Hacker News Reader

Non-compete clauses are void in California

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-compete_clause#California

Which should be a strong hint that accomplishing the exact same thing through another route is just as wrong.

Basically all courts agree that the rights of an individual to find employments to support their own needs and their family trumps a company's desire to beat its competitors.

If Apple really were worried about losing secrets, they could have paid for garden leave, e.g. pay employees who leave for 6 months to just stay at home.

Non competes are a legal minefield - and quite hard (and expensive) to enforce