Apple Inc (AAPL)

[langostino]

Earth to Altaire

I understand the basis of your rant about WalMart and Dell and outsourcing. What I don't understand is how you think Apple's any different than Dell. Are you really unaware that Apple's iBooks and Powerbooks are assembled in the very same plants by the very same Far East companies that assemble notebooks for Dell, Acer, etc.??

Sounds to me like you really need to spend a little time acquainting yourself with Apple's source suppliers, contract manufacturers, etc. Dell doesn't cut out any middlemen. Apple has the exact same supply chain structure.

I'm sorry, but to me the whole mode of assuming Apple is automatically different and superior, then just inventing rationalizations that fit your desired outcome just rubs me the wrong way in a big way. Why not bring information to the board instead of disinformation?

As to why a corporation would divest itself of a truly profitable business, are you asking me to offer a course in remedial corporate finance? Not gonna happen. But trust me, corporations divesting profitable businesses happens all the time and there are myriad reasons why.

Incidentally, you are literally the first person I've ever heard diss on the ThinkPads, which are damned fine notebooks, Windows notwithstanding. Over the years they've incorporated more true innovations than the Apple laptop lineup. But since you've probably never bothered to get acquainted with them, you wouldn't know that, would you?