[cjlesh]

I read Daring Fireball, and I think the writing is excellent, but I've always thought it was a close cousin of astroturfing.

Here's how it works in my head:

1) Gruber writes stuff Apple likes 2) Apple feeds Gruber exclusive information 3) More people read Gruber for exclusive information, seeing a message that Apple likes 4) Gruber profits from increased traffic, and tries to continue to please Apple

Maybe I'm way off base, but Apple is so damn secretive that the information he gets must somehow be approved. It's like Apple doesn't allow their employees to blog, except Gruber.

[ZachPruckowski]

That's not astro-turfing, it's traditional journalism. Sources generally give more details to reporters who they like. Astro-turfing would be if Gruber actually worked for Apple while writing this stuff. It's generally true that the result is sources controlling journalists more than they should, but at worst, Gruber's as ethically shady as WashPost journalists.

Further, Gruber's not been afraid to come down on Apple for things, like when Apple announced the iPhone tethering and MMS and in fine print said "Not in the US", or many of the App Store shenanigans prior to this one, and for the iPhone developer's NDA, just to name ones off the top of my head.

[mechanical_fish]

If you're going to issue unsubstantiated smears you should at least use the correct terminology: Astroturfing is the simulation of an entire grassroots movement, not merely the simulation of one guy's unsolicited opinion.

[ZachPruckowski]

Further, astroturfing by definition involves employment or contracting. If you aren't directly or indirectly paid for it, it's not astroturfing, it's misrepresentation.

[po]

Gruber may benefit from Apple because employees at apple give him good information, but he doesn't hide it. Furthermore, especially in this case, he's calling them out. He usually doesn't let his love of the company from clouding his appraisal of their actions.