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June 10, 2006

people

Dvorak deliberately pokes Mac users with stick

Posted Jun. 10, ’06, 12:36 PM PT by Dan Moren
Category | Apple » People

John DvorakSo, it turns out the key to handling John Dvorak is a lot like the key to high school bullies or some kinds of bears: ignore them until they go away. In a conversation with noted blogger Dave Winer at a Vloggercon party, Dvorak mentioned that he incites Mac users on purpose.

Say it ain’t so, John. Say it ain’t so.

Sure, I’m guilty of linking to Dvorak’s pieces and, even more to point, of occasionally offering my own diatribes. But for Dvorak to admit that he’s little better than your average messageboard troll, and to do it on video, makes me raise an eyebrow and wonder if there was there an open bar at the party.

The video is fascinating: Dvorak explains that he would deliberately write things insulting to Mac users, then use the hate mail generated from that piece as a springboard for a “perplexed” piece, then, when the furor died down, he posts a piece in which he takes the opposite position of the first piece.

Very clever, Mr. Dvorak, but we’re onto you now. In fact, I’m beginning to wonder if talking about how he deliberately incites Mac users is the perfect example of how he deliberately incites Mac users. So for those of you thinking about launching off a anger-laden email at America’s favorite tech pundit, think twice. You may be playing right into his hands.

[via Digg]


5 Comments

Dan said:

That guy is an idiot.

June 10, 2006 2:23 PM
spiderbat said:

I'm such an old reader of MacWorld that I still remember when Dvorak had the last page all for himself. This has been for years the good-bye page: every columnist that took it for a while abandoned the magazine soon thereafter. So did Dvorak, Ihnatko and Pogue, but, as much as I would like to have back David and Andy, I'm very glad Dvorak went away. He's been during his whole career but a troll on steroids and he doesn't deserve even our resentment. Let's leave the old fart to babble alone.

June 10, 2006 3:22 PM
Phoenix said:

You might be playing into his hands if you email him, but if you email pc magazine about his journilistic integrity, he can be fired.
So email: pcmag@ziffdavis.org
Tell them about your disgust with him, spread the word!

June 10, 2006 4:44 PM
natcho Jerry said:

Looks like he's yanking the chain again. You bought it. I'd hardly call this "ignoring" him.

June 10, 2006 10:12 PM
Martyrart said:

He even said words to this effect back on his show on ZDTV (now Tech TV.)

I remember the episode with Guy Kawasaki where Dvorak said, "I always make sure I say things about the Macintosh because I know you Mac users will write in. I get paid for every letter our viewers send in so I'm always sure to get paid from you Mac users." That is exactly what he said up until the last little part which is simply a matter of wording but nontheless what he was getting at.

I guess he got paid for viewer responses because it showed those nuckleheads at ZDTV that people were watching their shows.

I suppose Dvorak is right. I don't think Mac users would have wrote in to praise him for the wonderful job he's doing reporting on the Mac positively.

July 16, 2006 1:45 AM

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