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Monkey Island Creator Slams Corporate Control Over Game Publishing
An anonymous reader writes "Ron Gilbert, co-creator of classic games Maniac Mansion, Monkey Island 1 and 2, and many more, has spoken out against corporate censorship — the way of large companies getting a say on what does or does not get published on the distribution channels they control. Although his insightful rant applies to a number of corporations (Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo and Comcast are mentioned), most of the direct examples single out Apple. Quoting: 'Apple has maintained an almost North Koreanish dictatorial control over the devices, becoming the arbitrator over what is good and bad, what is allowed and not allowed. They don't have this control over the Mac because it is a real computer and an open device, but they can do this with the iPhone because we (as consumers) were convinced by the cell phone carriers that they needed this control to protect their networks (in the same way they wouldn't let us own our own telephones in the '70s) and Apple was happy to jump on that ship because they could finally control everything that went on the device and we bought it into it. Apple apologists say that Apple needs this control to maintain the "specialness" of the device. I say that's a load of crap.'" He also mentions Adidas dropping out of iAds because they couldn't accept Apple's excessive creative control, and a photography app that was rejected because it used the volume buttons as trigger."
What did Nintendo learn? Wii is one of the locked-down devices of the current generation consoles. They have strict rules for developers (need to be a formed company having an office and good amount of staff and financial ability) and they are strict about adult games.
Even 360 and PS3 are more indie-friendly.
While it is true that Nintendo isn't that indie friendly, they are the most friendly out of the 3 when it comes to homebrew development.
and they are strict about adult games.
[Citation needed] Nintendo is no more strict about "adult" games than Sony or Microsoft is. The reason why you don't see a huge amount of mature titles for the Wii is more self-censorship and studios reluctant to spend a lot of money developing a game for what is seen as a "kiddy" console.
Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
Europe has its own lock-in problems
- not in cellphones but other areas. Like DAB radio and DVB television that has limited space, and therefore allows governments to block people from setting-up their own private stations. For example you probably won't find TBN over there (a small religious broadcaster) or MINDtv (independent liberal station) or Rush Limbaugh Show (talk jock) or Megahertz (retransmits news from China, Russia, India, and so on). Because there's not enough space on the multiplex, they are "disapproved" from both DAB or DVB.
So for every advantage the EU has, it also has some disadvantages too. Lock-out.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
Perhaps you should be modded informative.
My wife has 'instructed' me to purchase an ipad for our upcoming 5 week Europe holiday.
I said this morning, 'It's rather expensive at $AU1k', wouldn't you rather a portable pc.
She countered with saying it's all about the app store and how cheap the entertainment is (we have 3 young kids)
I could see her point. From a 'normal' consumers point of view, the Apple App store is brilliant and the control they wield there creates a great product for the masses.
Sure, tree hugging developers might get upset, but they can play with the mess that is becoming the android app space, you can publish any crap/greatness (including malicious) you like. When lazy & evil people abound, freedom to publish does not create utopia.
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I don't know why you are complaining. You should try posting an anti-Apple comment some time. It goes down in flames in a matter of minutes.
That brings me to an interesting point, / . is just "the ramblings of socially-inept, technology-literate news-mongers".
My point exactly. When politicians seek power to take away our freedom, people like you would willfully vote that right away. Just like you freely voted your right away to purchase apps from other appstores on your phone from any *vendor* other than Apple. Willful submission.
I've been thinking about it. Yup, you're blowhard who doesn't understand the nature of liberty. You want the tyranny of telling other people how they must exercise their own. Hypocrite.
Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
Put yourself in Apple's shoes. They have to walk a very tight line of liability; getting bad press for "Shake the Baby" iPhone apps and being legally liable in places like Germany for any X-rated app on the phone, getting bad relationships with carriers for hogging bandwidth (let alone if there were bittorrent apps in the app store), trying to prevent people unlocking their phones and breaking the contract, trying to learn from Nokia's mistakes and prevent viruses from spreading through iPhones, and trying to prevent piracy of apps. Allowing ad-hoc distribution of apps is just begging for malware and viruses and spyware, like what Android is now feeling the pain and bad rep from.
Apple has come a long way from a "No apps allowed (but we'll turn a blind eye to jailbreaking)," to "almost all apps allowed, >95% approved, and we have codified rules and an appeals process." It's easy to whine about how Apple doesn't do what you want, but if you were in their shoes, what decision could you make that didn't worsen any of the problems up above?
Bear in mind that one big slipup and Apple will be relegated to forever third-place. If you opened the App Store to any app whatsoever, it will lead to massive user data theft because of the now-popular Farmvi11e and other trojan apps, Apple will be sued for millions of dollars and the brand will be tarnished. Allow unlimited background apps, and the battery life will plummet and people will blame Apple and your brand will be stained. If you make jailbreaking easier and piracy overflows on the iPhones, developers will leave the platform. Apple DOES understand the gripes and is working on it. You can provision your app for 100 devices, and distribute enterprise apps outside of the app store. Apple finally allowed background support where its needed and did some tricks to keep battery life good and the user experience nice.
From the article:
Aaaaand that's where you lost me. Beaten Wife Syndrome: if you keep going back for more, after a while you have to take some responsibility for enabling the whuppings.
To aggravate the impression: the said "Beaten Wife" still obstinately claims he's an adult (4 times).
What's so hard to understand? You hate this enough to vent your frustration in public, maybe it's a sign you need to make your choice instead of wingeing the way a frustrated kid does. What's next: a tantrum?
Questions raise, answers kill. Raise questions to stay alive.
I like it. I see an apple sticker I think fantastic another person I don’t have to deal with IT questions from. That’s Mr Jobs job now. He will most likely just tell them "no" or "hold it differently" or "that'll be $360 more dollars" but that turtle neck stops all the complaining I used to have to put up with. If only there was a way for apple to be more restrictive I’m sure Steve thought it was idiot proof but I’m still getting stupid questions. Was the iphone 4 webcam built to only allow iphans to talk to iphans, or to protect the rest of us from video calls from them?
Rocket Surgeon.