Much love, Holman W. Jenkins Jr.


I can’t link to Holman’s article from this morning because it’s on the pay-only Wall Street Journal site. (BTW where’s the outrage from the EU leftietards over this “closed system”? How soon until some unemployed Scandinavian sitting around in his pee-stained underpants figures out how to “hack” the copy protection and then claims a moral victory, arguing that the Journal should be allowing everyone to just see its content at no cost, and make as many copies as they like? But I digress.) But basically old HWJJr. sees right through the BS at Cisco over their alleged iPhone trademark. Bottom line: It’s a shakedown. And not even a good one. Cisco claims it wants “interoperability.” In other words, you’ve got a great business, so let us ride your coattails. Money quote:

Cisco’s proffer, in other words, is the equivalent of slipping and falling on Mick Jagger’s sidewalk, then trying to parlay it into a place in the band (with royalties, of course).

Thing is, Cisco desperately wants to move into the consumer space. The core of the network, where Cisco has made its bones, has become a commodity. All the action is at the edge. Hence their acquisitions of Scientific Atlanta and Linksys. But content, as always, is king. It’s about the software. And that’s what I’ve got. And no, Mr. Chambers, you can’t have it just because you booted some last-minute field goal on this iPhone trademark. Sorry.

Besides that, have you ever seen those butt-ugly Linksys WiFi modems? Sort of purple and black, with giant antennas? Who wants one of those in their house? Who thinks I’m gonna let those frigtards “interoperate” with my beautiful gear? No friggin way. But thank you, thank you, Holman, for saying what needed to be said. Peace out.

(Note to Apple PR: Can we get this guy in for a one-hour hypnosis session, er, “one-on-one interview” regarding the options business?)