The Apple Fanboy Problem

This, unfortunately, is not just the Apple fanboy problem, though they are persistently at the forefront of the internet slander. As a woman in a tchnology sector, where a lot of communication happens online and over the internet (as is the learned behavour - monkey see, money do), I feel like we are about to embark on a mission that is equivalent to getting the right to vote.

I have played in male dominating world since I left high school (I graduated from metallurgical engineering and worked in heavy manufacturing before joining the tech sector). I am quite disappointed in the way some people carry themselves online. But I suppose there will always be people who will be idiots and jerks. Internet allows them to do with a doze of anonimity and so they do not have quams about saying the first think that pops into their heads.

The bigger problem, in my opinion, is the quiet ones. The people that stand by on the sidelines and eat popcorn. Just like lying by omition is still lying, not saying anything when people like this go on their rampage make them complicit.

It is a problem, but I am uncertain that it can be clearly attributed to Apple fanboys, or software developers or any other specific group. What we need is a model where behaviour like this is not tolerated and people like this are not deified. Peers that disagree with them need to speak out and say something.

How severe were the threats? Were they severe enough to report to authorities? I understand that you may not want to breach that barrier, but I believe that we at least need to appear serious about using all that is available to us, so that people who are currently abstaining from involvement can actually step in and sway the trends in the other direction.

I realize that this is slightly offtopic from the post, but I think you are illustrating the bigger problem and using Apple as an example. Yes, what happened is awful but there are Shawn Kings and John Grobers all over the tech sector. Including my and your office.