In Online Freedom of Speech versus Apple's Steve 'iRule' Jobs, the winnahs are .....

Bloggers!

For the moment, anyway.

Apple has been ordered to pay $700,000 in legal costs associated with its attempts to us the American legal system to force web sites which revealed details of Apple's never-released Asteroid FireWire break-out box.

"Hopefully, Apple will think twice the next time it considers a campaign to bully the little guy into submission," MacNN has Kasper Jade, publisher of AppleInsider, saying.

Don't count on it, Kasper. As the story points out, Apple withdrew, but it did so "without prejudice," meaning it can re-file any time it wants.

Apple claimed reports by AppleInsider.com and PowerPage.org violated California state trade secret law and that the journalists weren't entitled to First Amendment protections, says the story, going on, "However, following an appeals decision last year that strongly sided with the journalists, the Court ordered Apple to pay all legal costs associated with the defense, including a 2.2 times multiplier of the actual fees."

The EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation), which fought the case, received $425,000 with the balance going to co-counsel Richard Wiebe and Tom Moore, says MacNN, adding:

"Separately, Apple has sued another Mac enthusiast site Think Secret, alleging that postings on the site contain Apple trade secrets."

. Slashdot it!

Also See:
never-released Asteroid - New Apple Asteroid trouble, September 13, 2005
MacNN - Apple pays $700,000 for bloggers' legal fees, January 29, 2007