Doomsday fanatics will surely see this as a sign of the apocalypse, the days when Microsoft becomes the good guy and Apple becomes the evil corporate tyrant. What am I talking about? The recent behavioral developments within both organizations and the PR and media guided image that is being presented by both. Back in July we discussed Microsoft"s announcement on their 12 philosophies for "not being evil" and it has occurred to me that ever since then, Apple has been hell bent on demonizing the "pod" world. First they went after companies using the word "pod" in their product names, regardless of how disassociated from the portable music device market they may have been. Some stood in agreement with Apple, while many balked at the idea of any company, including Apple, having absolute marketing control over any word especially if it wasn"t being used in the same context or remotely similar product markets.
Now it seems that Apple"s lust to control all things "pod" has yet to be sated. Engadget is reporting that Apple is on the warpath again and this time they aim to seize control the term "podcast". That"s right folks, if Apple has their way you will no longer be able to download your favorite podcast, but will instead have to subscribe to an audiocast, videocast or perhaps an affectionately abbreviated version such as audcast or vidcast. While I cannot deny that Apple did spawn the technology that lent itself to the whole uprising in "pod" terminology, I can"t see how that entitles them to lay claims to all things "pod" and declare themselves the "pod" rulers of the universe. In my opinion that would be like Microsoft laying claim to all usage of the word "windows". Sure, they have reserved usage rights when used contextually, but they don"t lay claims to all use of the word. You don"t see them going after Pella or Andersen for marketing their "windows". And don"t bother with that "but Apple coined the "pod" term" garbage. The word "pod" existed long before Apple existed and has been used in hundreds of products. Based on their recent (il)logic I guess the guys over at Portable On Demand Storage better be thinking up a new name.
Oh, and one more thing, cry and moan about "why is an editorial on the main page, post this crap on your blog, etc." and you"ll be getting a vacation from Neowin. Debate the material all you like, but not the legitimacy of it"s existence.