Steve Jobs has been dead three years, but his words live on -- and continue to be used against him.
Emails sent by Jobs have surfaced once again in a class action lawsuit brought against Apple (AAPL) for making iTunes the exclusive store for iPod music. Jobs' emails are characteristically frank, which could hurt Apple.
Jobs' famous candor wasn't limited to face-to-face encounters. His brusque manner translated to email as well. That's unusual for modern CEOs, who are trained to exercise restraint in emails. Those words can easily be entered as evidence in a trial.
Either Jobs didn't get that message -- or he didn't care. These 10 emails from Apple's co-founder reveal the stern, outspoken and often witty personality that made him one of the most charismatic CEOs of his era.
10) To Apple executives about preventing a rival service from being compatible with the iPod
"We need to make sure that when Music Match launches their download music store they cannot use iPod. Is this going to be an issue?"
9) To an eager college journalist who was dumbfounded that Apple's media relations team hadn't replied to her
"Please leave us alone."
8) To NewsCorp (NWS) executive James Murdoch, who oversees HarperCollins -- an Amazon (AMZN) rival that was trying to raise the prices of ebooks
"Throw in with Apple and see if we can all make a go of this to create a real mainstream e-books market at $12.99 and $14.99."
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7) To Apple's HR chief after learning that Google (GOOG) had fired a recruiter who was poaching Apple employees -- something the companies had conspired not to do
" :-) "
6) To Palm CEO Ed Colligan after the company refused to reverse its decision to poach an Apple employee
"I'm sure you realize the asymmetry in the financial resources of our respective companies. My advice is to take a look at our patent portfolio before you make a final decision here."
5) To an advertiser who told Jobs he was being a "jerk" about mobile ads
"You are a super salesperson, by the way."
4) A bullet in an email outlining Apple's 2011 strategy
"2011: Holy War with Google"
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3) To a Mac owner whose computer got wet and was having no luck with Apple Care replacing his laptop
"This is what happens when your MacBook Pro sustains water damage. They are pro machines and they don't like water. It sounds like you're just looking for someone to get mad at other than yourself."
2) To the makers of the app iPodRip, which Apple threatened with a lawsuit
"Change your apps name. Not that big of a deal."
1) Response to an iPhone 4 owner who was a victim of "Antennagate"
"Just avoid holding it that way."
