Steve Jobs Promises 'Freedom From Porn' In Fiery Email Exchange

Apple CEO Steve Jobs has been known to reply to users' email queries--questions about everything from iPhone support, to water-damaged laptops, to his liver transplant--but his missives are usually pithy, one-liners.

Over the weekend, Steve Jobs engaged in a lengthy (and heated) email exchange with Gawker blogger Ryan Tate, the CEO firing off a total of four email replies during the course of their online conversation between 9:34PM and 2:20AM ET.

The exchange focuses on Apple's control over the iPhone OS platform, which some mention of the recent investigation into Gizmodo's purchase of a lost iPhone prototype.

Tate, annoyed that Apple's new ad described the iPad as "a revolution," emailed the following to Jobs:

If [Bob] Dylan was 20 today, how would he feel about your company?

Would he think the iPad had the faintest thing to do with "revolution?"

Revolutions are about freedom.

Jobs' reply:

Yep, freedom from programs that steal your private data. Freedom from programs that trash your battery. Freedom from porn. Yep, freedom. The times they are a changin', and some traditional PC folks feel like their world is slipping away. It is.

Tate writes in later email, after noting, "I don't want 'freedom from porn!' Porn is just fine,":

You have the chance to set the tone for a new platform. For the new phone and tablet platform. The platform of the future! I am disappointed to see it's the same old revenge power bullshit.

Steve Jobs asks Tate why he's "so bitter over a technical issue such as this," to which Tate replies, "I don't think it's a technical issue at all--it's you imposing your morality; about porn, about 'trade secrets', about technical purity in the most bizarre sense."

He adds, "And I don't like Apple's pet police force literally kicking in my co-workers' doors. But I suppose the courts will have the last say on that, I can't say I'm worried."

Jobs fires back (with a jab at Tate):

You are so misinformed. No one kicked in any doors. You're believing a lot of erroneous blogger reports.

Microsoft had (has) every right to enforce whatever rules for their platform they want. If people don't like it, they can write for another platform, which some did. Or they can buy another platform, which some did.

As for us, we're just doing what we can to try and make (and preserve) the user experience we envision. You can disagree with us, but our motives are pure.

By the way, what have you done that's so great? Do you create anything, or just criticize others work and belittle their motivations?

Read Steve Jobs best--and snappiest--email replies ever here.

Comments

[planetarywisdom]

01:02 PM on 05/18/2010

Well its past noon in NYC and the APPLE STORE is not posting its private confidential data on
the RF dangers of its IPAD on its windows. This is not surprising but you have to wonder
why? Is the data damaging to their sales promotion of their IPAD and need to dump their inventories to make room for the container ships coming in which want to offload IPADS
and hurry back to their Chinese ports to get more, and also those 2O MILLION NEW IPHONES
WHICH the factories are now churning out. APPLE IS A conveyor belt, after all..........based on JUST IN TIME........... So posting RF data on the windows might stop sales a tad til
people figure out what the data means, and this could JAM UP apples just in time
IMPORTING OF THEIR PRODUCT LINE.
UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. WELL we will keep on eye on the store and see if they post the data this afternoon. uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmm......... is no
posting of a DATA a COVERUP????????????????

[planetarywisdom]

01:20 PM on 05/18/2010

While we are waiting for the Apple Stores to post the data, which may be a while because Cupertino is more secretive than Swiss banks, it seems clear the Airlines should ban the IPAD
inasmuch as we don't know if the person using one next to you is sending RF towards you
which could be harmful.
This seems obvious. Also subways and trains and buses. The IPAD may not just be a risk to the user who is touching it, but there may be a danger if you are too close to it.
DISCRETION IS THE GREATER PART OF VALOR.
HOPEFULLY THERE IS NO PROBLEM, but APPLE NEEDS TO
SHOW US THE FACTS...................what distance is necessary for saftey from the IPAD?

[planetarywisdom]

01:41 PM on 05/18/2010

I am not optimistic about the data being posted any time soon, as it may well be indicative of a major risk. In the meantime, should't speaker Polosi call for a joint session of the CONGRESS OF THE USA, THE REPS of the people, and pass
legislation TODAY REQUIRING
................................................APPLE TO immediately put a sticker on their
..................................................ipad boxes stating clearly

CAUTION: USING THE IPAD MAY BE VERY VERY DANGERIOUS FOR YOUR HEALTH, CAUSING countless forms of Caner AND circulatory problems LEADING
TO LONG TERM DEBILIATION and even DEATH.

[gmlang]

11:27 AM on 05/18/2010

What's the big deal? In the '90's and early 2000's, we all just used laptops and desktops. No smartphones. How many people cared you couldn't go to Best Buy and get a program called Adobe Pornstash or Microsoft Ass Viewer to load onto your desktop? We just used the web browser.

While iPhone's and iPad's lack of flash really limits the free porn videos one can view on the devices (for now), why are people so pissed that they can't get a porn app in an online software store?

Nobody gets angry with Best Buy or Borders for not carrying porn mags and adult videos. Why should Apple be held to a different standard?

The idea that retailers should be required to carry every product that might fit their business model is unreasonable. I can't imagine protesting a Mercedes dealership for not carrying a supply of cheap economy cars or getting upset when a Christian bookstore doesn't have any copies of The God Delusion you can buy. If you don't like what a store is selling, go somewhere else.

It seems to me what is really going on is that naysayers actually think the Apple tech is cool, but its restrictions don't work with what they want to do with it. So they rage at it. No, Apple doesn't have to change its product for you. It's theirs. And if you don't want to use it, don't. Some people do though, and you should just stop trying to rain on

[planetarywisdom]

12:43 PM on 05/18/2010

Your ridiculous display of analogies is embarassing, showing you miss what is going on here with Jobs. The issue of porn is totally irrelevant, and everyone knows it. The issue is censorship, collusion, and conspiracy to evade the anti-trust laws of the UNITED STATES. Wake up
you probably think BP's green logo have some MEANING, and similiarly that JOB'S CLAIM
TO purity has some MEANING. Save your meandering for yur teaparty friends .

[planetarywisdom]

07:47 AM on 05/18/2010

The inevitable response to the RF dangers of the IPAD is that it meets all the regulatory rules
and that if there was a problem on this CHINA IMPORT the regulators would surely not have
allowed the container vessels to offload these IPADS. YES ...............THE REGULATORS.............
HOW MANY OF THESE PEOPLE are APPLE PEOPLE who go thru the revolving door????
Everyone in America knows the score NOW about Cheney's regulators and the fact that
the coastline of the ENTIRE SOUTH EAST IS NOW ABOUT TO BECOME AN A LITERAL
OIL BEACH with MILLIONS OF FOWL AND FISH deader than dead.
Well you have to wonder about the SO CALLED PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO WATCH
OVER things like IPADS AND THEIR RF RISKS, especially CHILDREN WHO CAN SPEND
DAYS AND DAYS TOUCHING THE SCREEN. WHO ARE THESE REGULATORS
AND WHAT ARE THE precise data on the ipad. SHOULDNT ABC AND NBC AND CNN
HAVE THEM ON INTERVIEWS TODAY....OH NO....I MEAN YESTERDAY.
MEANWHILE, ALL VACATIONS TO OUR SOUTHEASTERN BEACHES ARE NOW BEING
CANCELED, BY THE MILLION. the hotels and motels and restaurants will face bankruptcy
by August, FROM FLORDIA TO TEXAS, By the thousands. millions laid off. BECAUSE
BP WAS BEING REGULATED. oh my.......where have all the flowers gone.....when will we ever learn?

[planetarywisdom]

07:05 AM on 05/18/2010

One can imagine a SNL skit of an average American family coming home on a Saturday evening after the son's little leage game and the daughter's ballet lessons. After dinner, they decide to play Scrabble
on their new IPAD and so power her up. After about an hour of touching the screen to pick letters
and place letters, and so forth, mom and pop drop dead from bloot clots in their hands which move up to their heart. The kids keep playing, and then the sons hits the ground, and a second later the ballerina
too.
HEY no problem folks it is just a skit, a SATURDAY NIGHT DEAD SKIT.

[Thomas Luptowski]

07:44 AM on 05/18/2010

get a job

[planetarywisdom]

08:10 AM on 05/18/2010

isnt than an archie bunker line
satirizing yurself the know nothin

[planetarywisdom]

05:23 AM on 05/18/2010

Given the mounting evidence about cellphones and brain, neck, and cheek CANCER, it may be likely that the placement of the hands over the antennae of IPADS for COUNTLESS HOURS OF TOUCHING
are dangerous. Has APPLE studied this problem and should Boards of Education demand
to SEE THE DATA before ordering IPADS FOR THEIR SCHOOLS. COULD THE IPAD BE
THE NEW ..................thalidomide????

[planetarywisdom]

05:33 AM on 05/18/2010

shouldn't APPLE POST THEIR DATA ON THIS RISK on their store windows, and on their ITUNES sites where they are hawking their ipad. Right now they are not doing this at all, even though the
entire consensus by everyone knowledgteable is that there is a RISK.
........................................................the SILENCE AT ITUNES is BEYOND BELIEF..............compares to the NEGLIGENCE OF BP...................................

WHERE IS THE prudence of APPLE ON THIS: DO THEY HAVE DATA, OR DONT THEY?

[planetarywisdom]

05:37 AM on 05/18/2010

THE ADVICE FROM PROFESSIONAL ABOUT CELLPHONES IS THAT IT BE
..................................................AWAY FROM THE BODY and using earplugs or headset

but HEY GOLLY GEE........................THE TOUCH SCREEN IS NOT EXACTLY
............................................AWAY FROM THE BODY........IS IT?

moreover, lots of people at Walmart might be thinking about buying ipads as BABY SITTERS
...................................................WELL THIS SEEMS KINDA PROBLEMATIC
.........................................................WITHOUT INFORMING THEM
OF THE RF RISK FACTOR HERE................................

but we know JOBS CARES and will POST THE DATA TODAY, FOR SURE.

[Cryostatic]

08:41 AM on 05/19/2010

You're right. I'm sure the cases of ~finger cancer~ will start rolling in.

It's not typically suggested to keep your cellphone away from your body entirely, just away from the really important things, like your brain and testіcles.

Am I allowed to say that? Testіcles?

[planetarywisdom]

01:29 AM on 05/18/2010

To see the snake I, Steve
as once classically represented on the BBC series I, CLAUDIUS
GO TO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_65NrdFzPY&feature=related

Here you have a clear image of the PREDATOR JOBS as none other
IT IS so crystal clear THE PREDATOR reptilian brain
................................................................is the key to Apple's DNA......JOBS does not crawl out from under a rock, he just Emails......

[faustfire]

01:16 AM on 05/18/2010

The problem isn't that Job's refuses to allow porn apps, it's that he has decided to disallow anything that may be found objectionable to anyone. (unless the objectionable material in question is produced by a large corporation. I.E. Fox news)

When you start censoring nipples in fashion magazines and political cartoon apps that "ridicule public figures," you are definitely treading in a dangerous direction.

[faustfire]

12:41 AM on 05/18/2010

The problem

[helloworld2008]

11:00 PM on 05/17/2010

'Skeletor' is getting creepier every day.

Some people get kinder and wiser as they get closer to death.

Jobs is in a downward spiral. More nasty, greedy and powermad than ever.

[GibsonSG]

10:59 PM on 05/17/2010

Shouldn't this narcissistic control freak be dead from his cancer by now?

[helloworld2008]

11:01 PM on 05/17/2010

No, he's rich, so he gets the new liver, not some poor schmuck.

[helloworld2008]

10:58 PM on 05/17/2010

I'm glad this blogger is taking Jobs to task for the sleazy hypocrite he is. He's a "power revenge" maniac.

There's even a nice generational dynamic where the blogger mocks Jobs over his fake 60s ideals.

The boomers wanted to "change the world" but succumbed to GREED and EGO. What a sham.

[talos72]

09:21 PM on 05/17/2010

"By the way, what have you done that's so great? Do you create anything, or just criticize others work and belittle their motivations?"

Really Mr. Jobs? You too have to resort to such typical juvenile attempts at shutting up critics while stroking your own ego in one fell swoop? I guess In Job's world one is not entitled to any thought or opinion on any product unless he/she is directly manufacturing it. What a novel idea!

I'm guessing Apple wants to build for and sell to users. I would also guess many or some of the users have gripes about aspects of Apples products, but according to Jobs logic every users should simply build his/her own iphone and iPad before critiquing any of Apple's. Give me a break!

[Cory Wietelman]

08:43 PM on 05/17/2010

Linux is Free, and Ubuntu is Perfect.

[patriotgames]

10:02 PM on 05/17/2010

Perfect is a stretch. It doesn't recognize a lot of newer hardware including USB WiMAX devices, nVidia HDMI I/O, Sony programmable keys, etc. Don't be a linux goob without doing your homework first. Apple's stuff works out of the box on it's hardware because it's THEIRS.

[helloworld2008]

10:50 PM on 05/17/2010

I just downloaded Ubuntu 10. I'm a totally newbie but it's amazing. It just works. Try the "live CD" and test your hardware. That way you don't have to install it to find out if hardware is compatible. Mine was out of the box.

[AppleJuiceJunkie316]

07:45 PM on 05/17/2010

Apple vs Microsoft, Adobe, Google, Gizmodo, Android, Porn, Nintendo. Geez, seems like Steve Jobs is trying to take over the world of technology. Perhaps he's trying to overcompensate for something?

[Niet]

07:24 PM on 05/17/2010

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience."– C. S. Lewis

[PNatey]

09:28 AM on 06/09/2010

I like the quote, but I don't know if you can call Apple a tyranny that is imposed on any of us.