@ Michael:

"rather than just emailing each other as Violet Blue suggested Shawn King should have done)"

I don't recall Violet suggesting that but, even if she had, it would have been too late - I had already published emails from both of the women involved before Violet posted her "Fanboys" column.

"you all have dismissed the idea of a core group of Apple loving enthusiasts who get incredibly and unreasonably defensive about Apple products."

Not at all. We call them "MacMacs" and we all agree they are typical of *any* fanatics - at the least mildly annoying and at the most, potential dangerous. But the story had *nothing* to do with "fanboys" until Violet Blue made it about that.

"I think it's a shame that it goes on as long as it does."

Perhaps but intelligent discussions like these and others are always a good thing.

"the tech industry requires women to go above and beyond just to be considered equal"

Damn near every industry "requires" that. Pointless to single out the tech industry.

@ Chuck:
"don't for one second think that it means anything if I'm not familiar with your work before now!"

Oh, not at all. I'm not one of those "Don't you know who I am!?" people. I'm always surprised when people *do* recognize me - outside of police stations...

"I didn't mean to make you look like an asshole, just more to, well, make an example of you. (Is that better or worse? I can't tell)."

The same. :)

"In retrospect, comparing you to Michael Moore was a really low blow, though. "

It really was…..asshole…

:)

"I don't think King was particularly aggressive or vitriolic in this case "

And, to be fair, I was writing on a website called "The Four *Misanthropes*…." Aggression and vitriol are kinda a given. :)