Comments on: Steve Jobs' health now a public matter

In choosing to go public with CEO Steve Jobs' ailments to deflect damaging rumors, Apple may be forced to give regular updates on the health of its founder.

[Hep Cat]

So, after hounding him for months (C|Net, everyone else), starting rumors on unfounded speculation (Diaz/Gizmodo), and checking with the local Frogurt vendor to see if Jobs is OK (Scoble), Jobs' health is now declared a public matter because he was literally forced to say something?

I'm not sure what got put in the water coolers at C|Net over the holidays, but you folks have collectively lost it today. Did I hear Erica Ogg sniffle during the podcast? I demand to know if she's sick!

[shootthecops]

What makes Steve Jobs heath a public matter is the momentum behind his ability to sell overpriced electronics to the masses.

[M C]

Um, Tom, first of all, "Apple" didn't "change its tack" - Steve Jobs himself decided to clear the air in the face of semi-raving lunatic media.

Whether he decides to do so again is up to him and only him, no matter how self-important the media decide to be about it. (And CNet in particular might want to take a couple of steps back from the self-importance zone.)

[gybognarjr]

There is no logic whatsoever behind the subjective statement. Logic says, that if a product is overpriced, most people will not buy it. Logic also says, that many people cannot afford the best and more expensive product, so they buy cheaper and lower quality merchandise.

[Goodbye Helicopter]

yawn

[Dani210]

have you guys ever wondered if Jobs ever reads One More Thing and all this news about himself? its pretty interesting if you think about it

[stigmattaman]

@Hep Cat
I don't quite agree, and I think this was an excellent, well-researched piece by Tom. Jobs' health is a public matter because he has become inexorably linked to Apple and it's stock. Whether that was intentional or not, there's a widely held assumption that without Jobs the company goes back in the crap*er, even if it takes a few years to happen.

But what complicates the matter more is when it was revealed that Jobs had cancer four years ago, the shareholders didn't find out about it until Jobs had already had the surgery to remove it. This came months after he was diagnosed and tried to treat it with alternative measures (allegedly of course). To hide behind this veil of privacy doesn't work for the celebrity head of a publicly traded company. Yeah, I'm sure it must suck for him to have his health constantly speculated, but that's the tradeoff for his success and fortune.

[loose_screw]

Yes, let's publicly draw Steve's blood once a month and publish the test results on the net for all to see. Now stop writing about this issue please.

[Hep Cat]

The funny thing is that we're all dying. From our first day on earth, each day is one step closer to being dead. C|Net choses to obsess on one person because they attribute everything good that ever happened at Apple to Steve. They continue to misconstrue Apple's motives (perhaps the company as a whole is tired of forcing people to work through the holidays so that there is something to announce in the second week of January every year?)

The worst part is that most of the great ideas at Apple have nothing to do with Steve. Sure, he signs off on stuff, but the nice touches are part of the company's DNA - not Steve's.

[Dani210]

i like that. each day is one step closer to being dead. makes a lot of sense really, Hep Cat, I commend you lol. no but ferreal

[Inconnux]

When your company stock is tied to a personality, that persons health needs to be public.

[trd1282]

Well, I think people who own stock for that reason alone need to have their head checked.

[ilias_14]

Is business at CNET that bad? I find it hard to believe that a stereotypical windows news-site resorts to posting two tabloid-like headlines about Apple in the front page (yes, including Ralf Needleman's account of laughable arguments against switching to mac). Well, OK, I admit these articles attracted my attention but this type of shoddy reporting only works so many times...

[Hep Cat]

I'm struck by the fact that Rafe wrote an entire article about how he doesn't "get" the Mac, when a simple perusal of online help and a little deep thought would have helped. Fer chrissake - Photo has a picture of a camera on the icon! It's made for bringing photos from cameras to computers! And yet Rafe doesn't understand this, spending half the article wondering why iPhoto didn't automatically scour his hard drive looking for graphics files. Because DUH - that's not what it is for, Rafe! And if Apple HAD created a be-all end-all free photo hover program, people would have crucified them for putting third party vendors out of business!

[solitare_pax]

CNET: Once again trying to outdo the National Enquirer and Weekly World News - and proving once again that YES it can be done.

Apple's problem is that it had two total idiots at the helm during Jobs' forced absence - idiots who make Microsoft's Steve Ballmer look brilliantly gifted - and Jobs had to come back to rescue the company. Now everyone is worried that when Jobs saunters off into the sunset, they will import another total idiot - perhaps one of those gifted idiots who ran Fannie May/Freddie Mac into the ground - and deep six Apple. Will it happen? Hopefully not. But do we need this daily gloom and doom about Apple's instant demise? Probably not.

[Dani210]

nice!!

[biggstuu]

yknow it is kinda sad, we've become so screwed up as a people that we look away at the fact that this is about a person's mortality. For those who cling to the "well he's public face of the company so we need to know about his health," when Martha Stewart has her menses, do we need to know about that? How about Jeff Bezos? Do we need to need to know when he has he annual colorectal exam and the results? Stop cramming for eyeballs guys. Between Needleman, Cooper, and yourself, i've seen at least 6 articles today alone about Apple and Jobs, sharing one common theme; full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

[DenkU]

Imagine if the Pillsbury Doughboy or Aunt Jemima were to die. The world would surely end.

[Erictheruler1]

Now that would be news ,but the world loves a scandal so change it from dies to have an interracial love child. That would surely sell more biscuits and syrup......

[solitare_pax]

Lets see - Orville Redenbacher died in 1995 - yet his popping corn brand lives and thrives on today. Frank Perdue passed on in 2005, and his company is still providing chicken.

Apple is not as doomed as CNET would like to think.

[gggg sssss]

Bye Bye Apple.Time to start buying real PCs not wholey reliant on one egaomainiacale ( sp) maniac anyway.

[Dani210]

im guessing you've never used a mac. and that the real pc is the original one, the mac, 1984

[bobeeeeeeee]

is there a PC that runs Vista and OSX? Oh yeah, it's called a Mac!

[Vegaman_Dan]

When both Apple and Steve Jobs both are forced to make public comments about Mr. Jobs' health status, then yes, they have made it a public issue.

Now they may be judged against this performance in the future when it comes to public disclosure.

Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

[Penguinisto]

So.... what's Steve Balllmer's blood pressure?

[Vegaman_Dan]

Penguinisto wrote:

"So.... what's Steve Balllmer's blood pressure? "

No idea. But then Microsoft hasn't made it a point to tell everyone of his condition, nor has he appeared like an undead zombie in public causing stockholders or the media to question his health to the point that Apple has expereienced. Nor has Microsoft tried to cover it up as Apple has by deflecting the questions or obscuring the facts.

So I don't see how the two are related.

[Demolition]

Vegaman_Dan wrote:

"So I don't see how the two are related."

Maybe Penguinisto figures that Ballmer's famous hot temper (and excessive sweatiness) indicates that he has a lot of stress. Perhaps that stress could lead to a heart attack or stroke, someday. I wonder what effect that would have (on stock prices, etc.) if he suddenly dropped dead at work.

Penguinisto might also be pondering Ballmer's chunky build, which may be indicative of bad eating habits. Maybe his cholestrol is high, perhaps he has gallstones? Sounds like geriatric-onset diabetes is just around the corner for Monkey Boy.

So... who knows? As we've seen in Jobs' case, once the speculation starts, it can spiral out of control.

[Travis Ernst]

So when can we expect to see the health report from the writers of C Net? They are public figures!!! Not to mention the Liberal writers from the LA Times!! Lets open the books on ALL writers!!!

[latvproducer]

Tom did a good job in writing this article! We all want to know about the health of Steve Jobs. Not only from a investor's position of someone who cares about who is running the company, but also a consumer's postion. Steve Jobs has become an icon. He is not just an ordinary CEO of a major computer company. He is Steve Jobs; a leader, innovator, creator, and just one of the coolest executives in the conputer industry ever! When we think of Apple, we think of Steve Jobs, the guy who opened up a whole arena in how we listen to music, and edit our films..
I remember in the mid 90's when Avid technology was the way to edit for TV. Then FCP came along with the Mac books and all of the kids who were into editing could take it to the next level at a good and affordable price. I also remember a time when Apple wasn't doing well, then the iPod came out, and the rest is history. Steve Jobs is not just your average computer wizard. He is a guy who changed the world. Where would YouTube be without FCP.
We care about Steve, and want to hear about his health because we want him better. There are CEO's such as Jach Welch, who turned GE around, and Lee Iococca who once made us proud of Chrysler, and there is Steve Jobs. He is a hero to all of the young people. We all not only love his products, but also love his insight to technology, and design. How cool is the ipod and the Macs. One night just before Christmas I had walked down 5th Ave. to see how the shopping was going. There were at least 95% of the stores had sale signs in the windows of the store. I had walked into the Apple store on 5th Ave. and the store was packed with people from around the world.
Whether you are a Mac or PC person, you will know that Apple is the cool company. Again, I must remind you that computers were not always thought of as cool. Thanks to Steve Jobs for being a young cool CEO who was able to make some fantastic decisions about design and what computers can do for people. I do not know the guy, but can honestly say that I love that person who has brought so much to the table of technology.
All I can say is that I hope for the best for his health. He is a hero to not only us moms out there, but our children as well. I worked with Macs ever since I started to use AVID for my TV productions in the early 90's Today, my son, daughter and I all use Macs.
Tom wrote a wonderful article about a man who we all care so much about. I wish only the best for Mr Jobs, and hope that he gets well soon. There are not a lot of CEO's who I really care about, but without a doubt Mr Jobs is first who comes to mind of one who I do care about. I am not sure if he know it, but he has a llot of fans out there both old and young! Mr Jobs...please get better, and Tom, please keep up up to date on his health. Thanks for your article!
JoAnna Levenglick

[Llib Setag]

Hey! Did you see the last Keynote when the CEO ran out on stage, jumping around & screaming like an insane person?

Red faced & sweating like he was having a stroke or heart attack?

Grossly obese &ranting like a mad man?

Wow! is that computer company going out of business if that CEO dies!...

Oops! my bad...That was STEVE BALLMER, CEO OF MICROSOFT!
Never mind...sorry to make the stock drop to be $25 a share...

What? it's been that way for several years now WAY before the stock melt down & economic crisis?

Wow! Microsoft is REALLY in trouble since it's Big Cheese Citizen Gates retired.

Beleagured Ballmer had better release his health report before it's too late!

Oh that's right...HIS health report is personal & confidential since it's C|Net's Sugar Daddy Microsoft.

[Dani210]

satire is always funny.

[iLuvMyMacs]

All Steve has to do is hang out with my ExWife for about a month- he'll pack on 20lbs no problem.

Best of health Steve-

[shagless]

I am an Apple fan, and an investor in many things. The health of the CEO of a company I am interested in is so far from first on my priority list. A lot of other issues make me question places I invest my money. A personal issue such as cancer, or weight loss really aren't my business. The media is firmly in the wrong here. Leave a person to their personal life. You want to find weaknesses with Apple or Jobs, look at his salary, look at the stock options mess, look at lawsuits pending, look at focus of the company, look at R&D, look at who they hire for the company...but leave the health issues out of it. First as a reader, this sickens me. As a human being, I find this morbid search for death and illness bizarre and disgusting. Leave it alone and stick to reviewing technology, C-Net and while your at it you might just make yourself look like a news source with some credibility.

[Dani210]

yeah but you know in america and all, freedom of speech and press, then theres laiez faire, or however you spell it, you know, how the government doesn't interfere with business even when its based on a morally sickening thing. but, thats our opinion, and really its not business, its individuals, so the govt. won't do anything about it

[shadowself]

So you had to retract your earlier article because it was wrong. Now I suppose in retaliation you are posting this.

"Now that it has cleared the air and addressed the state of Jobs' health, Apple may be forced to give regular updates, according to corporate governance experts."

No, it's really the rabid reporters looking for web hits that believe Jobs and Apple will have to either a) feed them regular tidbits about Jobs' health, or b) these same "reporters" will print rumor and pure speculation based upon NO facts.

You do correctly state, "there are no legal guidelines for companies to follow in making decisions about how and what to disclose involving the health matters of their executives." Thus, neither Apple nor Jobs ever needs to talk about this again.

Besides, what level of disclosure do you demand? Do you want to know the next time he stubs his toe? The next time he has a headache? The next time he gets his glasses changed? Where does it end?

[Dani210]

its also been said that he has pills that will restore him over the course of 3 months.

Jobs was suffering from a hormone imbalance that was "robbing" proteins from his body.

**Key word ^ "was"**

[levit8]

Let's to give this man some respect. He's someone who's done more for humanity by giving the gift to create at our highest human potential possible verse being a unnecessary critic at such vulnerable state in his health. What if he was your relative would you still kick him while he was down? or would be a decent human being and wish him a fast recovery. As for me personally I have a great deal of respect for this man, He has helped put personal computers in public schools by the masses and showed us creativity down to the smallest detail like a magnet charger connection for laptops so you wouldn't bring the machine crashing down (Apple adopted this from Eastern rice cookers).

[mikehill33]

If you want the public to invest in your company, then you have to be willing to have full disclosure about the key figure at the helm.

No question Steve Jobs is the chief designer at one of the most iconic companies the world has ever seen, but why the kid gloves treatment about his health?

I read The Second Coming of Steve Jobs last year, and it is sad to say, but this guy lived his whole life as a jerk, and now all the fanboys are clamoring for him to be left alone.

Bottom line: it is newsworthy and could have great impacts on the future of Apple and all its designs. If he is sick, write about it.