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Apple has threatened to remove Amphetamine from the App Store

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Re: Apple has threatened to remove Amphetamine from the App Store

#141

Post by matsemann »

floatingatoll wrote: post #92

I couldn’t have guessed the purpose of the app from this name, and now that I know what it does, I would specifically avoid giving money to it due the name alone. I’m glad someone made an alternative to Caffeine.app but “they’re both drugs” doesn’t weaken my personal objection to the choice of name. I am glad that Apple is compelling the name to be changed, and I hope the author complies. This is where “universal fre…

Why should your "personal objection" be a reason for someone else to change? You do you and choose an app based on naming if you want, but don't go pushing your puritan views on everyone else.

Re: Apple has threatened to remove Amphetamine from the App Store

#142

Post by blatherard »

I thought I should look at the App Store and see what this app is doing in comparison to similar apps.

The logo is basically a big pill and the tagline "Powerful keep-awake utility" which is clearly alluding to the drug. https://imgur.com/a/RJXHaBa

This was consistent with the feedback the author received: "[the] app appears to promote inappropriate use of controlled substances. Specifically, your app name and icon include references to controlled substances, pills"

Almost all of the other top apps in the app store in the same category use some reference to caffeine either in the name or tagline or description (e.g. "Jolt of Caffeine" or "Owly" which has a logo of an owl in a cup of coffee) https://imgur.com/a/yySBqEL

There's one other, much less popular app called "Coca" which appears to reference cocaine, but doesn't also have a drug-referencing icon or tagline, and which only has 15 reviews. By comparison, Amphetamine seems to be the most popular result, at least for the search term "awake", with 1.37K reviews

The guideline in question doesn't seem to consider excessive use of caffeine as problematic to encourage. "1.4.3 Apps that encourage consumption of tobacco and vape products, illegal drugs, or excessive amounts of alcohol are not permitted on the App Store. Apps that encourage minors to consume any of these substances will be rejected. Facilitating the sale of marijuana, tobacco, or controlled substances (except for licensed pharmacies) isn’t allowed."

Overall, Amphetamine did seem to be pushing the drug-use angle much harder than other apps in the category based on the logo, tagline and title, especially if you consider caffeine abuse not problematic.

Added: I don't have a strong opinion on this one either way, other than edgy naming has pros and cons. Word of mouth is easier, but sometimes a problem like this happens.

Re: Apple has threatened to remove Amphetamine from the App Store

#143

Post by ketamine__ »

mhh__ wrote: post #19
ketamine__ wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe they have a child with ADHD whose life was saved by amphetamines?

Your username has its uses too. Not bad for a night out although not really to my taste.

Ketamine for treatment resistant depression. We've got to kick the mind expansion folks out though. They are going to ruin everything like Timothy Leary ruined LSD.

Re: Apple has threatened to remove Amphetamine from the App Store

#145

Post by [deleted] »

Unklejoe wrote: post #31
fishnchips wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nitrogen is an element, and a very common one at that. Explosives are a fringe use case. Amphetamine on the other hand has only one very well defined use case. I get the reference to another similar app (Caffeine) but this is a step too far, indeed portraying a dangerous drug in a positive light.

> Amphetamine on the other hand has only one very well defined use case. Are you referring to the widespread use of it as an ADHD medication for children all throughout the nation?

[deleted]

Re: Apple has threatened to remove Amphetamine from the App Store

#146

Post by matsemann »

jtdressel wrote: post #76
thrower123 wrote: post #47

The problem here is that there is a centralized app store that can gate your product. On Windows, you could just host the msi or exe on your website.

This is a Mac app, not iOS. This would be analogous to Microsoft kicking them off the windows app store. You could still download it manually.

For now. The walls are getting higher on MacOS lately.

Re: Apple has threatened to remove Amphetamine from the App Store

#147

Post by xiphias2 »

sschueller wrote: post #78
mmaunder wrote: post #23

You’re angry. I’ve felt this in a trademark lawsuit. You think the world should get behind you and change the corrupt system. My advice is to immediately rebrand as gracefully and effectively as possible and use all that activist energy to effect the transition. They kind of have a point which doesn’t make them right, but they hold all the cards and you will lose this one and regret the wasted bandwidth.

No, how will this ever fix a corrupt system if you play by their rules? This is why it keeps getting worse and worse. People just comply!

You change it by going for the weakest point in a peaceful way under the radar.

I believe it's Bitcoin, which is a silent, non-violent libertarian protest against the whole central banking system that produces huge powers, but I know that I am in the minority.

Re: Apple has threatened to remove Amphetamine from the App Store

#148

Post by jjcon »

floatingatoll wrote: post #92

I couldn’t have guessed the purpose of the app from this name, and now that I know what it does, I would specifically avoid giving money to it due the name alone. I’m glad someone made an alternative to Caffeine.app but “they’re both drugs” doesn’t weaken my personal objection to the choice of name. I am glad that Apple is compelling the name to be changed, and I hope the author complies. This is where “universal fre…

As someone I guess not in the loop with the latest in outrage culture... what exactly is offensive about the name?

Re: Apple has threatened to remove Amphetamine from the App Store

#150

Post by yarcob »

speedgoose wrote: post #12

The developer uses Github but I cannot see source code, only compiled binaries.

Developer probably has a private Github repo for source code and a public repo for things they want publicly accessible.

It's funny that much of the public only associates Github with Open Source even though all their paying customers use it for closed source development...

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