I think you are misrepresenting Thinksecret as the source of the rumor that Aperature is on its way out. In my view, the misrepresentation stems from not recognizing the difference between rumor and speculation. A rumor is a story of uncertain truth. Speculation, is to offer a theory based on incomplete information. Thinksecret's original story cited both a rumor and contained speculation as to why the rumored action may have taken place. The relevance is rumor is presented to be possible fact, and speculation is an opinion not suggested to be fact.

For starters, the precise statement on Thinksecret was:

"Apple recently asked the engineering team behind its Aperture photo editing and management software to leave . . . which raises questions about the future of Aperture. [edited for relevance]"

That part of the Thinksecret story was a rumor. Namely, Apple asked the Aperature team to leave.

Thinksecret then went on to offer several possible reasons as to why Apple took this action, one of which was that Apple could be abandoning Aperature. This part of the story is mere speculation. Thinksecret made it clear that it did not know the reasons behind the rumored action. Specifically, it stated:

"the bell may not yet be tolling for Aperture; an entirely new engineering team could salvage the software and bring it up to Apple's usual standards."


Other websites turned the mere possiblity offered by Thinksecret based on speculation into the false rumor that Apple was terminating Aperture's furtue.

Recap: The only relevant thing Thinksecret actually asserted as fact was: Apple asked the original Aperture development team to leave (and the software was poorly written). It made no factual claims as to what the reason for the move was, but merely offered several possible reasons for why, such as Apple abandoning the application. Thinksecret never concluded that was likely.


Apple failed to respond to the Thinksecret rumor. Not suprizing, as you said, Apple rarely ever responds to rumors. Instead, Apple responded to the original possibility offered by Thinksecret to explain Apple's alledged action of asking the Aperture team to leave.

As you say, Apple stated, "“The reports of Apple reducing their commitment to Aperture are totally false. In fact, we’ve got more people working on Aperture right now than ever before."

Notice that Apple's statement and Thinksecret's "report" are not irreconcilable. Apple failed to deny that it asked its Aperature team to leave, which was all that Thinksecret offered as a rumor. Apple merely denied the speculation that Apple was abandoning the application, and offered the information that the Aperture team is now bigger. Again read the Thinksecret story, it never claims Apple is abandoning Aperature.

The original thinksecret report can be found at:

http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0604aperture.html

Speculation or rumor, TS was also wrong that in claiming that the engineering team was asked to leave, per Daring Fireball.

So TS got essentially everything wrong, one way or another.

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Terrin wrote:
I think you are misrepresenting Thinksecret as the source of the rumor that Aperature is on its way out. In my view, the misrepresentation stems from not recognizing the difference between rumor and speculation. A rumor is a story of uncertain truth. Speculation, is to offer a theory based on incomplete information. Thinksecret's original story cited both a rumor and contained speculation as to why the rumored action may have taken place. The relevance is rumor is presented to be possible fact, and speculation is an opinion not suggested to be fact.

For starters, the precise statement on Thinksecret was:

"Apple recently asked the engineering team behind its Aperture photo editing and management software to leave . . . which raises questions about the future of Aperture. [edited for relevance]"

That part of the Thinksecret story was a rumor. Namely, Apple asked the Aperature team to leave.

Engine Joe:

Daring Fireball is not Apple. Accordingly, anything it says is in the same category as Thinksecret: namely a rumor. Moreover, Daring Fireball states the whole Aperture team is in fact gone as a result of bad management. Consequently, if true, Thinksecret's story was pretty close, if not all the way, correct.

More importantly, I am not claiming Thinksecret is ultimately correct. Merely, that what it said is not inconsistent with what Apple said. It may very well be wrong, but Apple's statement does not tell us this. Thinksecret only stated the Aperture team is gone (which if other sources are to be beleived is true), not that the application is being axed.

Guest:


My only point is that what Apple said and what Thinksecret said are not inconsistent. Accordingly, MacObserver was wrong to suggest that Apple's statement invalidated what Thinksecret said.

Keep in mind, I am no fan of Thinksecret, as I dislike rumor sites. I am a fan of good journalism though, which Macobserver generally delivers.

As someone who has read the Apple related sites over the past several years, I have to say, that although Daring Fireball is not Apple, as you state, Daring Fireball is head and shoulders above ThinkSecret.

The quality of what is written there, as well as the accuracy, far surpasses most other Mac related sites. While ThinkSecret sometimes accurately reports 'inside scoop', they also make some blunders. I've yet to see anything like that on Daring Fireball.