People (and Apple!) should realize that simply saying “bug fixes” _will not_ fly in the enterprise. Before a patch is deployed on scale, the support teams will understand and endorse it, and be prepared to back it off if necessary. No IT manager will agree that “bug fixes” fits their definition of a supportable patch.

So Apple, if you want to get into the enterprise, start sharing your patch lists.

Even if it violates the standard employment contract, they knew it would get out.

Planned? Likely, but I agree it sometimes works against them.

Peace,
Gene

Actually, that email should not have gotten released. When you work for Apple, part of the deal is that all internal communications are strictly confidential. Under the terms of the contracts Apple employees (like myself in a recent former life) sign completely forbids release of just such information. In fact, if Apple were to discover me writing this reply while I was in their employ, I could suddenly find myself out of their employ.

In this case I think it has done Apple a world of good and I wonder if this wasn’t a planned leak, sort of a more elegant version of Steve’s recent “off the record” phone call about his health. One of Apple’s problems is that such a press release would raise the bar of what is expected from them and make it even harder to keep silent in the future when they want to.

As for silence on the iPhone bug release, I think that’s paranoia while getting to know a new market. Apple (headlines to the contrary not withstanding) is very serious about security and in particular as it relates to the iPhone. They don’t want to admit anything for fear of being labelled in some negative context. Again, everything they say sets an expectation for the future and I think they have gambled so heavily on the portable everything market, that they are being extremely cautious. In a way it’s like not defending intellectual property, only in reverse. With IP, if you don’t defend it, you give up your right to defend it. In this case if you do release information, you are expected to repeat that behavior, like it or not.

I think I understand why Apple communicates (or fails to) as it does, but I don’t like it and there are clearly times when it works against them.

My $0.02
Adam

As companies grow, especially tech companies, they all seem to exhibit this behaviour. It is a symptom of capitalism. Not nessecarily a bad thing; but a symptom none the less.

You can’t force them to provide more information, but there are instances where it’s essential.

Peace,
Gene

As companies grow, especially tech companies, they all seem to exhibit this behaviour. It is a symptom of capitalism. Not nessecarily a bad thing; but a symptom none the less.