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Report: Jobs says 'don't be evil' mantra is BS

In a town hall meeting at Apple, CEO Steve Jobs reportedly questions Google's famous mantra and calls Adobe "lazy."

Chris Matyszczyk
2 min read

There is something touching about honesty in business. It's heartening when beyond the tittle and the tattle, true feelings emerge.

So you may be moved to utter something of a titter when I tell you of a report that Apple CEO Steve Jobs last week likened Google's "Don't be evil" mantra to the excreta of a bull.

According to Wired, Jobs held a town hall meeting at Apple last week after unveiling the iPad and fielded questions on many different topics. However, he appears to have saved some of his most deep-seated humor for a company that is increasingly becoming a rival: Google.

Wired reports that Jobs aired some strong perspectives about Google to the assembled throng, saying: "We did not enter the search business. They entered the phone business. Make no mistake they want to kill the iPhone. We won't let them."

Steve Jobs lounges onstage as he unveils the iPad on January 27. James Martin/CNET

Apparently animated by this theme, Jobs reportedly added: "This don't be evil mantra: It's bull****."

But Jobs didn't reserve his lack of reserve for those at the Googleplex. Wired reports that Jobs also lobbed some criticism Adobe's way, describing that company as "lazy." He also reportedly said that the new iPad doesn't have Flash because "whenever a Mac crashes, more often than not, it's because of Flash," Wired quotes him as saying. "No one will be using Flash. The world is moving to HTML5."

Naturally, it will be interesting to see what reactions such comments might elicit from Google or Adobe.

However, there is little doubt that the Apple CEO seems rather keen to establish that he will approach Apple's future with his customary vehemence and that he doesn't consider too many other companies as Apple's friends.