Slashdot Mirror
Apple Lifts Ban On the Word "Jailbreak"
Gunkerty Jeb writes "After banning the word 'jailbreak' from its app store and music library, Apple [Friday] reversed course and again permits the term — slang for hacking into a device to download unauthorized content — to appear on iTunes and its App Store. On Thursday bloggers noticed Apple had censored the word, using the Thin Lizzy album 'Jailbreak' as an example. For awhile, the title was listed as 'J******k' in Apple's music library, at least its U.S. version. In other instances, digital content continued to bear the full name Jailbreak."
What a ridiculous and petty company. The very antithesis of America. It has more in common with Stalinist Russia.
[jailbreak] - slang for hacking into a device to download unauthorized content
WTF?
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.
Nothing wrong with calling them out as jerks in addition to not buying any of their products.
They should have called it a common word, like "Orange".
A crack squad of interns paid to review these things before the automated censor kicks in seems like an easy way to avoid embarrassment. Come on Apple, do a little "job creation" and save face at the same time.
Don't forget telling others why they should vote the same way.
First they want to tell you what you can and cannot say. Then they want to tell you what you can and cannot do. Then they will want to tell you what you can and cannot think.
>slang for hacking into a device to download unauthorized content
What.
Please tell me I'm not the only one who was thinking Thin Lizzy had an album called 'Jailfuck'.
Nope. I checked with everyone on /. (and Ars and Digg, too) and you are, in fact, the only one who was thinking that.
I'm sure Apple fanboys like evil_aaronm will fawn all over this, but it goes to show you just how pathetic this company and its buttboy users really are.
Wrong.
I, too, rolled my eyes at Apple making a common-use word like "Jailbreak" an "unword", as if it was going to keep knowledge of iOS Jailbreaks hidden from public view!!! Utterly ridiculous, and it smacks of overzealous middle-management.
My suspicion is that this was not properly "vetted" as a decision, or surely-to-Diety SOMEone would have pointed out not only the absurdity of the idea, but also the negative press that such a ridiculously heavy-handed example of censorship (yes, it's their store and all, but...) would visit upon them.
HOWEVER, one thing I have seen over my nearly 40 years (since 1976) as an Apple user and occasional developer, is that Apple really DOES listen to its customers and media (including blogs like Slashdot) (and unlike some companies) (I'm looking at you, Microsoft!), OFTEN modifies or, as in this case, completely reverses itself when it is clear that the majority thinks it is being stupid.
Everyone (including multibillion-dollar corporations) makes mistakes. But the true measure of the man (or company) lies in their ability to realize when they have made an error, and quickly and decisively act to correct that error.
And this is what Apple has done.
I'm not sure that it was a case of listening to their customers so much as realising the mistake and reversing it. I saw this story a couple of days ago, and Apple had fixed it on the same day it was reported. I think it was a case of automated censorship gone awry. Whether they have totally eliminated the censorship or merely confined it back to the original box it was meant to operate in (the App Store one presumes), is another thing entirely.
Either way, censoring words really doesn't get you very far.
Trollaxor, you've really become pathetic as your depressed mind has degenerated. Before at least you had pseudo-technical arguments against OpenBSD, now you have to make up wild nonsensical lies. Get some psychiatric help for your obsessions.
Someone at A***e has their h**d up their a*s.
--- I, too, rolled my eyes at Apple making a common-use word like "Jailbreak" an "unword", ----
It was an unword from the beginning. It's not a "jailbreak" it's a goddamn security hole.
Won't someone please think of the children?
When the security is meant to prevent you from using the device in the way that you wish to as the lawful owner, then it's a good thing to have a way to break that security.
FC Closer
How can anyone give respect to a company that does not stand behind the concept of free speech?
Real men don't need signitures!!!
Apple...where all computer users are equal and some more equal than others.