Save My House From Apple • Hacker News Board

Re: Save My House From Apple

#11

Post by madmaze » Thu, Mar 01, 2012, 5:38 AM UTC

petercooper wrote: post #7

This is the same Apple that plans for GateKeeper to check a certificate server for blacklisted apps and developers in OS X 10.8. Imagine not even being in the App Store and your app's mainstream customers with default settings seeing a scary warning message because your certificate was accidentally blacklisted. Coming to the HN front page later this year..? :-) Orienting your business around the ecosystem of a corpor…

"Coming to the HN front page later this year..?"

I assume this may be a theme in the making.. I wonder if App Store like ecosystems have similar issues. I havnt heared of any in the android market, but im sure similar cases can be found.

Re: Save My House From Apple

#12

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Mar 01, 2012, 5:44 AM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Save My House From Apple

#13

Post by swang » Thu, Mar 01, 2012, 5:48 AM UTC

Why isn't there a Developer Relations department at Apple to handle problems like this? Apple has made billions upon billions of dollars because developers have decided it was the best environment to make money and they put their weight behind iOS/Apple, yet somehow stuff like this drops through the cracks.

I mean am I really going to feel safe quitting my job to make iOS/Mac apps if Apple can just cut off my revenue stream without recourse? This is an easy problem for Apple to fix and it'll cost them somewhere down the line where someone with the next big app decides not to chance it because he's heard that Apple may just dump you and not give any reasons why.

Re: Save My House From Apple

#14

Post by nkassis » Thu, Mar 01, 2012, 5:57 AM UTC

petercooper wrote: post #7

This is the same Apple that plans for GateKeeper to check a certificate server for blacklisted apps and developers in OS X 10.8. Imagine not even being in the App Store and your app's mainstream customers with default settings seeing a scary warning message because your certificate was accidentally blacklisted. Coming to the HN front page later this year..? :-) Orienting your business around the ecosystem of a corpor…

I can imagine a situation where a 20 dev shop gets closed because of something like this and they can't make payroll. There are lot of people here basing their company on an App in the app store. I'd be terrified.

Re: Save My House From Apple

#15

Post by azov » Thu, Mar 01, 2012, 5:59 AM UTC

swang wrote: post #13

Why isn't there a Developer Relations department at Apple to handle problems like this? Apple has made billions upon billions of dollars because developers have decided it was the best environment to make money and they put their weight behind iOS/Apple, yet somehow stuff like this drops through the cracks. I mean am I really going to feel safe quitting my job to make iOS/Mac apps if Apple can just cut off my revenue…

Because they don't have to. Because they can screw you as much as they like, and you will still be developing for their platform, buying their hardware, paying for their developer program, etc. Because you have no choice - they are a monopoly in mobile space, and you can't just ignore them (while they can ignore you). Because by not being their customer you're hurting yourself more then them.

Basically, because they can.

Re: Save My House From Apple

#16

Post by calydon » Thu, Mar 01, 2012, 6:04 AM UTC

I wish I could blame my own impoverishment (and consequently my family's) on anything other than my own foolishness but I can't, so I donated. The money's probably safer with him anyway.

Re: Save My House From Apple

#17

Post by suresk » Thu, Mar 01, 2012, 6:05 AM UTC

That sucks, and I hope you get things sorted out. My apps are just for extra cash, but I'd still be pretty upset if I were in your situation.

Unfortunately, this highlights the drawbacks of relying on a third-party for all of your income, especially when the relationship is one-sided. Apple's App Store is an incredible opportunity for a lot of developers, but for the vast majority, Apple has very little accountability to you.

This is no different than the people who build a business around AdSense, only to be terminated and receive the silent treatment at some point - which itself is nothing new, as this has been going on with affiliate programs since I got involved with them in the mid-90's. If I've learned one thing, it's this: Don't ever build your company around another company unless you have a really good personal relationship with them or a strong, fair contract.

Re: Save My House From Apple

#18

Post by narad » Thu, Mar 01, 2012, 6:07 AM UTC

You are using Paypal for donations. There have been many horror stories on HN about people doing a donation drive and getting accounts closed by Paypal citing ToS.

Re: Save My House From Apple

#19

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Mar 01, 2012, 6:09 AM UTC

petercooper wrote: post #7

This is the same Apple that plans for GateKeeper to check a certificate server for blacklisted apps and developers in OS X 10.8. Imagine not even being in the App Store and your app's mainstream customers with default settings seeing a scary warning message because your certificate was accidentally blacklisted. Coming to the HN front page later this year..? :-) Orienting your business around the ecosystem of a corpor…

[deleted]

Re: Save My House From Apple

#20

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Mar 01, 2012, 6:14 AM UTC

petercooper wrote: post #7

This is the same Apple that plans for GateKeeper to check a certificate server for blacklisted apps and developers in OS X 10.8. Imagine not even being in the App Store and your app's mainstream customers with default settings seeing a scary warning message because your certificate was accidentally blacklisted. Coming to the HN front page later this year..? :-) Orienting your business around the ecosystem of a corpor…

[deleted]