[NTLK] OT: was C64 on app store? now Is IBM evil?

Riccardo Mori rick at newted.org
Wed Sep 22 22:51:58 EDT 2010


quoth James Fraser:

>> In a statement, Apple said, “Apple’s goal has always been to insure that >our customers have a great experience with their iPhone and we know that >jailbreaking can severely degrade the experience."
> 
> Well, I suppose it can, potentially.  However, does Apple -really believe- that people jailbreak their phones with the goal of -degrading-, rather than enhancing, their user experience?

People jailbreak their iPhones for many reasons, but from what I've seen, few of them know _exactly_ what they're doing. Maybe they want to try some app a friend recommended and it's only available outside of the App Store. Or try some 'cool' customisation of the UI. The point is: some people _try to_ enhance their user experience by jailbreaking, but I guess Apple knows their devices better than them, and warns that their experience might end up being degrading and disappointing. Apple has never been 'scared' by the jailbreaks because it happens on iPhones that have already been sold. But there are also people who have jailbroken their iPhones and then, noticing some performance hiccups or unexpected results, blamed Apple for that. And that's unfair.
 
> I love this quote from Kevin McCarthy:
> 
> "Walled Gardens are beautiful, until you want to play Frisbee or rearrange the lawn furniture. Then you risk running afoul of the Groundskeepers."
> 
> I'll admit it might not be every day that you want to play Frisbee or start messing with lawn furniture, but it's nice to have the option available for then the mood -does- take you.

All this talk about 'control', about this Evil Orwellian Apple -- with due respect -- makes me chuckle. No one is forcing you guys to buy Apple products. No one is taking Choice away. No one forces you into a Walled Garden. You choose to go there or not. If you go there -- as a user or a developer -- you know there are rules and that is a somewhat controlled enviroment. ('Somewhat' because, let's be honest: hundreds of thousands of approved apps, all kinds of apps, from stupid to useless, from funny to brilliant, from crappy to amazing. It's a Walled Garden, yes, but undoubtedly enormous in size.)

I have used Apple products since 1988, and I've always preferred them over the competition because of the user experience, because of the design (and I'm not referring to aesthetics here), because they helped me work better and more efficiently. I've never felt I was losing control over them. Not with Macs, and not with my iPhone. No one forced me to install iPhone apps I didn't want. I'm aware that all the 90 apps I've purchased on the App Store these past 2 years were all applications that had to be approved before being released on the App Store, and I'm fine with that because if a developer creates something useful, well-designed, well-implemented, his/her app _will_ enter the App Store. 

Many have brought up the walled garden image, and I see their point, but have you seen the alternatives? Have you seen the competition? Me neither: where is it? Where is the great Other-App-Store that is so successful because anyone can do what they please, can publish whatever buggy application written overnight, and end users rejoyce because of the amazing, enhancing user experience?

It's a pity there's no real competition there, because that would push Apple to do even better. Competition is always healthy.

There is no Apple loyalty or fanaticism behind my words. I just believe that one has the choice to try different things and to stick with what works best for him/her. In my case, I've chosen Apple. And I feel that no one is 'controlling' my iPhone but me. In the very moment something happens that makes me lose that feeling, I will certainly consider trying other phones. 

To close in-topic, when a better PDA shows up, I'll stop using my Newtons. I don't think that'll happen soon, though :)
 

Cheers
Rick



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