Apple has locked me out of my developer account • Hacker News Board

Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#141

Post by arbitcoin » Wed, Nov 20, 2019, 5:22 PM UTC

rgovostes wrote: post #39

> I’m just an indie developer trying to make good products. Apple should separate Rambo's software development from his reporting rather than retaliate against him, if that is indeed what is happening, but it is a little disingenuous for him to make the above claim. Rambo reverse engineers Apple products and publishes findings on 9to5Mac.com, in particular future product references that have slipped prematurely into…

Perhaps Rambo did violate Apple's terms, I don't know. However, this is still a major problem. Apple has currently locked me out of my account due to their new authentication process in at attempt to force me to buy an apple device for authentication purposes.

Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#142

Post by FussyZeus » Wed, Nov 20, 2019, 5:22 PM UTC

chipsa wrote: post #136

FussyZeus wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is impossible at scale and a waste of a companies' time. Apple doesn't care if your account is reinstated. Odds are (just like the author here) you know exactly why your account is suspended. If you honestly don't, then you didn't do your due diligence in signing up. And, even if they cited whatever part of whatever agreement, it would just be onto the next excuse. It's a bottomless pit of arguing that solves no…

If someone can manually kill a Dev account, they can include a message why it was killed. Even if it's generic form letter, it can be one that at least says what rule was broken.

They can. But why should they? What's the benefit?

Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#143

Post by fetus8 » Wed, Nov 20, 2019, 5:22 PM UTC

im3w1l wrote: post #128

fetus8 wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not what's happening. Rambo is known for reverse engineering Apple beta's and pulling information regarding unreleased products and then publishing that info via 9to5mac. As many other people in this thread have mentioned, it likely violates the terms of the Apple Developer Agreement.

How does the user benefit from not being able to install Rambo's apps?

What does this have to do with what's happening? According to the post Rambo published, his apps are still available on the App Store.

Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#144

Post by jakozaur » Wed, Nov 20, 2019, 5:22 PM UTC

jakozaur wrote: post #131

Another case how current tech giants build huge platform with no oversight exploiting their monopoly power. This developer should be able to appeal Apple decision for nominal fee (e.g. $100). There should be independent committee that could judge timely his case. If committee found developer makes invalid claim, then he loses fee. If Apple is found, it should be forced to change decision and pay for the committee cos…

Judicial, Execution and Lawmaker branches should be separate in $10Bln+ tech platforms play: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_powers

Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#145

Post by nmeofthestate » Wed, Nov 20, 2019, 5:22 PM UTC

TylerE wrote: post #119

rmsaksida wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even if that's all true, and even if Apple has good reasons to lock his account, why not just tell him the reason? I don't understand why tech companies have this passive aggressive attitude when users violate their rules of witholding information and giving some vague canned responses when asked about what's going on. Just tell him what happened in detail.

Because that’s opsec 101. If you tell a bad actor how you caught them, you’re just telling them how to do better (sneakier) next time.

Here's an idea for a term for falling victim to this kind of thing: Kafka-banned. It's a bit like being hell-banned in that you don't know what's happening, but probably more baffling and stressful.

Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#146

Post by femto113 » Wed, Nov 20, 2019, 5:23 PM UTC

FussyZeus wrote: post #120

mortenjorck wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> My bigger issue here is the complete lack of transparency or visibility into the process. This is indeed the core of the problem. If Apple provided a clear citation, e.g. “the following protected information was shared under your name at this URL on this date, which violates section xyz of your developer agreement,” it would still be unfortunate, but it would be miles ahead of Apple’s maddening “for more informatio…

This is impossible at scale and a waste of a companies' time. Apple doesn't care if your account is reinstated. Odds are (just like the author here) you know exactly why your account is suspended. If you honestly don't, then you didn't do your due diligence in signing up. And, even if they cited whatever part of whatever agreement, it would just be onto the next excuse. It's a bottomless pit of arguing that solves no…

Apple rakes 30 cents off of every dollar spent In the App Store. Their end totals billions of dollars a month. They absolutely could do this “at scale”.

Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#147

Post by 3bodyProblem » Wed, Nov 20, 2019, 5:23 PM UTC

I don't like the walled in gardens that google and apple have created don't get me wrong. But at the same time the author made a life choice to be an ios developer. Something I don't understand, while you know that this job is putting your food on your plate. Why also burn bridges with gray area stuff like reverse engineering nda stuff? If it's your hobby, sure, but you'r using it to have an income. It's a bit naive to think you can get away with it. Two wrong definitely doesn't make a right, but this situation has a scent of surprised pikachu to it. Don't think going on the offense like this will help his case either. Perhaps it's time to overthink if he wants to stay a developer in the IOS ecosystem.

Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#148

Post by hu3 » Wed, Nov 20, 2019, 5:24 PM UTC

hootbootscoot wrote: post #91

Walled dictatorship treats dissident poorly. Cue "but he violated EULA" chatter. Facts that remain: walled dictatorship has crumbling infrastructure, openly spits upon it's Stockholm-syndrome-afflicted subjects, and we all saw this coming from approx 1.7km away...

Indeed. The double standard is palpable.

When Apple fucks up: "but it's legal, who cares if it's wrong"

When other FAANG fucks up: "but it's wrong, who cares if it's legal"

Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#149

Post by FussyZeus » Wed, Nov 20, 2019, 5:26 PM UTC

femto113 wrote: post #146

FussyZeus wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is impossible at scale and a waste of a companies' time. Apple doesn't care if your account is reinstated. Odds are (just like the author here) you know exactly why your account is suspended. If you honestly don't, then you didn't do your due diligence in signing up. And, even if they cited whatever part of whatever agreement, it would just be onto the next excuse. It's a bottomless pit of arguing that solves no…

Apple rakes 30 cents off of every dollar spent In the App Store. Their end totals billions of dollars a month. They absolutely could do this “at scale”.

Actually you're right, it is possible, but it's also not remotely worth it. I've been working with online communities for decades, and every person who hasn't done so has wanted to provide reasons, to provide explanations, and I will tell you in exactly every single interaction I've had when someone's account on whatever platform had to be terminated, that all they do is argue.

I didn't do that. It wasn't that bad. But I didn't mean it. But this wording. But that rule is unfair. On and on and on. And yeah, once in a blue fucking moon, we get someone who understands they messed up, knows why, and wants us to bend the rules just for them this one time because they super super promise they won't do it again. NO.

Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#150

Post by wool_gather » Wed, Nov 20, 2019, 5:27 PM UTC

ThrowawayR2 wrote: post #139

izacus wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know you didn't think it through directly, but you're now basically supporting the ability of a multi-billionare corporation to financially attack a developer and disable their device over criticism. Just how chilling effect is that? Not being able to criticise and freely talk about a corporation and its product due to fear of having your company financially destroyed or even your personal Apple ID killed over sayi…

" My house (or in this case, walled garden) , my rules. " As people are fond of pointing out, Apple is not a monopoly therefore he has plenty of other places to sell his software.

This is like saying that if your neighbors are awful you should simply take your house and put it somewhere else. Completely ignoring the cost of porting software written for one platform to another.