. There is likely no malice in Apple's reply.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brave Ulysses
...taken by a company that is becoming more and more out of touch with what made them great and more and more like every other awful could care less about the customer company out there.
Ah, the very same "out of touch" company that has now decided to review and change this standardized reply in response to this relatively tiny public outcry.

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chucker
 
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2006-04-15, 00:09

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brave Ulysses
This is an asshole action
Have you read the girl's letter? More importantly, have you read the company's response?

No?

How, then, can you know that it's an "asshole action"? How can you know whether they sounded rude?
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Jerman
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2006-04-15, 00:29

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad
I've seen one of these letters before. I wish I still had a copy. The tone is not inappropriate or mean at all. It's just straightforward and clear about explaining Apple's policy to all people who solicit suggestions. It's a standard letter that goes out in all such cases.

Methinks the parents are just in a tizzy because they want to suck up all the media attention they can for themselves and their precious little princess. "OMG We're such victims! The old crotchety billionaire's assistant sent us SUCH a horrific letter! He's an abomination and we deserve free iPods and iMacs to help restitute our little sweetums' emotional distress!"

I hate people like this. Grow a pair, for god's sake.
Thank you Brad! I was about to chime in with the same thoughts, but had to run out. I watched the video and was cracking up at how ridiculous the mother was. Actually it made me quite angry... Anyways, I am quite impressed in fact that Apple is meeting to discuss how they handle this with the younger crowd.
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ast3r3x
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2006-04-15, 00:58

Ridiculous.

Don't iPods already do lyrics?

I LOVE the reporting. "If they want to know why, they can read their policy [pause] on the internet." They say this like it's a bad thing
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