Tonto. Joel taunted Allen to call IOM and verify the fax. See:
techstocks.com
Now please tell me what material difference there is between Allen calling IOM and paraphrasing or reading the fax, and Allen faxing them a copy. Remember, this hatchet fax has no letterhead and no provenance.
It occurs to me that if one wants to keep a secret, one doesn't tell it to anyone. Joel is the one who was under ethical constraint not to divulge the fax's contents, not Allen. Joel broke his confidence. Allen did exactly what Joel taunted him to do.
In 1993, I attended a presentation about a new IBM mainframe facility called XCF. The speaker, who was regurgitating what he heard at a "top secret" IBM presentation, told us, pro forma, not to tell anyone what we were about to hear because IBM told them it was highly confidential and so new it was still on the drawing board. So if word got out it could scotch the whole project and mainframes would die, and that this new facility was the last best hope for mainframes. Yes it was said just like that. There were grins all around the room, because everyone realized that IBM was just priming the rumor pump. They knew the best way to spread a rumor is to call it highly confidential and tell people not to spread it. Joel's disinformation source knows this simple trick too.
Here's a rule of thumb: If you hear a rumor, the more highly confidential it is supposed to be, the more you are expected to help spread it. Joel did his part. Allen just did what any responsible person would do and checked (dare I do it again? no, I won't) the facts.
Happy investing. |
