"Over the past years, the intrepid duo of James Bandler and Charles Forelle at the Wall Street Journal have helped unearth dozens of examples of options backdating at companies large and small. Their investigations of the dishonest practice have led to the resignation of dozens of top executives and investigations by the Securities and Exchange Commission and federal prosecutors. But the options scandal has never touched a more exciting company than Apple or a more thrilling executive than Jobs."
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Member since:2005-06-29
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LOL, I like your reaction. "Don't touch poor Jobs, go bother someone else like Gates." Pretty pathetic though that your judgment to be clouded by your love for Apple.
While Gates and MS definitely don't have much ethics, I wouldn't call him evil. Have you even heard of the "Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation" foundation? While some of their activities are questionable (expanding MS technologies), stuff like donating to HIV/AIDS vaccine research is hell a lot more than your sugar daddy Steve Jobs has been doing.
And I am not even a windows or gates fan. You need to become objective dude.
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2005-10-12
Of course, MS and Mr Gates should be targetted more aggressively for anti competitive behaviour. But we are talking one specific issue here, and the numbers are rather striking.
"It turns out there were literally thousands of examples of backdating at Apple — 6,428 options grants on 42 dates over a period of several years."
In addition "the company gave Jobs a monster 7.5-million-share options grant dated Oct. 19, 2001, when the stock stood at $18.30. By doing so, the company gave Jobs $20 million in compensation for which it did not account properly. ...It also pretended the options grant was approved at a special board meeting, when no such meeting occurred."
Think about how this could have happened. Think about Board minutes, signoffs, financial controls. Just go through it step by step, and see if you still think they are idiots.
The question is, whether Apple is being run by the CEO and his Board competently and in compliance with the law. Nothing to do with Mr Gates. Nothing to do with if Jobs saved Apple or invented the iPod. Nothing at all, just is this lawful, prudent, competent behaviour, and did it happen on his watch?
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Score: 
Member since:2005-07-24
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Member since:2005-07-24
"""My keyboard is licensed with GPLv3.0763-keyboard edition...."""
Now, you know as well as I do that "GPLv3.0763-keyboard edition" is just a draft. You really can't criticize something that is just a *draft*.
But then, I'm sure you know that already. ;-)
Edited 2007-01-09 17:32
Member since:
2006-02-05
Will he be obliged to leave the company?
Will he be obliged to stop having good ideas?
Will he be obliged to whatever?
If the CEO has commited a crime, yes he must be punished, but I guess *not* his ideas or the Company.
Yes, if he is guilty, he must pay. So what? Is this news?
Member since:
2006-06-01
wrong articel, but the iPhone is here!
http://www.mactechnews.de/mwsf2007ticker/index.html
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... is that Steve Jobs was awarded backdated options, but he didn't know (this isn't what I say, this is what they say). If this is true, even if Jobs didn't know, he financially benefited. He should return the money to the company and the stockholders. He can afford it and still be a very rich man. That's the solution that would be best for the company and the stockholders, and would come close to justice.
If it turns out that Jobs did know about it it's another matter entirely.
Member since:2005-12-21
Member since:
2006-01-11
For it to be a crime, Jobs must have been negligent or with intent committed the crimes of back dating the shares allocations.
While he may be a great guy or visionary, whatever, if he committed the crime, than he should have his day in court and found guilty; including those involved.
It would be a sham if they just went after Jobs only because he's the top of the food chain; there are more people involved in this after all, bring them all down.
If a crime was committed, regardless of who he is, SEC should go after him!
