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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

#251

It is truly amazing how some of the people in the comment section keep defending apple dishonest practices, almost like they are bots or something...

I think it's pretty dismissive to presume or imply that comments you disagree with here must all be from bots.

Edit: To expand, Apple inspires strong opinions in a lot of people. They have a lot of fans for various reasons, and a lot of detractors for various reasons. And then there's everyone in between those extremes too. It's to be expected that any comment thread about Apple will have a lot of opinions that you disagree with, no matter what your viewpoint is.

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

#252
post #219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In my mind maybe this is something like an HOA. Sure, your friends might love your house parties, but your neighbors have to deal with the consequences

Aren't HOAs widely hated?

As are dentist visits and prostate exams - but even those things ultimately add value. HOA’s arguably do so as well even if they’re often hated.

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

#253

I don’t use this and don’t care. But I can imagine my kids asking, what are amphetamines, why is it named that way, did you ever try them, what is it like. Just like you’d say to kids, you don’t ever need to take those pills, maybe you should use your energy to push Apple so that your app isn’t necessary? I certainly try to educate my kids such that they will not be in a position to need those meds. We like to think…

If your kids asked you that, I hope you'd give a reasonable answer about these being prescribed medications for narcolepsy and ADHD, that much improve the quality of life for people afflicted with these conditions. Rather than ignorant shit like "you don't ever need to take those pills".

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

#255
This is one more example of a pattern of abuse by the app stores of apple, google, and maybe even microsoft.

Any app store vendor is the alpha and omega on its platform. Any app store has a monopoly on its walled garden. There are some good aspects like user protection against bad apps, but on the whole, is it worth the price.

Main question now is how society should deal with this. Some ideas from the top of my head

* One option is to simply break the monopoly. A platform could be obligated to implement a store API, and the default platform store should use that same API as any other.

* Another option is a separation of duties. Just like lawmaker, judge and police can't be the same entity in a democracy, they could be split up in the app stores.

* Maybe the safety of the user device can be guaranteed independently from the app store. If the OS enforced walls between apps are strong enough that malicious apps can always be removed and no data theft is possible, the damage done by bad app stores can be lowered?

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

#256

The name was approved by Apple years ago. The developer built the brand on that name. What changed? Apple's policies (on their whims). If Apple has to come down hard, they should bear the cost of the re-branding at least to measurably communicating widely regarding the rename. It is sad that Apple exercises so much power callously.

"The name was approved by Apple years ago" This isn't going to be popular, however getting away with something for a period of time is not the same as being approved/sanctioned/etc. In the petition the author claimed that the app "spontaneously began violating" one of the guidelines, when clearly it has violated it all along. Yet that disingenuous angle is used constantly when people get away with something for a whi…

Apple approved of the app. Hence the name was approved. Not sure what we mean by "getting away" here

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

#257

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I'm pro-crypto, but so long as Apple maintains absolute hegemony over their ecosystem (backed in part by an artificial state monopoly on ideas!), even the rosiest scenario for Bitcoin doesn't change the power dynamic. Apple could literally add support for buying apps with BTC tomorrow, yet still disallow sideloading or competing stores, while kicking out apps they don't like on a whim.

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

#258

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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!

They’re a $2 trillion dollar company, unless you have an incredibly strong case (this isn’t one) then you will lose a war of attrition every time... even sometimes if you do have a strong case. Choose your battles wisely, live to fight another day, etc... Pound for pound you’d likely be better off putting your energy into policy. The scale is still tilted there, but there is some traction behind fairer app marketplac…

Not every fight is a 2-trillion dollar fight. If you say decide to commit some fraudulent chargeback against an Apple purchase they are unlikely to pursue it, for example, even though they are a 2-trillion dollar company that could crush you. Spending $5000 of lawyer time to recover $50 may not be worth their time and they know it.

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

#259

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.

Caffeine would be an easy answer to the rebranding question

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

#260

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They kind of have a point They don't (the claim is the app promotes drug use, which it doesn't), and it's quite likely that it's a reviewer mistake that will be overturned once the stink on social media gets big enough to reach the right person.

> the claim is the app promotes drug use, which it doesn't You don't think it could reinforce the idea that Amphetamines could be a useful tool to preserve wakefulness?

Like the original post says, they are in fact a useful tool to promote wakefulness, and if you have a problem with wakefulness or attentiveness, you can go to a doctor, get diagnosed, and be prescribed with amphetamines perfectly legally if you so wish.
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