Technology Made Them Sorry: CIO's Top 10 Tech-Induced Apologies
By Kim S. Nash
Unlike love, technology means frequently having to say you're sorry.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg found out about that after users rebelled against Beacon, a program that secretly catches data about members' online shopping and releases it to advertisers. The Gen Y CEO blogged his remorse.
But take heart, young Mark. You follow a long line of men and women who were sorry after some embarrassing technology mishap, or boorish behavior preserved in technology, or both. That includes Seagate's CEO and his porn remark and former U.S. Congressman Mark Foley and his naughty instant messages. JetBlue founder David Neeleman even made a media apology tour—including Letterman—after an IT meltdown stranded flyers. Microsoft may hold the apology record: at least six that we know of, for such sorry-making events as Vista overpromises and the company's infamous "ham sandwich" court filing.
Here, in our humble opinion, are the best (should we say worst?) tech-induced apologies. Click here to add your own.
10. Seagate Does Silicon Valley
At dinner with reporters this year, Bill Watkins, CEO of storage vendor Seagate, talked about his company's place in the world. A
Fortune magazine blogger then gushed about candid remarks from Watkins, whom he described as a "salty-mouthed Texan." Among them:
"Let's face it, we're not changing the world. We're building a product that helps people buy more crap and watch porn." Silicon Valley blog Valleywag
called Watkins a "hero," but some Seagate employees didn't think so. Watkins issued a memo,
which Fortune obtained, saying that although he believes the magazine took his comments out of context, "I am sorry if this has in any way offended anyone. Clearly, I value everyone who works at Seagate."
Source: Seagate
