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Falling Out of Love with Apple, Part 3: Content and Censorship

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Re: Falling Out of Love with Apple, Part 3: Content and Censorship

#221

I just paid for 12 months worth of Skype subscription which I have used for just 2 calls back in January. I want ALL my subscriptions to go through Apple Pay and App store. Once I subscribed to New York times. The newspaper that was advertised to me for years in all Hollywood movies as a place where honesty and freedom are of highest priority. I had to spend an hour on a phone with their representatives to cancel it…

> I want to know my credit score.

Several banks and credit cards offer FICO score information. The information is likely there for you, but you may have to accept some data sharing terms and conditions in order to access it.

https://www.chase.com/personal/credit-cards/chase-credit-jou...

https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/features-ben...

https://www.wellsfargo.com/goals-credit/smarter-credit/credi...

https://www.bankofamerica.com/credit-cards/free-fico-credit-...

Re: Falling Out of Love with Apple, Part 3: Content and Censorship

#222

Honestly, the arguments in this series of posts are not strong. I laughed out loud when I got to his complaints about Apple's headphone chips and the ease of pairing they allow -- and how it's somehow unfair that Apple, having developed this competitive advantage, is refusing to share it with other companies. What IS it about Apple that makes a certain class of tech geek feel like they have to dislike them in such a…

>What IS it about Apple that makes a certain class of tech geek feel like they have to dislike them in such a public and performative way? Well in this case some of the reasons seem to be anticompetitive behaviour. Tech geeks like to use their general purpose machines where they have a choice to pick their preferred tools and programs rather than feel like they're being pushed to get trapped in a walled garden of eve…

The counterargument is that Apple is not at fault for its own success, and it would be anti-competitive to hamstring Apple simply because its ecosystem is profitable. The company clearly does not have market control in personal computing hardware, and competes with Samsung and others in the mobile device market, so what exactly is the reason that Apple can't try to convert its platform into a conduit for services revenue?

Re: Falling Out of Love with Apple, Part 3: Content and Censorship

#223
post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Rules that were unfair. I protest as a consumer as an unnecessary Apple tax to install paid software is an unfair burden that should be illegal.

Do you feel the same way about anything sold on Amazon? Or in supermarkets? Or is that in some way different?

It's not even a valid comparison and disingenuous because software products now don't need to be sold through any retail outlet, and can be sold directly to the customer through the internet. There is absolutely no need of any app store as a middle man here.

Re: Falling Out of Love with Apple, Part 3: Content and Censorship

#224

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And, on the converse side, why is there a class of tech geek that always strongly defends Apple in the comments? No matter how strong or weak the original criticism is, the top comment basically laughs it out of the room. It is never taken seriously. Could we not equally characterize the defenses as 'public and performative' as well, and if not, why not? In either case, I agree with you people generally have strong f…

It's usually people who feel sour about spending their savings on Apple product and want to justify it so hard, they'll try to shut down anyone with even a hint of criticism for that product. They just cannot feel they might be in the wrong. It's actually an effective litmus test for one's personality and you can more easily filter out your circle based on how well people take such criticism.

Or just people who are sick of seeing it every post. It’s the same with Microsoft (I hate the constant unjustified EEE claims). It adds nothing to the discussion and only starts flame wars.

Apple fanbois are annoying, but Apple haters are equally annoying. The idea that any sane person could like Apple for reasons other than being sheep never crosses their mind.

Re: Falling Out of Love with Apple, Part 3: Content and Censorship

#225
post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you feel the same way about anything sold on Amazon? Or in supermarkets? Or is that in some way different?

Just to emphasize your point, 30% take is relatively small in the retail world. A store like Amazon or Walmart or Target or Best Buy generally wants a cut of 40-50%, if not more. And that doesn’t include the cut many distributors want to take for being the middle person. (Source: I’ve been on the executive team at startups with products sold in retail stores)

> Just to emphasize your point, 30% take is relatively small in the retail world.

The internet already provides a nearly free distribution medium for software application - so even paying a 5% markup to an unnecessary middleman is just outrageous. The app store only exists so that Apple (and others) can gauge even more money from developers, who ultimately pass on the cost to us customers.

Re: Falling Out of Love with Apple, Part 3: Content and Censorship

#226
post #59
post #35

It's really not normal to be "in love" with a corporation to begin with....

The whole cultue of Apple is so weird, and kind of appalling. Just the fact that their press conferences are broadcast, and they're held in front of an audience that applaud everything the presenter says, and laughs at his jokes. People "live blog" it, like some bizarre court stenographer. And 1.000 threads are posted on HN about Apple keybords having been made even worse. Again. It's not healthy.

I suppose the alternative would be a press conference that is broadcast to nobody, presented before an audience that remains entirely silent, and covered by no news outlets or tech blogs.

That doesn't seem like a fair thing to expect from a consumer technology company.

Re: Falling Out of Love with Apple, Part 3: Content and Censorship

#227
post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As you have been repeatedly informed, that data is very easy to deanonymize. The last time you were told this, you then made the wacky claim that the data isn't sent to Apple at all. After being shown that it was, you just went on your way only to repeat the original lie again. I have not seen sneak be repeatedly pointed out that his statement is incorrect. That is a lie. He is completely correct, which is why he has…

No, both of you are lying. I claimed your location wasn’t sent, because it isn’t. An anonymous location is being sent. You claim it’s possible they could de-anonymize the location. That may or not be true. Claiming that they are de-anonymizing the data when you know you have no evidence to support the claim, is a lie . If you or he can prove Apple is de-anonymizing location data to track people’s individual travel hi…

I never said that they were actively doing it for everybody, only that they can do it, and there is nothing in their privacy policy that prevents them from doing it. Your claim that I said otherwise is the lie. Your claim that sneak had been repeatedly told he was wrong is also a lie. You have repeatedly called me and sneak liars even though we have provided proof that you have simply not read. Will you apologize to both of us?

Note that Apple's location privacy is worse than every other platform with AGPS that I haye used, from Google, Amazon, Mozilla, and Microsoft. Each one correctly classifies this as a privacy setting and allows the user to opt out. Every single one also "anonymizes" their data collection for AGPS, but none of them are facile enough to say that there isn't a reduction in privacy for having it enabled.

Re: Falling Out of Love with Apple, Part 3: Content and Censorship

#228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I want ALL my subscriptions to go through Apple Pay and App store. You do so only because you believe have no choice as you know that your democracy is so crippled that you don't expect them to protect your rights as a consumer any more! Where as many Europeans and Asians, who also enjoy democratic rights, will tell you openly that we would prefer that our democratically elected government protect our consumer righ…

Well, okay, it may be the case that our democracy is so crippled that it can’t protect basic consumer rights. But even so, what are we supposed to do? Quit our jobs, abandon our livelihoods, and take to the streets until our government decides we’re too much trouble and hands over power to a more consumer-friendly replacement government? Or just continue to want to use subscriptions through Apple where possible?

> But even so, what are we supposed to do? Quit our jobs, abandon our livelihoods, and take to the streets

If necessary yes. Your forefathers fought hard to earn you your democratic and associated rights that you have all taken for granted. And that's why its slow erosion has only now made you start to feel a bit uncomfortable. So yes, you too need to start asserting for your rights.

And no, to begin with you don't need to quit your job and take to the streets.

Start by writing letters to the political parties of your country. Start by making your local politicians aware that you feel the government isn't concerned about your rights as a consumer. Escalate and urge others in your network to do the same. And move on from there. Democracy is designed to slow down political changes because abrupt political changes also has a lot of chaos. Initially you will only have to spend maybe an hour or two a week to do the above. As more and more people support you, and you all work together, this may increase to 5-10 hours a week depending on how much you are willing to commit yourself. Once a political party latches on to your issue, it then becomes a lot easier - join it or offer issue-based support to them. (Yes, often it is all quite boring and just takes patience and dedication. That's democracy - it is often boring participating in it, but still worth it).

Re: Falling Out of Love with Apple, Part 3: Content and Censorship

#229

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>What IS it about Apple that makes a certain class of tech geek feel like they have to dislike them in such a public and performative way? Well in this case some of the reasons seem to be anticompetitive behaviour. Tech geeks like to use their general purpose machines where they have a choice to pick their preferred tools and programs rather than feel like they're being pushed to get trapped in a walled garden of eve…

The counterargument is that Apple is not at fault for its own success, and it would be anti-competitive to hamstring Apple simply because its ecosystem is profitable. The company clearly does not have market control in personal computing hardware, and competes with Samsung and others in the mobile device market, so what exactly is the reason that Apple can't try to convert its platform into a conduit for services rev…

The usual dichotomy is that if you control the platform, you can't sell using it will lead to an abuse of market power.

Eg "If we're massively successful in building/buying the water distribution network in $city why hamstring us?" Is an argument that holds no water.

There's a decreasing long-run average total cost curve for systems software. Which is why microsoft dominated the desktop for so long and why there are only 2 viable phone operating systems - where the veondors and controllers of those operating systems use their massive market power to compete in how much abuse of the users they can dole out.

I realise trying to explain conflict of interest and market power abuse to fans of a company that literally tax the revenue of anyone selling software on their phones and tablets, then destroy success by competing with it unfairly abusing that platform control, is doomed. But it remains a very strong economic argument based on the technical defintion of market failure accross the spectrum of economics as I studied it late last century, from Friedman to Keynes.

As ever, anything that contains "...with a computer" prevents most adults from engaging the critical thought region of their brain. [1]

[1] I'm really happy to have people disagree with me on specifics if they can explain why this thing "..with a computer" is different and needs to be treated differently in law and policy to the same thing, contstructed with thousands of people, filing cabinets, paper and old-school dial-up telephones. Imagine how you would provide the service with the latter. What policy is appropriate? What law is appropriate? When should that law be enforced? Then apply just that to the same system with a bunch of servers and software.

If that "same system - computerless" analysis and case was made each time, we'd have much more sensible policy and policy discussion. I can dream, right?

I wrote this with a computer. :s

Re: Falling Out of Love with Apple, Part 3: Content and Censorship

#230

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, okay, it may be the case that our democracy is so crippled that it can’t protect basic consumer rights. But even so, what are we supposed to do? Quit our jobs, abandon our livelihoods, and take to the streets until our government decides we’re too much trouble and hands over power to a more consumer-friendly replacement government? Or just continue to want to use subscriptions through Apple where possible?

This is a false dichotomy that both pro-government and pro-corporate people fall into. Whether Apple or "Our Government", we shouldn't be giving this much power to institutions. > But even so, what are we supposed to do? Vote with your wallet. Stop consuming whatever it is that comes with attached strings. Stop putting convenience above principles. Refuse to pay/subscribe/accept any terms that are clearly not in your…

> we shouldn't be giving this much power to institutions.

In a democracy, the government derives power from us, the people. In a good and functioning democracy there exists other democratic institutions to ensure that the government cannot abuse the powers granted to them.

"Vote with your wallet" is a disingenuous argument were all the corporates work together like a cartel towards a particular business model that maximises profit for them to the detriment of us consumers. Regulations that bind all business to certain rules and standard also benefit the businesses as it creates a level playing field for them too. (But obviously large corporates at the top don't want a level playing field).

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