Representatives at Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple did not return phone calls seeking comment. The low-profile settlement came in sharp contrast to the intense interest generated last August when Apple sued "worker bee" as an unnamed individual for allegedly misappropriating Apple's trade secrets. Apple then obtained a court order forcing Yahoo to turn over records in an effort to identify "worker bee." The postings of "worker bee" to various Mac sites and to a Yahoo GeoCities Web site started in February 2000. The postings offered details on several upcoming Apple products, including iBooks, the Power Mac G4 and the Pro Mouse. When the lawsuit was first filed, legal experts speculated that Apple's main purpose was probably to find out who was leaking the secrets rather than to collect damages.