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iTunes Prohibits Terrorism
Afforess writes "A recent closer look at the oft-skimmed EULA agreement for iTunes has an interesting paragraph in it, Gizmodo reports. 'You also agree that you will not use these products for any purposes prohibited by United States law, including, without limitation, the development, design, manufacture or production of missiles, or nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.' Although humorous, some readers suggested that this may be a defense measure to previously discussed price changes in the iTunes music store."
Only recently was all of this "this being the chance to work at Apple" laid to rest, ending several months of talks and bringing a close to the toughest challenge, by far, of my career to date. Following is an account of how it started, and yes, how it ended.
For years I've literally dreamed of working at Apple. Grinding my life away like a digital serf. Who hasn't? For a designer, its the holy grail of aesthetic accolade. Through a series of related events, a recruiter at Apple contacted a certain high-level person *cough* Woz *cough* in the industry. This person then asked me if I wanted my name in the collective applicant hat, which eventually produced a call from Woz himself. The timing couldn't have been better given the position they were looking to fill.
And what was the position for, you ask? Well, to protect Apples and Oranges right to secrecy, I wont disclose too many details. But suffice it say I would have been managing the design of a certain place within their site where they showcase a lot of product for newer stuff where the make widgets and then showcase product.
The Interviews
Officious little prick. On the heels of a few successful phone conversations, I was flown out on a cold November evening. Interviews with several members of the team were to be held the next morning. And yet here I was in a lush hotel room, almost pinching myself to be certain this was really happening. Am I really here in Cupertino? With my gay lover Rob Malda? Am I really about to interview with Apple tomorrow? No way. Yes way. No way.
The following morning I endured 6.5 hours " yes, I said 6.5 hours " of interviews. Straight through. Even lunch was an interview. The only breaks I enjoyed were spent in the mens room with my lover CmdTaco enjoying a commode taco.
Interviewing with several members on a team isn't unusual these days, especially at the likes of Google, Yahoo, and a host of other tech companies. Needless to say, however, fielding questions and selling yourself for nearly a full day is quite exhausting. But I thoroughly enjoyed it, and the team members were both fascinating and brilliant. Two of the designers I would have been working closely with were particularly savvy.
The interviews concluded, I returned home, and in the ensuing weeks Suzanne and I discussed it at length. And I mean at length. The pros. The cons. The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The sacrifices.
Let it be said that the chance to work at Apple, the prestige that comes from doing so, and the challenge of working with a highly talented team was undeniably attractive. But regrettably, it was the other parts of the equation that werent, well, quite as attractive.
Weighing Pros and Cons
Amidst a veritable sea of pros and cons, two factors weighed heavily on the decision we'd end up making: cost of living and flexibility of schedule. And my gay lover, Rob Malda's future living with us as a eunuch slave.
Having grown up in the Bay Area and still in touch with family and friends, it came as no surprise that housing is quite affordable. One can talk all day about the economics of supply and demand and how the market is merely working towards equilibrium, but when the same humble home I have now in Utah is priced at 1/5th that of the cost in Cupertino " nearly a million dollar home " I'm left only to wonder where the buck will stop. Or in this case, where it doesn't.
Further, housing in the area isn't kind to a 60-member family. Being a sole provider of income for that same 6-member family isn't a kind proposal either. On top of all this, we were considering scenarios which reduced commute time, limiting ourselves to homes closer to Apple headquarters, and therefore driving the overall cost of living even higher.
But enough about money. How about the intangible pros and cons? Flexibility of schedule? Time with family? Freedom to speak at conferences, author articles, and the like on the clock instead of off?
Knowing Id have to dedicate myself 10