

The Apple Fanboy Problem - mindstab
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/violetblue/the-apple-fanboy-problem/1038

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tnicola
This, unfortunately, is not just the Apple fanboy problem, though they are
persistently at the forefront of the internet slander. As a woman in a
tchnology sector, where a lot of communication happens online and over the
internet (as is the learned behavour - monkey see, money do), I feel like we
are about to embark on a mission that is equivalent to getting the right to
vote.

I have played in male dominating world since I left high school (I graduated
from metallurgical engineering and worked in heavy manufacturing before
joining the tech sector). I am quite disappointed in the way some people carry
themselves online. But I suppose there will always be people who will be
idiots and jerks. Internet allows them to do with a doze of anonimity and so
they do not have quams about saying the first think that pops into their
heads.

The bigger problem, in my opinion, is the quiet ones. The people that stand by
on the sidelines and _eat popcorn_. Just like lying by omition is still lying,
not saying anything when people like this go on their rampage make them
complicit.

It is a problem, but I am uncertain that it can be clearly attributed to Apple
fanboys, or software developers or any other specific group. What we need is a
model where behaviour like this is not tolerated and people like this are not
deified. Peers that disagree with them need to speak out and say something.

How severe were the threats? Were they severe enough to report to authorities?
I understand that you may not want to breach that barrier, but I believe that
we at least need to appear serious about using all that is available to us, so
that people who are currently abstaining from involvement can actually step in
and sway the trends in the other direction.

I realize that this is slightly offtopic from the post, but I think you are
illustrating the bigger problem and using Apple as an example. Yes, what
happened is awful but there are Shawn Kings and John Grobers all over the tech
sector. Including my and your office.

