by Paul Jay, CBC News online

A week ago the tech world was abuzz after Wired reported Harry McCracken had quit his job as editor-in-chief of PC World magazine, allegedly because the company's CEO tried to kill a story critical about Apple Inc.

The article, entitled "Ten Things We Hate About Apple" was allegedly spiked while still in draft form by CEO Colin Crawford, the former CEO of MacWorld. McCracken who had been the editor of PC World for 12 years and had worked at publisher International Data Group for 16 years told CNet he left over disagreements with management but declined to discuss the reasons. Crawford denied the allegations of advertising interference in his blog. The link to that entry is gone now, but here's a cached version.

Now, in an odd turn-around, it appears PC World has decided to run the piece after all.

The piece and an accompanying article entitled Ten Things We Love about Apple were posted on the magazine's website on Monday, with an introduction acknowledging the controversy.

It read in part,

By now, you may have heard something about a couple of articles we've been planning about Apple and its products. We sure have.

Both pieces were written by PC World staffers Alan Stafford and Narasu Rebbapragada, who have been around Apple products long enough, in both their personal and professional lives, to have their share of criticisms and compliments for the company's stuff. And both were meant as silly little conversation-starters originally inspired by the "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" ads not weighty journalism.

Interestingly, while PC World says the controversy was over "a couple of articles we hadn't even published," none of the original stories on CNet, Wired or the LA Times make any mention of the Ten Things We Love about Apple story.

We're just sayin'.

As for the story on things the writers hate about Apple, the criticisms aren't exactly earth-shattering. Evidently the writers are down on DRM on iTunes, the lack of gaming options, the company's secretive nature and its unwillingness to admit its mistakes.

As we've already pointed out, there are far worse things you could say about Apple, should you be so inclined.

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