Doh!

I'm not much of a tech geek, so I could really give a whip about who comes out on top of the Microsoft versus Apple battle. However, despite the fact that my iPod is still one of the coolest things that I own, I hold with utter conviction that Apple rides the short bus to business school.

Don't believe me? Here is how they've handled their flagship product:

There are likely some red faces at Apple Computer.

Apple took too long to file a patent on part of its blockbuster I-Pod music players, so Microsoft jumped in and beat Apple to it.

Tech pundits are snickering at the prospect of Apple having to pay Bill Gates big royalties on the hugely popular I-Pods, which account for more than a-third of Apple's revenue.

Of course, in actuality, Apple will gain the patent that they rightfully deserve, but this does reenforce the stereotype, to some extent, of their image as a business lightweight compared to Microsoft.

This is the business equivalent of getting depantsed in front the entire school; no long-term damage, but everyone got to see your Aquaman underoos.