[JDW]

petero94707 said:

The bottom line is that Apple is a publicly traded company and withholding medical information on Jobs' health is (at best) a disservice to stockholders.

As an substantial AAPL shareholder, I take tremendous offense at anyone who speaks on my behalf in such a manner. Such foolishness in the media is precisely what is dragging down my stock price! Diatribe by aquaadverse, nwatts, and Brian Chen turns my stomach. And I must say that Jason Snell's intelligently constructed post was certainly not worthy of the flames that followed it.

Jason, please know that I've been a subscriber to your excellent magazine for many, many years. I like what I read, both online and on paper. Please continue making MacWorld a great publication. And as far as this paying subscriber is concerned, you have all the freedom in the world to explain why MacWorld is not a MacTabloid.

It's not about protectionism or censorship. It's about journalism with moral fiber.

[WAMBO]

Dude, a federal regulation called HIPPA prohibits anyone disclosing personal medical info unless authorized by the patient. No one has the right to know a patient's medical condition, not even a stock holder. You may try to make a claim that Jobs IS the company, and therefore has an SEC opligation, but Jobs is not Apple. It ran OK without him when he had his surgery and will after he's gone. Many in the legal field have agreed that he has fulfilled any requirement by the SEC. NOw everyone should leave him alone as he requests. After all, it is his right.

[the_saltminer]

[quote name='JDW']
>

tismeinaz said:

> Maybe if we weren't all so fat and overfed, we would all look a little thinner and it would not be the 'sign' of something worse.
Perhaps one of the single best statements made in this thread and truly the most insightful statement made anywhere in the media on this subject.

This might be two of the most inane statements madein this thread. You're reaching to make this a statement about the obesity problem in America? That's a new one. There's a problem, yes. But to say that our perception of Jobs's appearance is influenced because we're "all so fat and overfed" is crazy.


Jobs isn't looking "thin and lean" as tismeinaz puts it. Jobs looks frail and weak. If you think he looks as thin now as he was on the cover of the first Macworld, you need to check your eyes. He looks a lot like my father before he died of terminal illness.

Plus, Jobs has confirmed that his weight isn't healthy in a statement made by Steve Jobs himself: "As many of you know, I have been losing weight throughout 2008. The reason has been a mystery to me and my doctors. A few weeks ago, I decided that getting to the root cause of this and reversing it needed to become my #1 priority."

[petero94707]

This should really tremendously offend you.



http://www.reuters.c...E50K3P220090121

[JDW]

The excessive attention in the media has prompted that SEC move. And as an AAPL shareholder, I don't like it one bit. I like stock prices to go up. That happens largely on good news, in the absence of SEC investigations. And no, I do not feel Apple has tried to hide more than they should have.

Instead of proclaiming optimistic views as Woz has done in recent interviews, we are still hearing a plethora of nutty comments from the media and the so called "faithful" about how Jobs appearance resembles someone's terminally ill relative. These reports are on the verge of making me terminally ill. Let Mr. Jobs rest for 6 months, for crying out loud. Pessimistic doom-and-gloomers will then get their chance to darken clouds once again in 6 months if there is a bad announcement at that time.

[People_Eater]

BrianChen said:

Sure, they jump to bold conclusions, but why trust anything Apple says at this point?

What reason do we have to distrust Apple? I can't recall the company ever lying or making false statements in its history. Apple has a good track record of honesty. On the other hand, why should I trust these armchair analysts and amateur physicians? They have already demonstrated that they are not trustworthy by engaging in this suspect behavior. Heck, I don't trust anyone in the Apple rumors business. They just aren't worth the time of day.

Also, you say Apple's communications were "contradictory." Would you care to point out where? Medical conditions can change rapidly, and issuing a different statement as events arise does not contradict the previous statements.

[People_Eater]

WarrenS said:

Unfortunately companies, corporations, and even a family business that are run by a very dynamic personalities seldom last but a few years past the removal of the major driving force behind them. Is Apple an exception, god I hope so.

That must be why we never heard anything more from the Disney Corporation or Ford Motors after their charismatic founders passed away. Must also be the reason Apple went out of business during the many years of Jobs' absence.

[Bobapple]

Roger Kay shouldn't be employed in any vehicle that purports to inform the public accurately. That his editor couldn't see the problem with that quote speaks volumes about the integrity of WIred, as well.
Should Steve Jobs' health rebound, Apple, on behalf of its shareholders, should contemplate a couple or three well-aimed lawsuits of its own.