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Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

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Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#391

Post by sjwright »

realusername wrote: post #390
NeedMoreTea wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For the non-technical majority they are a huge advantage. We're never going to have average users fully technically aware. I well remember the state of Windows during Win 98 and XP where most had no idea what they were downloading, and it seemed every machine had malware, hidden pop ups and 37 IE toolbars. I was constantly asked to clean up friend's machines from the damage done by Kazaa and its associated garbage or…

> I well remember the state of Windows during Win 98 and XP where most had no idea what they were downloading, and it seemed every machine had malware, hidden pop ups and 37 IE toolbars. I was constantly asked to clean up friend's machines from the damage done by Kazaa and its associated garbage or some other drive-by crap. I still prefer that personally than the crippled smartphones.

That's fantastic.

Some people agree with your views and there are products and software distributions in the market to satisfy them. Some people prefer the way Apple does things. Everyone's preferences are being catered for, and that is wonderful.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#392

Post by sjwright »

sakisv wrote: post #222
NeedMoreTea wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For the non-technical majority they are a huge advantage. We're never going to have average users fully technically aware. I well remember the state of Windows during Win 98 and XP where most had no idea what they were downloading, and it seemed every machine had malware, hidden pop ups and 37 IE toolbars. I was constantly asked to clean up friend's machines from the damage done by Kazaa and its associated garbage or…

Maybe I have my nostalgia lenses on, but I think I'd rather have the internet of kazaa era in terms of how things were working. There were viruses? Yes. 37 IE toolbars? Of course! But consider for a moment what we have today instead: Instead of the simple and (comparatively) mostly harmless viruses we now have ransomware. Instead of kazaa installing spyware we have the OS itself trying to phone home. Instead of havin…

Huge nostalgia lenses. It was never that great, and besides there's no going back: the computing model of 15+ years ago simply wouldn't survive contact with the latest sophisticated strategies of malice and manipulation.

The reality is >95% of the population don't want to be, don't know how to be, or simply don't have the spare time to be the systems administrator for all of their technology. The computing model that Apple offers with iOS and the App Store is—in effect—the outsourcing of systems administration to a competent third party.

For most people this is not really any different to outsourcing the maintenance of your house to a cleaning service, or the maintenance of your car to a mechanic, or the minding of your children to a daycare provider. For most people the notion of "computing freedom" is not useful or helpful.

I'm the "computer help guy" for my extended family, and believe me, I am very thankful for Apple's approach because the amount of sysadmin-style assistance I've been asked to provide has absolutely plummeted. For many people who just want to browse the internet, an iPad is way better than a Windows PC. There are people in my family for whom I would fear for their bank accounts if they still used a Windows PC. I don't spend a moment's time worrying about the possibility of malware on their iPads.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#393

Post by sjwright »

matheusmoreira wrote: post #343
NeedMoreTea wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For the non-technical majority they are a huge advantage. We're never going to have average users fully technically aware. I well remember the state of Windows during Win 98 and XP where most had no idea what they were downloading, and it seemed every machine had malware, hidden pop ups and 37 IE toolbars. I was constantly asked to clean up friend's machines from the damage done by Kazaa and its associated garbage or…

As long as real computers don't go extinct, I can agree with this. I don't mind trusted computing; the problem is who owns the keys.

Better that a company like Apple holds the keys to my parents' iPads than my parents. Way better. Waaaaay better.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#394

Post by sjwright »

bluecalm wrote: post #181
bepotts wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a consumer, I love it. I love that I buy an iPhone and Apple doesn't allow any non-trusted binaries to run on my phone, enforces strict style guidelines (the average app just looks better on my iPhone than Android IMO), has one place where all possible apps are, maintains a distribution channels that allows all my apps to be updated easily, and builds hardware and software that is designed to work together. I love…

You could still have app store and side channels. If you want security and Apple stamp of approval just use default app store. If you want cheaper apps, maybe from trustworthy trusted companies, install them as well. Supporting obligatory 30% tax on any developer work makes my blood boil. If Apple model wins it will be a disaster for innovation and salaries. I will never buy or recommended Apple products for this rea…

The moment a consumer-ready side channel is created, a few major brands will decide that delivering their app that way is better than conforming to Apple's rules and the whole security model comes crashing down.

If it can be used by a major brand, some unscrupulous actor will gently guide my parents through whatever convoluted steps are required to enable it for their seemingly useful app loaded with badware.

I'm glad there's no side channel.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#395

Post by pjmlp »

danShumway wrote: post #327
Donzo wrote: post #252

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A website from 1996 will look much the same in a modern version of Chrome. Good luck with your SDKs.

To be fair, browsers aren't always perfect about preserving backwards compatibility for every API. Miles ahead of native, and hundreds of miles ahead of mobile. For the most part, the web is one of the most future-proof platforms you can develop for, if not the most future-proof platform you can develop for. But there's still room to improve.

Pity that it still doesn't provide a fully Delphi like development experience.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#396

Post by pjmlp »

wvenable wrote: post #159
NeedMoreTea wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For the non-technical majority they are a huge advantage. We're never going to have average users fully technically aware. I well remember the state of Windows during Win 98 and XP where most had no idea what they were downloading, and it seemed every machine had malware, hidden pop ups and 37 IE toolbars. I was constantly asked to clean up friend's machines from the damage done by Kazaa and its associated garbage or…

Imagine of Microsoft had a similar store to Apple in 1995 with the same restrictions on downloading and executing external code. The web itself could have been killed in the cradle on day one. The fact that you are here typing this reply right now is entirely because of the state of Windows during 98 and XP. It's a balance between security and freedom. You are arguing for the benefit of security while ignoring the ef…

No, I would be typing this on comp.hackernews on a tiny 300 KB native app instead.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#397

Post by pjmlp »

wvenable wrote: post #223
dunpeal wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The web itself could have been killed in the cradle on day one. The web is such a killer app, that if MS blocked it, it would be a problem for MS, not the web, imho. Also IANAL, but given that MS launched a competing service - The Microsoft Network - this seems like a huge anti-trust issue. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSN_Dial-up The combination of consumer demand for web access + anti-trust would probably crush…

We are talking hypothetical here -- all things being equal. Apple doesn't have anti-trust problems, they've closed off hackers, etc. Apple might not have a monopoly but closed-platform mobile OS is basicaly the whole market. But that's all beside the point, the web was a killer app because it was available. Microsoft could have killed it with the same policies as iOS long before it was ever popular. And not by target…

Internet is bigger than Web browsers and Hypermedia systems are even older.

There is plently of room for inovation.

Emabrace network protocols and native apps.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#398

Post by pjmlp »

sakisv wrote: post #222
NeedMoreTea wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For the non-technical majority they are a huge advantage. We're never going to have average users fully technically aware. I well remember the state of Windows during Win 98 and XP where most had no idea what they were downloading, and it seemed every machine had malware, hidden pop ups and 37 IE toolbars. I was constantly asked to clean up friend's machines from the damage done by Kazaa and its associated garbage or…

Maybe I have my nostalgia lenses on, but I think I'd rather have the internet of kazaa era in terms of how things were working. There were viruses? Yes. 37 IE toolbars? Of course! But consider for a moment what we have today instead: Instead of the simple and (comparatively) mostly harmless viruses we now have ransomware. Instead of kazaa installing spyware we have the OS itself trying to phone home. Instead of havin…

I prefer sandmboxes, stores and containers than having to go through a pile of floppies with anti-virus and still be unsure of how safe they were.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#399

Post by pjmlp »

iknowstuff wrote: post #274
NeedMoreTea wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For the non-technical majority they are a huge advantage. We're never going to have average users fully technically aware. I well remember the state of Windows during Win 98 and XP where most had no idea what they were downloading, and it seemed every machine had malware, hidden pop ups and 37 IE toolbars. I was constantly asked to clean up friend's machines from the damage done by Kazaa and its associated garbage or…

Windows is very different from iOS in that it had no sandbox and its API allowed developers to do everything they wanted. Users unknowingly granted admin privileges to every application they ran. iOS, on the other hand, restricts its apps heavily - they are sandboxed, can't access other apps' files (no ransomware) and need explicit user permission to meddle with their private data. Now, yes, exploits exist, but look…

The biggest issue on Android is side loading and lack of updates.

Since Android 7, apps cannot any longer access filesystem outside their APK installation directory. All accesses must be done via SAF APIs.

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