http://www.osnews.com/story/16899/Why_Steve_Jobs_Should_Be_Punished_for_the_Backdating_Chicanery Exploring the Future of Computing en-us Copyright 2001-2009, David Adams adam+nospam@osnews.com Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:16:28 GMT http://www.osnews.com/images/osnews.gif http://www.osnews.com http://osnews.com/thread?199923 http://osnews.com/thread?199923 Idiots. If there was proof that Steve Jobs knew about it and profited by it, then that is different. But he didn't even activate his options.

Now if you want to go after someone. Go after Bill Gate and Microsoft for their monopolistic business practices which are so close to racketeering that I can't see how they haven't been hit with that. Now THAT would be something to do.

Idiots! Tue, 09 Jan 2007 15:15:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Sabon) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?199925 http://osnews.com/thread?199925 There is proof. RTFA. Jobs used his jedi mind tricks to get outta that one.

BillyG and Microsoft are not the ones in trouble here. Stay on topic. Tue, 09 Jan 2007 15:18:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (ronaldst) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?199929 http://osnews.com/thread?199929 Before Steve Jobs came to apple, Apple's option value was near zero $.

Today its near 100$ even after the split two years ago.
Yeah, we should punish him ... Tue, 09 Jan 2007 15:22:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Duffman) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?199934 http://osnews.com/thread?199934 I find it very annoying. The blue one was better for Apple related stories. What's the reason behind this? Tue, 09 Jan 2007 15:30:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Budd) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?199935 http://osnews.com/thread?199935 The blue logo was outdated. Apple now mostly uses a white Apple, but you understand we cannot really use that. I'll try to get the flat black logo up there, though. Tue, 09 Jan 2007 15:31:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Thom_Holwerda) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?199936 http://osnews.com/thread?199936 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. Tue, 09 Jan 2007 15:36:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Wintermute) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?199938 http://osnews.com/thread?199938 Bad article. Move along. Tue, 09 Jan 2007 15:41:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Smeagol) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?199943 http://osnews.com/thread?199943 Microsoft and Bill Gates have already had their day in court or have you forgotten that already. Tue, 09 Jan 2007 15:56:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (dagw) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?199951 http://osnews.com/thread?199951 Because he helped save a company he should be able to do whatever he wants? Tue, 09 Jan 2007 16:10:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (tspears) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?199952 http://osnews.com/thread?199952 Steve has got one hell of an aura. The guy seems to be coated in teflon, the sh*t don't stick. Gotta take my hat of to the guy for getting himself out of that one.

I'm not saying it good that he gets off, just that it's pretty incredible. Tue, 09 Jan 2007 16:16:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (SReilly) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?199957 http://osnews.com/thread?199957 what about a red, yellow or even a green apple with a worm if the story isn't so good for Steve? Tue, 09 Jan 2007 16:27:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (arielb) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?199960 http://osnews.com/thread?199960 This is really lame....its not like 80+ of the largetst companies on the Fortune,INC have not had trobule wit this stuff...The sweeping changes to stock options rules have had wide impacts on most public traded companies. Tue, 09 Jan 2007 16:32:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Milo_Hoffman) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?199965 http://osnews.com/thread?199965 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? Tue, 09 Jan 2007 16:42:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (alcibiades) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?199966 http://osnews.com/thread?199966 I thought this site was osnews not political advocacy about people who run a company that makes an OS news.

Sigh.

Can we get back the news about operating systems or is osnews just turning into the next /. Tue, 09 Jan 2007 16:45:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (darrenmoffat) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?199974 http://osnews.com/thread?199974 """Can we get back the news about operating systems or is osnews just turning into the next /."""

Yes. Let's get back to bickering about licenses and the sort of posts we can be *proud* of! ;-)Edited 2007-01-09 17:09 Tue, 09 Jan 2007 17:07:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (sbergman27) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?199978 http://osnews.com/thread?199978 My keyboard is licensed with GPLv3.0763-keyboard edition....

Unfortunately, I would be in violation of that license if I used the keyboard to respond to your post.


****DARN*** Edited 2007-01-09 17:13 Tue, 09 Jan 2007 17:12:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (raver31) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?199981 http://osnews.com/thread?199981 """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 Tue, 09 Jan 2007 17:31:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (sbergman27) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?199984 http://osnews.com/thread?199984 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? Tue, 09 Jan 2007 17:40:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (pfortuny) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?199988 http://osnews.com/thread?199988 wrong articel, but the iPhone is here!

http://www.mactechnews.de/mwsf2007ticker/index.html Tue, 09 Jan 2007 18:11:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (SK8T) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?199993 http://osnews.com/thread?199993 Up $5 from yesterday. Big concern on Wall Street about this I guess. Tue, 09 Jan 2007 18:41:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (bubbayank) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?200026 http://osnews.com/thread?200026 He aided and abetted.

I can't believe some of you would let Jobs off the
hook.....

Screw laws and ethics huh?Edited 2007-01-09 19:43 Tue, 09 Jan 2007 19:41:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (chas_martel) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?200063 http://osnews.com/thread?200063 He aided and abetted.

Not proven yet.

I can't believe some of you would let Jobs off the
hook.....

Screw laws and ethics huh?

Screw objectivity huh? Tue, 09 Jan 2007 20:24:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Chicken Blood) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?200065 http://osnews.com/thread?200065 but but... microsoft! Tue, 09 Jan 2007 20:29:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (eggs) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?200067 http://osnews.com/thread?200067 So, by your logic, were Martin Luther King still alive today he would be allowed to kill people? Tue, 09 Jan 2007 20:31:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (eggs) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?200070 http://osnews.com/thread?200070 I put about $0.75 in the jar for Cerebral Palsy this morning... can I illegally park for the day? Tue, 09 Jan 2007 20:33:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (eggs) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?200081 http://osnews.com/thread?200081 With a rose, in and out of the garden he goes...

Stephen prosper in his time
Well he may and he may decline
Did it matter? does it now?
Stephen would answer if he only knew how Tue, 09 Jan 2007 20:43:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Sphinx) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?200163 http://osnews.com/thread?200163 ... 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. Tue, 09 Jan 2007 22:56:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (JoeBuck) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?200259 http://osnews.com/thread?200259 Did you not read the article? Steve never benefitted from the backdated options. Wed, 10 Jan 2007 03:29:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Chicken Blood) Comments http://osnews.com/thread?200419 http://osnews.com/thread?200419 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! Wed, 10 Jan 2007 16:41:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (cycloneous) Comments