By John Gruber
WorkOS launches auth.md — an open protocol for agent registration.
Linked List: December 20, 2007
Thursday, 20 December 2007
- Larry Angell on the Think Secret/Apple Deal ★
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Larry Angell:
Anyone who thinks Nick at Think Secret didn’t get a big, fat check from Apple is naive.
That was my first thought, too. Those of you who are convinced that Apple cruelly forced Ciarelli to shutter the site against his will should re-read the cryptic press release. Could be a forced shutdown. Could be a payoff. Totally unclear from the press release. Some sort of deal that involved a reasonably-sized payoff, however, strikes me as more consistent with the tone of the press release and the brief comments Ciarelli and his attorneys have made.
The irony, of course, is that a site whose entire claim to fame and raison d’être was the exposition of “Apple secrets” has itself agreed to a secret deal with Apple.
- A Look at the Acorn Image Editor ★
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Nice short review of Acorn from Scott Stevenson.
- Amazon SimpleDB Thoughts ★
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Nice overview of SimpleDB by Ryan Barrett. (Via Andy Baio.)
- Developing Apps for Google Android ★
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Ryan Paul:
I put Android to the test myself in an attempt to see how bad the situation really is. What I discovered is a highly promising foundation that is plagued by transitional challenges and a development process that needs more work.
- iClone: The Very Best iPhone Imitators ★
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Wired’s round-up of iPhone knock-offs.
- TidBITS Opinion: Think Secret Shuts Down in Wake of Apple Settlement ★
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Adam Engst on today’s Think Secret announcement. By far the most reasonable take I’ve seen so far.
The problem is we just don’t know enough about the terms of the settlement — at this point, it’s even a jump to conclude that Apple somehow forced Think Secret to cease publication. It’s possible, and some obviously consider it likely, but it is not clear from Ciarelli’s very terse press release.
- Design ★
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Suite of layout tools for web designers, invoked via a bookmarklet. Sort of a web-based version of xScope. (Via Simon Willison.) Update: Damn, looks like the server is down. Here’s a cached version in the meantime.
- Upcoming 10.5.2 Leopard Update Adds List View Back to Dock Folders ★
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Nice.
- ‘Hello, I’m a Mac. And I’m a Cheapskate.’ ★
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John Paczkowski on the news from NPD Group that Mac users are far more likely than PC users to pay for downloadable music.
- Adam Penenberg Broke the Stephen Glass Story in 1998 ★
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I hadn’t made the connection, but several readers have pointed out that Adam Penenberg, the writer behind the hacktacular “All Eyes on Apple” Fast Company story covered here yesterday, has done some good work in the past. In particular, reporting for Forbes in 1998, Penenberg broke the story that Stephen Glass, a staff writer for The New Republic, was a complete and utter fraud who made up entire stories and sources.
- Thought Secret ★
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Nick Ciarelli, publisher of Think Secret:
Apple and Think Secret have settled their lawsuit, reaching an agreement that results in a positive solution for both sides. As part of the confidential settlement, no sources were revealed and Think Secret will no longer be published.
Weird.
- CARS Presents: The Indeterminately Periodic Apple Community Wedgie Awards ★
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“The Apple Community Wedgie goes to the pundit who has distinguished his or herself in the field of Apple-related jackassitude.”