Live data from Hacker News

Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

npr.org

111–120 of 456 posts

Re: Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

#111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In my experience, Linux repositories are all of the upsides you mentioned (trusted, auto-updated, signed (at repo level, at least)) with none of the lock-in downsides, since you can add third party repositories (and then use them via the same workflow you're already comfortable with!).

Many of them rely of a free-of-charge labour. Would you volunteer your free time to maintain Apple Store?

App developers who need a distribution channel would.

Re: Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

#112
post #3

App stores and restrictive operation systems are a real threat in my opinion. We were really lucky that developers and users let at least the Windows store fail. You can earn good and easy money on those under the condition you get a minimal exposure, but I shudder to think this is the future of software. I think Sweeney is correct, although I also think Epic tried to do the same. Their success with some of their gam…

Epic Store successfully taking games exclusive makes Sweeneys priorities clear: they are no different than Apple's or Google's. I hope Epic fighting this fight will not obscure that.

Steam only reason to be as big as they are is because they went ages without serious competition, so anyone who wants to have the slightest shoot to succeed without such advantage must use exclusives or similar tactics or just die trying.

Re: Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

#113
post #52
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In all honesty Satan himself could have sued Apple for all we care, what's important now is that there is someone who has the resources and willingness to fight for our right to sideload apps on our own devices.

Devil’s advocate: you’re free to run whatever you want on the device you bought , but some of the software you licensed prohibits you from running your software on top of it. Also, actually running your software may be a challenge because the boot loader and OS are locked down, but you could have known that when you bought the device. (This is similar to “right to repair”. That isn’t about being allowed to repair you…

> you’re free to run whatever you want on the device you bought,

Great!

> Also, actually running your software may be a challenge because the boot loader and OS are locked down,

Oh, so you're not free to run what you want on your device.

Re: Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

#114
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I think Sweeney is correct, although I also think Epic tried to do the same. Their success with some of their games created capital that they used to create their own platform. Maybe as a defense mechanism or maybe because they wanted part of the pie. I agree but people who are criticizing Epic for this are missing the real point. It is good if Epic can actually take a big chunk of the pie. Sure you could say they'…

Epic's platform is not a monopoly even if they successfully made one. steam is not a monopoly, even if they currently have a large market share, because the user is able to install their software outside of the steam platform. Some games choose to not release on multiple platforms - but that's not a monopoly. And other games _do_ choose to release on multiple platforms, or choose to release independently of a platfor…

Just like 80% of the world choses not to use Apple devices.

Re: Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

#115
post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just because company creates market where products and services are sold, does not mean that the market is outside competition law. > If you don’t like it, distribute differently. Relevant market for networked multiplayer games can't be divided between platforms. People who own iPhones and Android phones play the same game online with their friends. Epic can't stay competitive and stay outside Apple AppStore and sell…

Sure Epic can. They can distribute their game as a fully in-browser web app, including building out all the infrastructure required to make this work (like Apple did). Or Epic can create standalone hardware devices that connect to their game network, do market research and user testing on what makes a good device, develop optimized supply chain and production systems to make the device realizable, and spend on market…

Are you trying to be sarcastic?

Re: Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

#116
post #52
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In all honesty Satan himself could have sued Apple for all we care, what's important now is that there is someone who has the resources and willingness to fight for our right to sideload apps on our own devices.

Devil’s advocate: you’re free to run whatever you want on the device you bought , but some of the software you licensed prohibits you from running your software on top of it. Also, actually running your software may be a challenge because the boot loader and OS are locked down, but you could have known that when you bought the device. (This is similar to “right to repair”. That isn’t about being allowed to repair you…

This seems like circular reasoning.

Re: Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

#117
Meanwhile you get a fortnite installer on every xperia that you cannot and may not remove...

He is probably right, not sure, but he only got on this high horse after Apple and Google told him to get f*cked when he wanted a special deal. So maybe he should sit this one out and let the relevant regulators handle it? He is just in it to cry in the media if you ask me

Re: Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

#118

App stores and restrictive operation systems are a real threat in my opinion. We were really lucky that developers and users let at least the Windows store fail. You can earn good and easy money on those under the condition you get a minimal exposure, but I shudder to think this is the future of software. I think Sweeney is correct, although I also think Epic tried to do the same. Their success with some of their gam…

The Windows/Epic situation really is the "best case scenario". You can download and install software from anywhere. Plus, there's an "app store" from the OS vendor, plus a few specality competing ones for things like games, where both consumers and developers have the choice of where they download/publish. Epic competing with Steam has been a great success for everyone I think. Developers get secure funding for games…

You mean consumers need to download yet another gaming service collecting god knows what to get the same games they used to get on Steam? I've no problem with the Epic store, but their exclusives are a cancer and they cost game devs money in lost sales from me.

Re: Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

#119

Microsoft is apparently not one of the monopolies he wants stopped, because he is incredibly hostile towards Linux and Linux support for games. I can't stand this dude and his ramblings.

It seems silly to me. Commodification of the platform would be massively beneficial for Epic. At the very least I'd be neutral towards it and just allow Valve to do all the expensive heavy lifting, then work on my own Linux compatibility and support in the background.

Re: Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

#120
post #74

App stores and restrictive operation systems are a real threat in my opinion. We were really lucky that developers and users let at least the Windows store fail. You can earn good and easy money on those under the condition you get a minimal exposure, but I shudder to think this is the future of software. I think Sweeney is correct, although I also think Epic tried to do the same. Their success with some of their gam…

> App stores and restrictive operation systems are a real threat What we need is a true champion against this stuff. Someone who is willing to sacrifice normalcy and convenience to be fully committed to software that is free as in freedom, not free as in beer. Imagine a "free software movement". It could center around the GNU toolchain and spiral out from there. Now, where is our hero? We've put up the signal but I d…

The hero is busy reading email messages and web pages sent to him via a gateway system, while everyone keeps pushing for non-copyleft licenses.
Post reply on HN