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Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

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Re: Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

#261

Post by falcolas »

lern_too_spel wrote: post #244
falcolas wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does that benefit me, Joe Customer? I’m not getting a lower price by going to EGS. I’m just getting more friction in finding a game I want to play.

I get free games from EGS, just like I got free games from Amazon App Store. For the same reason that the Amazon App Store exists, I can also get open source apps from F-Droid, including apps like Newpipe that aren't allowed on the primary app store on the device. Do you wish that the Mac App Store were the only way to get apps on your Mac?

> I get free games from EGS

Free games are a marketing practice, nothing more. It's not a sustainable business practice, and it's paid for by Epic's exploitative Fortnight lootboxes. The "free games" will become part of a paid monthly subscription (or just go away entirely) when Epic feels like they have the audience they need.

And me? The value those free games might provide me is not worth the cost - being marketed to by a company whose values are quite the opposite of my own.

Re: Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

#262

Post by majewsky »

darthrupert wrote: post #96
smichel17 wrote: post #29

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?

You're literally describing Homebrew.

Re: Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

#263

Post by falcolas »

wayneftw wrote: post #259
falcolas wrote: post #241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So it's simply worse, since the friction has gone up appreciably, to no benefit of the customer.

How so? Having a choice of who to do business with is always good for the customer.

It's not a choice when it comes to exclusives. It's not a benefit if all of the prices are exactly the same across stores.

Competition is good, but they're not competing for customers - they're competing for developers, to the detriment of customers.

Re: Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

#264

Post by slipheen »

mirthflat83 wrote: post #184
enragedcacti wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> all the apps that I need Correction: all the apps that Apple thinks you need, regardless of whether or not it aligns with what you need or want.

Please give me examples of apps I’m missing out on as an average consumer because I’m all for missing out on malwares

Personally, I would like to be able to use the new streaming gaming apps, such as Microsoft xcloud, Google stadia, PlayStation now, etc.

Re: Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

#265

Post by paulryanrogers »

tpxl wrote: post #193
paulryanrogers wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is installing another store really so burdensome? It costs nothing but a few minutes of time. GOG Galaxy can even help consolidate them.

Yet another US service to slurp my data and give it to the NSA.

Sadly the only alternative is to buy used, disc copies.

Digital collections certainly have privacy tradeoffs. Though I'm quite happy with many of the upsides: cross-play, automatic cloud save, (sometimes) cross-save, no disc swapping, fewer things to clutter my living space.

Re: Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

#266

Post by pjmlp »

doikor wrote: post #169
jcstauffer wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure how that's a benefit for users (multiple app stores). What he wants is the right to build his own App Store so that he can charge his own "tax" and (hopefully) become a monopolist.

Well evidence shows that at least his stores tax is much smaller (12% on Epic store vs 30% on Steam). But he has been pretty clearly on the side of "everyone should be able to create whatever software they want on every platform" for a really long time. For example look at his rants against Windows Store and the potential path from it to locking down Windows iOS style (while very unlikely to ever happen is/was a poss…

On Windows 10X that is the only way to install software.

Windows 10X just didn't happen due the current situation having changed schedules to everyone.

Re: Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

#268

Post by horsawlarway »

ericmay wrote: post #252
horsawlarway wrote: post #231

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the same kind of response that used to be used when Google was discussed. "Google is clearly making the right choice for me. Their motto is literally 'don't be evil'". And in some respects it's true - A benevolent dictatorship is undeniably a great form of governance. The problem (and this is a problem) is that benevolent dictatorships never, Never, NEVER stay benevolent. At some point the guiding principles…

> I don't like not being able to run software of my choice on a device I (in theory only, in Apple's case) own. I just don't find this compelling and don't really care about it. There are lots of products to choose from, you can build your own stuff, buy a generic phone and load whatever you want on it, etc. > The problem (and this is a problem) is that benevolent dictatorships never, Never, NEVER stay benevolent. Th…

> Also, can you clearly articulate what exactly I'm losing here with a single App Store? So far I just see more cons than pros.

No. My whole point is that you're clearly happy in your benevolent dictatorship.

But it really doesn't suite me. I just told you the reason I'm not happy, and you handily dismissed it as "not compelling". Which is fine. For you it probably isn't. For me, not having root on a device I own intended for general purpose computing is literally a no-go on every front. It's not just insulting, it's a literal threat to my source of income. I find it just as crazy as if Volvo told me I could only drive on Volvo certified roads. They may be great roads (the best roads, which will never damage the car, guaranteed!) but I don't give a shit. I bought the car to drive where I want to drive. I buy a computing device to run the software I want to run.

So that said, my real problem here is that both major mobile operating systems currently operate under this model. Google is marginally better (by the barest of margins).

So you claim that a new product will arise when Apple decides that you don't fit in their dictatorship, but watching what's happening with Google and search right now... Well, I'll quote you - "I just don't find this compelling"

Google is still the only player in search. Youtube is still the only player in video. New products are at best fringe products that don't gain traction, because there's a clear monopoly effect in play here.

Re: Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

#269

Post by slenk »

Traster wrote: post #22

I think a lot of people have short memories. When Apple launched the iPhone computer security was a disaster, the security of the AppStore was a massive benefit and the fact that we don't have massive botnets of mobile phones is in no small part down to the massive effort that was put into security. But they seem to have solved this problem so well that people have forgotten it was even a problem to begin with.

The fact we don't have massive phone botnets definitely can't be directly attributed to Apple's App Store

Re: Tim Sweeney on Apple and Google

#270

Post by [deleted] »

pharke wrote: post #82
sokoloff wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That’s not inconsistent. Users can choose to use the Epic store or not. If they choose not to use it, they can’t buy games from that store, just like I can’t buy Trader Joe’s food if I decide to not use the TJ’s store.

Exactly, people are having a hissy fit over exclusive content that has no further price than downloading a free store app. It's like whingeing about driving to another store to get the brand of ice cream that you like. I have no problem with that as long as the device manufacturer doesn't limit me to a single store. Preferably I'd like to be able to choose any store or independent content. More choices, more freedom,…

[deleted]
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