Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Apple Allegedly Sought Non-Poaching Deal With Palm

Posted by kdawson on from the hands-off-or-at-least-palms-off dept.

theodp writes "A Bloomberg report that Apple CEO Steve Jobs proposed a possibly illegal truce with Palm against poaching their respective employees is sure to pique the interest of the US Department of Justice, which already is investigating whether Google, Yahoo, Apple, Genentech and other tech companies conspired to keep others from stealing their top talent. 'Your proposal that we agree that neither company will hire the other's employees, regardless of the individual's desires, is not only wrong, it is likely illegal,' former Palm CEO Ed Colligan reportedly told Jobs in August 2007." The article notes that Apple was probably reacting to Palm's hiring of Jon Rubenstein, who had been instrumental in developing the iPod and went on to spearhead the Pre for Palm (and has now become Palm's chairman and CEO). "It's the story about the importance of charismatic engineers," said veteran Silicon Valley forecaster Paul Saffo. "People don't work for Palm. They work for Jon Rubinstein. One has to wonder how Steve Jobs ever let Jon Rubinstein leave."

2 of 181 comments (clear)

  1. This just in! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Rob Malda sought non-poaching deal for his anus. Unfortunately it was fucked anyway.

  2. Re:Apparently the reply was - by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    I have no degree. Three years ago, I was making $15k a year. I now make $55k looking to increase it again before too much longer. I got myself where I am. I am annoyed that I have to pay increased taxes over what I did, and when I start to make more money, I will be annoyed that I will have to pay additional taxes beyond that. I also now have nice healthcare. You might argue that $55k isn't filthy rich, but its certainly a tax bracket over what I was previously making. Who knows? In 10 years I could be making 5x this again. I don't want to paint myself into a corner now in such a way that someone can come back and say, "But, good sir, you YOURSELF said that people in your tax bracket should be dumping 50% of their income into taxes while Mr. Get-Stoned-After-His-Night-Shift-At-Applebees who makes $18k a year shouldn't have to pay a dime."