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As his three-year legal battle with Apple reaches a settled end, Nick Ciarelli, the writer behind Think Secret, states that shutting down the Mac rumor site while not revealing his sources is a "positive solution for both sides." Most people aren't buying it, blaming Apple for shutting down Think Secret. Which is exactly why it is a positive result for Ciarelli.

Mac fanatics don't let you walk away from the life of Apple rumors easily — like a gang, you're expected to be in it for life. But let's be honest: Think Secret hasn't been the same since Apple threatened the blog three years ago. The rumors haven't been as sharp, and the competition now comes from professional publications and Wall Street stock analysts, all of whom have come to see the Mac rumor mill as a value generator, not a fun hobby. As a 13 year old compiling rumors under the alias Nick de Plume from his parents' home, Ciarelli was living his dream. In the passing years, I suspect Ciarelli's dream turned into a nightmare.

As a Harvard senior and an editor at the Crimson, Ciarelli must realize it's time to grow up and begin what is surely a promising professional career. He can add to his resume a successful defense of his sources against a big, bad corporation — a feather in de Plume's cap as he enters the job market. Is Think Secret's demise a crying shame, a travesty, an offense against the First Amendment? No. It's just about time.