“We made a mistake,” says an Apple spokeswoman over the company’s decision to ban Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, which featured drawings of man-on-man intimacy, from its iPad store. It only took three submissions and a slew of press pointing out Apple doesn’t block heterosexual adult imagery, but the tech giant has finally agreed to let the graphic novel be sold, uncensored, to consumers.
Publisher Prism Comics was quick to note that Amazon didn’t have any problems at all accepting Earnest into its Kindle store. Zing!
And just when we were learning to appreciate redacted comics. So here’s the graphic novel in all its uncensored glory!
Lamar
They should have done this in the first place, they knew what they were doing was clearly discriminatory and unfair and yet they did it. It shouldn’t have taken pressure and criticism before they did what was obviously right.
Fitz
You are all sheep douches for paying for a product that comes with so much paternalistic supervision in the first place. Get a real phone.
scott ny'er
Yeah. I get that Apple is pretty and does have some cool technology but it’s a little herd-like, the behavior that people have towards consumption of Apple products.
That said. I’ll admit. I do have 3 Apple products. 2 computers for Graphics work (I had little choice but they are both over 6 years old) and I was GIVEN an ipod.
I pretty much dislike Apple. But it’s competitors aren’t any better.
Yet Another
As the resident, self admitted Apple Fan boy, I’ll say that you’re all over reacting or at least using quite a bit of hyperbole. But meh, the comic is back in, everyone is happy. Though looking at the pics, I can see why some of the panels raised concerns. It’s definitely mature material, but its at least labeled as such.
Kevin (New Jersey, US)
It always amazes me how the simplest, most obvious examples of equal treatment still require explanations. See? This is what “equal” is…
Cockandtailtime
Apple just wants control and money, fine they make nice products but its the amount of control they have and the blind followers they have thats is scary.
I remember when I first went on the Internet in college back in 1995. The only pages I visited are what Netscape suggested from a drop down menu… I didn’t know about web addresses.
There are people now (like my father) who still think the internet is AOL… and that is his filter to the internet.
Apple wants to be gatekeepers where there’s money to be made. They want to filter the internet into “Apps” that are approved by them and that makes them money. People say mobile apps are the future but it kinda feels like a step backwards to me. Mobile apps are filtered … the App Store doesn’t allow porn but go to the mobile web and safari and there’s porn on your ipad/iphone.
What can be Apple’s solution to this problem… dumb down users.. make them rely on apps… make them step away from mobile web… make them use what Apple approves.
Apps/AppStore aren’t letting me go anywhere I want…they are just letting me go where I’m allowed… yes feels like a step backwards
Yet Another
Waiting for another fan boy to chime in. If not, I can do this all day. lol.
lol, everyone swears the know what Apple wants. In this case Apple wants to dumb down the web. It’s not the web. Its a phone. Its not the internet. Its just a phone. That same internet you went on in 1995 is still out there. This is just one device to get on it. I swear its the people blind to technology that have the biggest problems with Apple. One company can’t take away your net privileges. Just don’t buy their sh*t and be happy.
Zach
@Yet Another:
I’m hope you’re getting paid to be the corporate stooge. Otherwise, it’s actually depressing.
Yet Another
@Zach:
If they’re paying you more to be a trollish c*nt, then I’d gladly switch.
Can’t someone just like their products and their policies without their intelligence being in question? I guarantee you I’m more qualified to discuss the technical and political issues than most of these commenters based on their posts. I love my iPhone. I’ve owned every one and jailbroken everyone. So most of these concerns arent issues for me. I like playing in Apple’s wall garden because I know what to expect. And when I want something more, I go out and get it myself, not complain that apple wont give it to me.
From what I can tell, everyone here saying Apple doesn’t let them do what they want is really complaining that Apple won’t do what they want for them. Everything you want to do with your iPhone, iPod or iPad, you can do. But since that’s not the product Apple advertises and sells, you have to take steps to make it what you want.
If you’re not technologically adept to do it, maybe you should be looking a less sophisticated device.
[/fanboy]
Zach
@Yet Another:
I don’t buy Apple products, and try to ensure other people don’t buy them if they come to me for tech advice. As you said, you like the limitations Apple imposes on you, but I let people know that there’s going to be a wall, and that they’re not going to like it when they see it. However, because of corporate kapos such as yourself, it’s become increasingly difficult. But again, the fact that you don’t get paid to shill is depressing. Are you really that hard up for a life that you voluntarily promote a multibillion dollar tech company? What, not enough content to consume?
Phil
Yet Another, off with your high horse! You are still paying a company that wants to control your content, and whether or not you can sidestep that now is a matter of competence and not intent. Eventually they will figure out how to stop you from escaping their limitations. And you will be the one who supported it.
Steve
I’m sure they are just trying to please multiple audiences, and also taking (or at least anticipating) heat from the “Christian” or “family” organizations. But, without the experience of history, they repeat the same errors that publishers and distributors have made many times.
History is clear. Censoring content gets book (aka, content) distributors in trouble. Censors cannot make everyone happy. In the past, they have always ended up just making everyone mad at them. The puritans get mad because the distributor doesn’t censor enough. The heathens get mad because they censor too much. There is just no way to please everyone.
It would make more sense for them to have something like movie ratings. R or X for things that parents wouldn’t want their children to see. G for things in the “children” section. Labeling solves a lot of problems, by allowing each audience to avoid the things they don’t want to see, and also to find the things they do want.
Yet Another
@Phil:
Get off of yours.
Apple has been fight jailbreaks since this started. The iOS 4 is already jailbroken and it hasnt been released yet. So I’ll worry about that bridge when it comes to it.
I love Apple’s iOS devices. And I like discussing them with others whether the agree or not. Whether or not that makes me a shill is meaningless to me. This is a discussion forum. Right now we’re discussing Apple. My posts have been relevent and salient. I participate in several threads. This time I happen to be in an apparent minority. I’m fine with that.
Philip A.
Who wanna get fucked by Steve Jobs? Raise your hand! (either Left or Right)