By Michael Eggebrecht
Apple's Steve Jobs isn't timid about making enemies. He's long been a fan of the cutting remark and the cutthroat maneuver.
So why is it that if you work for -- or head up -- one of Apple's competitors or sparring partners, it's almost required that you mix in compliments with your complaints about the company? Probably because it's hard not to respect Jobs' track record, even if you don't necessarily approve of what he's doing, or the effect it's having on the tech landscape.
And it's difficult to completely despise a company that has placed such a priority on user experience. Let's face it: Apple makes some pretty tempting products. As Melinda Gates, Bill Gates' wife, noted in an interview with Vogue last year, "Every now and then I look at my friends and say, 'Ooh, I wouldn't mind having that iPhone.'"
Still, there's a thin line between love and hate, as demonstrated by comments from a handful of power players at some of Apple's rivals.
