"People work at Apple to change the world. Seriously." -- or just making Steve Jobs even richer. Unless you get paid really really well, I don't see any real upside for hackers to work at Apple. You are just a cog in their machine (or cult, as fake seteve jobs said).
You can change the world, and try to get fair amount of money out of it by doing something on your own, or working in smaller companies.
Apple is repackaging standard Intel hardware and a modified FreeBSD. The result is sold as a boutique product. I fail to see either the genius or the revolution.
I think the point is that Steve Jobs does a good job of making Apple seem like Santa's Workshop or something, which leads to a lot of people who drink the Kool-Aid wanting to come on board.
You're certainly allowed to think that Apple is simply a company that stuffs commodity hardware into particularly shiny boxes. Even if that's what you think, it's still an interesting case study in how to attract talent without paying a premium.
with all the easy pickings (that pay well) out there.
i say take advantage that 80% of people don't know anything, and take it easy. 8 hr works days, and i'm at the lake.