Amen to all of the things you said. I'm struggling right now with the capricious nature of the review process. My app is a gesture based music player with larger fonts, designed to make using your iPhone/touch in the car much safer. It was approved at the OS 3.0 launch, but a few bugs cropped up at the last second. I submitted a bug fix three days later, but it *still* hasn't been posted. Last week Apple rejected the update claiming it duplicates the functionality of the iPod app without sufficient differentiation. Really? Then how come you didn't pull the app completely (instead of just blocking the update)? And since when has the iPod music player offered gesture based navigation to change songs, etc? And why'd you approve it in the first place? Give me a break. I love Apple, but this has GOT to change. I keep hoping it's just because they're overloaded, but let's hire more people already!
I totally agree. Although my initial app submission was approved relatively quickly, I've had some pending bug fixes for over three weeks now to address the occasional glitch. Then they turn around and reject the update citing the dreaded "Your application duplicates the functionality of the built-in iPhone application iPod without providing sufficient differentiation or added functionality, which will lead to user confusion." Then why'd you approve it in the first place? Oddly enough, they didn't reject the app completely, it's still available, just the update. I've appealed of course, but... The worst part is there's no-one you can TALK to. It's email only, which they may or may not answer. Arg!
And I suppose that you're similarly boycotting Blu-Ray discs, HDTV tuners, HD DVRs and anything else that uses HDMI? Because if not, that's hypocritical. This DRM is nothing more than HDCP and anything using HDMI has it.
Yes, in the past there have been a lot of "snake oil" devices but that doesn't mean that every device is a scam. The possibility exists that some might actually make a difference. We just have to rely on validatable testing so we can decide what is a scam and what will work.
Very true. Perhaps the crackpots behind all those snake oil claims actually had a good idea, but lacked the scientific and engineering prowess to actually make it work? And now someone who does has actually done it now? After all, how many of the hi-tech items we have now came from the minds of sci-fi writers who inspired future engineers to make it happen?
Putting aside the issue of whether EULAs are moral or enforceable, this is from Apple's Leopard EULA:
This License allows you to install, use and run one (1) copy of the Apple Software on a single Apple-labeled computer at a time. You agree not to install, use
or run the Apple Software on any non-Apple-labeled computer, or to enable others to do so.
One could argue that in order to test such a product, they must have installed OS X, which requires them to "accept" this EULA which they promptly violated by installing on a PC. Then, apparently, to sell the device ALSO violates the EULA they "accepted". So, they're doubly screwed. If the EULA were to be held up in court, Apple most certainly COULD stop these guys.
Of course, that's just my opinion, I'm no lawyer...
the next programming test I take, I'm insisting I bring a laptop, have emacs and gcc at my disposal. I mean, I do NOT write code on whiteboards with markers in my real job, why should I have to put up with that in an interview?...
Amen, brother! The last two interviews I had (with *MAJOR* name companies no less) asked me to do just that -- none others in my 16 year development history have ever asked that. It's insane! I did not get the jobs, and I totally blame the whiteboad.
I would love to get my magazines on the iPhone and carry them around with me for whenever I have some downtime. A iPhone version of Zinio Reader? Perhaps when the SDK comes out? Here's hoping...
...only one of which was actually annoying (in the garden level there is a hole in the wall that you can't pass through until you get further through the plot... Ah yes, I did run into that one. Forgot about it though. As for the others, I guess I never tried to jump where it didn't make sense to jump.:)
There are invisible walls everywhere, many of them extremely obvious. Literally? Or did you mean figuratively? I finished the whole game and never noticed any "invisible walls"... Can you give some examples? I'm curious what you're talking about.
Clearly spoken by someone who is not an Apple customer. While what you say is true for many markets, it is historically NOT true for Apple. Their products never really drop in price. They introduce new models and slide everything else down, yes (consistently every 6, 9 or 12 months), but their overall price lineup remains more or less constant. Their products NEVER go on sale. It is this historical trust that has been violated here. They did not introduce a new model iPhone that slid ours down the scale, and even if they had it would be WAY ahead of schedule, this was just a straight up price cut - a practically unprecented event in the Apple world. That is why so many of us felt violated. There's just a "way things are done" in the Apple world, and they've deviated from that significantly here.
Granted. They probably just weren't thinking about a possible negative reaction. Using Google Checkout for refunds makes sense because they no longer have to worry about expired or cancelled credit cards, etc. Not to mention, by keeping the money all in house, it would cost them less. They probably figured all the Google Fanboys were already using Checkout anyway.:) At least they admit they screwed up. And keeping BOTH refunds? Wow. Extremely generous.
What is "innate fear"? I would suggest that in fact, no such thing exists. Instead, virtually all fear is learned. Even the amorphous entity called "fear of the unknown" is simply a result of having spent time on Planet Earth and correctly learned that the unknown can kill you.
I make this claim based on my having raised two daughters. As infants and toddlers, they have no fear whatsoever: just endless simian curiosity. This is why parents have to child-proof the house, since no 18-month old yet has a fear of electrical outlets nor running ovens. These are things that a child must be taught to fear. Want to know what innate fear is? Next time you have an infant or toddler, go grab yourself a big, mean, snarling dog and set your child near it. That is an innate fear reaction.
The company I work for makes fraud detection tools for private industry. Some of the clients we're talking to now are NOT private industry, if you know what I mean. I daren't say anymore though, I like my job.
Slashdot Mirror
Amen to all of the things you said. I'm struggling right now with the capricious nature of the review process. My app is a gesture based music player with larger fonts, designed to make using your iPhone/touch in the car much safer. It was approved at the OS 3.0 launch, but a few bugs cropped up at the last second. I submitted a bug fix three days later, but it *still* hasn't been posted. Last week Apple rejected the update claiming it duplicates the functionality of the iPod app without sufficient differentiation. Really? Then how come you didn't pull the app completely (instead of just blocking the update)? And since when has the iPod music player offered gesture based navigation to change songs, etc? And why'd you approve it in the first place? Give me a break. I love Apple, but this has GOT to change. I keep hoping it's just because they're overloaded, but let's hire more people already!
Shameless plug:
FlickTunes (website)
FlickTunes (iTunes)
Crap, sorry. Typo in the website link. That should be:
FlickTunes (website)
And yes, I did preview, just didn't test my own link. Doh.
I totally agree. Although my initial app submission was approved relatively quickly, I've had some pending bug fixes for over three weeks now to address the occasional glitch. Then they turn around and reject the update citing the dreaded "Your application duplicates the functionality of the built-in iPhone application iPod without providing sufficient differentiation or added functionality, which will lead to user confusion." Then why'd you approve it in the first place? Oddly enough, they didn't reject the app completely, it's still available, just the update. I've appealed of course, but... The worst part is there's no-one you can TALK to. It's email only, which they may or may not answer. Arg!
Here's my shameless plug:
FlickTunes (website)
FlickTunes (iTunes link)
Man, this just sounds like some kind of sick April Fool's joke! But it's June...
Similarly, there's the tweak section on Broadband Reports: http://www.dslreports.com/tweaks
Option #2 (EECB) does work, though sometimes hard to find the addresses. I've done it with Gateway and got an immediate call back the next morning.
And I suppose that you're similarly boycotting Blu-Ray discs, HDTV tuners, HD DVRs and anything else that uses HDMI? Because if not, that's hypocritical. This DRM is nothing more than HDCP and anything using HDMI has it.
Very true. Perhaps the crackpots behind all those snake oil claims actually had a good idea, but lacked the scientific and engineering prowess to actually make it work? And now someone who does has actually done it now? After all, how many of the hi-tech items we have now came from the minds of sci-fi writers who inspired future engineers to make it happen?
One could argue that in order to test such a product, they must have installed OS X, which requires them to "accept" this EULA which they promptly violated by installing on a PC. Then, apparently, to sell the device ALSO violates the EULA they "accepted". So, they're doubly screwed. If the EULA were to be held up in court, Apple most certainly COULD stop these guys.
Of course, that's just my opinion, I'm no lawyer...
Oops. Yes they did: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/APPLE_IPHONE_FIX?SITE=NYSAR&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
MOD PARENT UP EVEN MORE.
WTF? He's right, it's 2.0.2, not 2.0.1 and nobody official ever said it was intended to fix the 3G reception issues.
Amen, brother! The last two interviews I had (with *MAJOR* name companies no less) asked me to do just that -- none others in my 16 year development history have ever asked that. It's insane! I did not get the jobs, and I totally blame the whiteboad.
I'm with you. As long as said watermarks don't interfere with my enjoyment of the content, I'm 100% ok with it.
Me too. It's been great so far.
Sure, it might be copyrighted inherently, but clearly the public posting of source code in a self-help forum provides an implied license to use...
I would love to get my magazines on the iPhone and carry them around with me for whenever I have some downtime. A iPhone version of Zinio Reader? Perhaps when the SDK comes out? Here's hoping...
Perhaps, but it certainly warrants further attempts...
Um, duh. I've been using Eclipse on Mac for two years now...
...only one of which was actually annoying (in the garden level there is a hole in the wall that you can't pass through until you get further through the plot... Ah yes, I did run into that one. Forgot about it though. As for the others, I guess I never tried to jump where it didn't make sense to jump.Clearly spoken by someone who is not an Apple customer. While what you say is true for many markets, it is historically NOT true for Apple. Their products never really drop in price. They introduce new models and slide everything else down, yes (consistently every 6, 9 or 12 months), but their overall price lineup remains more or less constant. Their products NEVER go on sale. It is this historical trust that has been violated here. They did not introduce a new model iPhone that slid ours down the scale, and even if they had it would be WAY ahead of schedule, this was just a straight up price cut - a practically unprecented event in the Apple world. That is why so many of us felt violated. There's just a "way things are done" in the Apple world, and they've deviated from that significantly here.
Granted. They probably just weren't thinking about a possible negative reaction. Using Google Checkout for refunds makes sense because they no longer have to worry about expired or cancelled credit cards, etc. Not to mention, by keeping the money all in house, it would cost them less. They probably figured all the Google Fanboys were already using Checkout anyway. :) At least they admit they screwed up. And keeping BOTH refunds? Wow. Extremely generous.
The company I work for makes fraud detection tools for private industry. Some of the clients we're talking to now are NOT private industry, if you know what I mean. I daren't say anymore though, I like my job.
Sad, when actually doing a good job is considered funny, isn't it?