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VLC Developer Takes a Stand Against DRM Enforcement
jamie writes "The GPL gives Apple permission to distribute this software through the App Store. All they would have to do is follow the license's conditions to help keep the software free. Instead, Apple has decided that they prefer to impose Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) and proprietary legal terms on all programs in the App Store, and they'd rather kick out GPLed software than change their own rules."
Completely agree - this is nonsense. If the VLC authors truly considered their application as free then it would be distributed under BSD not GPL.
Tesla was a genius. Edison however was a overrated hack who liked to torture puppies.
Apple fanboys try to accuse everyone else of piracy. "Shock and awe".
Apple fanboys try to cast anything not bought from Apple as pirated. "Shock and awe".
A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
Free software has a set of rules and it works. App Store has a different set of rules and it works. Participate in either as you see fit. Don't try and change one into the other. I am tired of this kind of totalitarianism coming from free software people, demanding other people embrace their ideology. Apple didn't trick you into submitting an app. In the same way that you should agree to comply with the GPL license if you want to use some GPL code, you should comply with App Store licensing if you want to use App Store. Or don't participate if you can't play by the rules. Don't show up to a baseball game in your hockey gear and demand to play.
Apple participates in free and open source software in many cases and they give a lot and they get a lot. They have also created a commercial market for "pop apps" where that make sense, and enabled many, many people who have never before installed and used native software to do so. We don't have to wonder if its success is based on the way it is structured, because we have Android Market to look at, where piracy has destroyed the ability of software developers to fund their projects.
In short: STFU.
So you want to be able to leach off others' code but not let anyone leach from you?
" Apple is acting as a reseller here, so they are the ones infringing."
No, they aren't.
Apple requires that submitted apps be compatible with App Store distribution, including DRM.
The submitter of the app misrepresented it as being compatible with Apple's distribution scheme, including DRM.
Thus, Apple can not be held responsible.
Freetards are being idiots, as usual.
September 2011: Looking for Cocoa/iOS work in Boston area Cocoa Programmer Quincy, MA
"And Apple misrepresented that submission as being compliant with Apple's distribution scheme"
Uh, no. They took the submitter's word for it. Get a clue.
September 2011: Looking for Cocoa/iOS work in Boston area Cocoa Programmer Quincy, MA