DrunkenBlog

Gone daddy gone

Earlier today while I was taking a break from grinding on the post that haunts my sleep (I gave myself the evening off, and yes, I really did dream about it awhile ago), I decided to get through some of the email of the last few days that made it into the 'general' pile.

After wading through some of the nastier ones (Which I still haven't figured out, as it's not like I remove profanity from the comments, and I do read them -- but perhaps they just want to be sure I see just how they think I was conceived) I noticed many of the questions were in regards to this bit in the last post referring to the third named defendant (David, aka 'dmsmac') in the Mac OS 10.4 beta leak fiasco:

I've talked to David, I actually interviewed him when I interviewed Sunny but pulled it at his request when he was able to obtain representation. The interview is sitting in an encrypted file in case it's ever needed for some reason.

The questions were all fine, wanting to know things I'd want to know if I were them, but by and large weren't things I could really answer. I probably shouldn't have thrown it in, I was just thinking out loud, but they've weighed on me after going through some of the emails.

David and I originally agreed that I would pull it, but then could use it once everything was all over. Truth be told, I've thought about it, and I can't really see what good can come of ever posting it. I've decided it's in everyone's best interest to just delete it.

This wasn't as easy as selecting 'Secure Empty Trash', as I had to trawl through all the backups doing the same thing, and even had to copy the contents of a CD-R and break the old one, but after an hour it's done. It's gone, and gone for good.

As Apple knows, it's not the only thing I'm sitting on regarding these things. If I were Apple, I'd probably be curious as to why I haven't posted them, and the truth is I'm not trying to make their position more difficult than it is in these matters, nor back anyone into corners they can't work out of.

After thinking about it, the only reasons I could come up with for keeping that interview around were:

• Everyone's story is different, and I'm sure people would be both enlightened and amused by Daniel's even if some of the more extreme side were putting their merit badges to work by fashioning a noose while they read. If I were a reader, I'd want to see it.

• When one puts a bunch of work into something, one never wants to just drop it into the shredder. I'm sure people can identify with this.

• Page hits

I can identify with the first -- which sucks -- it wasn't my intention to tease, it was just a slip while I was typing out loud. The second is livable, as I already measure six inches taller than before I started the site due to all the stuff I have to sit on, and the third is just a lousy reason to be doing anything.

All the other aspects that came to mind were negative for all involved even if it hasn't occurred to them yet (At least, none of them contacted me about it). One thing I can tell you is that I didn't delete it because the content would somehow be detrimental to David. For a variety of reasons, there wasn't anything in it Apple doesn't know.

David knows I'll keep my word, and if he decides he'd like to talk to me after the experience is over that's always cool. Alternately, if he needs to be able to promise that he won't he now has that option. Apple is able to negotiate in good faith knowing they won't have another PR smack coming their way no matter what they work out with David, assuming they are. And I get to sleep a little better.

I'm told Apple is being pretty square with these guys, or at least talking with them now. At least that's what I heard from the Steigerwalds, I haven't been able to catch Sunny for awhile and lawyers are impossible to talk to unless they're working for you.

I really don't want people to just forget the case, and that it's still going on for a whole bunch of people, and who knows how it is going for them. Especially the "John Does" which Apple has been very quiet about. I'm worried about anyone caught up in this without representation; most individuals just can't stand up to stuff like this, and their guilt or innocence becomes irrelevant.

However, at some point you have to give something the benefit of the doubt, and enough room to show which way it's going to go. So the interview is gone, and we won't be seeing it here unless some kind of forensic technology I don't have accessed to is used. From reader point of view it's probably not ideal, but it just felt like the right thing to do.

Ideally, Apple would wind all of these Tiger lawsuits down. I'd only ever have to write a quick follow-up on how David's case ended up, which would allow the world to turn their undivided attention back to Apple's other abusive lawsuits.

Damn do I need a drink.

 Posted by drunkenbatman
    April 24, 2005, at 03:44 AM