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TechCrunch blogger Michael Arrington received what he called a "nastygram" from Apple's legal team after posting a video demonstration of the company's new operating system Mac OS X 10.5. Arrington, a former lawyer, says they're barking up the wrong tube.

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On his other blog, CrunchNotes, Arrington ignored the austere big-lettered warning "NOT FOR POSTING" and published the email from O'Melveny & Myers' Ian Ramage.

In the email, Ramage complained that the software demonstrated in the video had not been released to the public and must have been the result of a developer's violation of his confidentiality agreement.

The email concludes, in that wholly unpleasant litigious manner, with Apple's demands:

Apple therefore requests that you remove this video from your website and take steps to prevent any further distribution of videos or screenshots of Apple software without Apple's authorization. If you are represented by counsel, please provide me with the identity of that counsel.
It's that last line that makes you flinch. But Arrington, unmoved, responded that not only did the video in question come from YouTube, in which case the attorney should contact them, but also that the supposed secret operating system was video previewed on Apple's site as well.

Details, details.

Though the Arrington crowd largely takes his side. A few are not so sure he can't be held liable anyway, even if the video in question came from YouTube.

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Jason L. Miller is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business.