The Apple Of My Eye

It was tough for me to find a side to root for in this lawsuit:

Beatles Lose Suit Against Apple Computers

By JENNIFER QUINN
Associated Press Writer

May 8, 2006, 9:27 AM EDT

LONDON -- Apple Computer Inc. is entitled to use the apple logo on its iTunes Music Store, a judge ruled Monday, rejecting a suit filed by Apple Corps Ltd., the guardian of The Beatles' commercial interests.

Apple Corps, which claimed that the computer company had broken a 1991 agreement in which each side agreed not to enter into the other's field of business, said it would appeal.

I love the Beatles. I love Apple computers. On balance, I think Apple is right, but damn, it's hard as an artist to think of how close to copyright infringment Apple skated here. This is something I expected Micro$oft to do, not the good guys.

Still, Apple's logo and subsequent marketing as a business have long been under scrutiny by the Beatles, and I'm sure that in no way will this lawsuit make the Beatles sit up and start offering their music through iTunes. I expect the opposite is true, now.

In a perfect world, Steve Jobs would come together with Apple Corps and negotiate a side deal for Beatles' music on iTunes which would allow people to download their music, and give the Beatles a bigger slice of the revenues. Sort of, "We won, but we recognize the boost your name gave our business all these decades and we owe you."

Once there was a way to get back home...