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Apple Rejects App That Tracks U.S. Drone Strikes

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Re: Apple Rejects App That Tracks U.S. Drone Strikes

#121

Post by kitsune_ »

eevilspock wrote: post #115
mcantelon wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I think what's really going on here is that Apple wants to avoid providing apps that might be politically divisive. That's called "censorship". Apple's store has an impact on democracy because Apple is very influential and other companies are likely to imitate their policies. Lots of young people are getting exposed to Apple's flavor of personal computer so, to them, censorship of software will seem normal.

Newspapers are very influential, more so than Apple. Will you claim that they should print all letters to the editor, with no discretion? How about Hacker News? Shall we lobby pg to remove the ability to flag an article, and let this place turn into Reddit? Yesterday an article I liked had a healthy debate going. It was flagged as not fit for HN (It was political, about race not technology in any way) and it was take…

A letter to the editor is similar to an app? How?

Re: Apple Rejects App That Tracks U.S. Drone Strikes

#122

Post by kcbanner »

nivla wrote: post #61
stephengillie wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even if both Google's and Amazon's app stores reject an app, there are still other markets. And you can just download APKs from websites/ftp/etc and install them to your android, no market required.

That is until all the three (Apple, Google and Microsoft) decides to only allow installs from the maketplace, you know for "security" reasons. The problem is if one company gets away with it, others follow suit.

From day one you could always install any .apk you wanted, I don't see that changing.

Re: Apple Rejects App That Tracks U.S. Drone Strikes

#123

Post by mcantelon »

eevilspock wrote: post #115
mcantelon wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I think what's really going on here is that Apple wants to avoid providing apps that might be politically divisive. That's called "censorship". Apple's store has an impact on democracy because Apple is very influential and other companies are likely to imitate their policies. Lots of young people are getting exposed to Apple's flavor of personal computer so, to them, censorship of software will seem normal.

Newspapers are very influential, more so than Apple. Will you claim that they should print all letters to the editor, with no discretion? How about Hacker News? Shall we lobby pg to remove the ability to flag an article, and let this place turn into Reddit? Yesterday an article I liked had a healthy debate going. It was flagged as not fit for HN (It was political, about race not technology in any way) and it was take…

>Newspapers are very influential, more so than Apple. Will you claim that they should print all letters to the editor, with no discretion?

Newspapers have limited space and no filtering capabilities for readers.

>How about Hacker News? Shall we lobby pg to remove the ability to flag an article, and let this place turn into Reddit?

I have the choice to use my web browser to read sites other than HN (and I don't need to jailbreak my browser to do so).

Re: Apple Rejects App That Tracks U.S. Drone Strikes

#125

Post by Steko »

MrMember wrote: post #119
enraged_camel wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While this is true, security is a massive concern. Just look at how many malicious apps were in the Android store just last year, vs. in the Apple store.

Maybe I'm being harsh, but if someone downloads a clearly sketchy looking app (DOWNLOAD FREE MP3S) I have no sympathy for them when it ends up being malicious. Just like I wouldn't pick up a candy bar off the street and eat it, I wouldn't download a disreputable looking app. Common sense.

Blame the user straw man. I mean did you see how he was dressed, practically asking for it.

Re: Apple Rejects App That Tracks U.S. Drone Strikes

#126

Post by dripton »

ralfd wrote: post #105
nutjob123 wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How many malicious apps were in the Android store? A few? A dozen? Thats a pretty good ratio out of the hundreds of thousands available.

On a similar line of argument: "How many blocked apps were in the App Store? A few? A dozen? Thats a pretty good ratio out of the hundreds of thousands available."

How would you know how many apps were blocked, if they never showed up in the store?

Re: Apple Rejects App That Tracks U.S. Drone Strikes

#127

Post by mechnik »

ralfd wrote: post #105
nutjob123 wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How many malicious apps were in the Android store? A few? A dozen? Thats a pretty good ratio out of the hundreds of thousands available.

On a similar line of argument: "How many blocked apps were in the App Store? A few? A dozen? Thats a pretty good ratio out of the hundreds of thousands available."

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

The free bird leaps on the back of the win and floats downstream till the current ends and dips his wings in the orange sun rays and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage can seldom see through his bars of rage his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with fearful trill of the things unknown but longed for still and is tune is heard on the distant hillfor the caged bird sings of freedom

The free bird thinks of another breeze an the trade winds soft through the sighing trees and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom.

Maya Angelou

Re: Apple Rejects App That Tracks U.S. Drone Strikes

#128

Post by delinka »

danielweber wrote: post #67
delinka wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"...parental controls don't work unless the parents set them up (many don't)." This is still the problem. You don't know whether the kid or the parent opened the box and set the phone up the first time.

If my kid someone ordered a cellphone without my knowledge and got it shipped to my house and opened it and set it up, I have a lot bigger problems than him finding sex or "wrong" political opinions on that phone. While I know some people at HN would still be mad if the App Store defaulted to "kid safe," it's a fix with much smaller side-effects than outright bans. Assuming "to protect the kids" is really the motive.

Now suppose that clueless suburban soccer mom got her kid an iPhone and doesn't [want to] know anything about configuring this device. Box arrives, she hands it to the kid.

Yes, this parent has problems. And it's this situation that Apple thinks they're watching out for.

Re: Apple Rejects App That Tracks U.S. Drone Strikes

#129

Post by randomdata »

clobber wrote: post #106
randomdata wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? It was a great way to learn financial responsibility and start building a credit history. I have never gone a month without paying the balance off in full, so it seemed to serve me well. People jumping into credit late in life as an adult without any teachings on how to properly manage their financials is the greater problem here.

Why? Because one needs to be 18 to legally sign a contract. If you had a credit card before 18, that means you were added on your parents account as an authorized user and you were piggybacking off of their credit history. The greater problem here is that credit cards exist in the first place.

> The greater problem here is that credit cards exist in the first place.

Perhaps in the recent age of debit cards, but credit cards filled a massive void in the usability of cash. And it is often still more convenient to manage your money transfers after the fact.

I just don't get the negativity. They're a great tool when used appropriately. You can't really fault the tool if people use it inappropriately.

Re: Apple Rejects App That Tracks U.S. Drone Strikes

#130

Post by cobrausn »

clobber wrote: post #106
randomdata wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? It was a great way to learn financial responsibility and start building a credit history. I have never gone a month without paying the balance off in full, so it seemed to serve me well. People jumping into credit late in life as an adult without any teachings on how to properly manage their financials is the greater problem here.

Why? Because one needs to be 18 to legally sign a contract. If you had a credit card before 18, that means you were added on your parents account as an authorized user and you were piggybacking off of their credit history. The greater problem here is that credit cards exist in the first place.

How is it a problem that credit cards exist? Credit cards are incredibly useful for two reasons, IMHO.

1. It's like having a proxy between your actual accounts and your purchasing. A stolen credit card is annoying and easy to rectify. A stolen debit card is terrifying.

2. Sometimes in life, an expense arises that exceeds both income and savings. When this happens, we either pay with credit (of some kind), we don't meet our financial responsibilities, or we go without. Sometimes the best option is to go without. When that is not possible, the credit card is a good answer. Pay off your balance responsibly and as quickly as possible and either save more in the future or be prepared to pay interest again.

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