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I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

judiciary.house.gov

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Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#281

Post by jolux »

zepto wrote: post #276
jolux wrote: post #266

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There’s a difference but it’s relatively pedantic. Netflix has interactive shows and the play/pause is necessarily controlling a remote server as well.

It’s not pedantic to say that movies and videogames are different. Most people in the world would think you insane if you said you perceived them to be the same thing.

You’re misreading me. I’m saying that the technological distinction does not justify the policy distinction. I don’t at all believe they’re the same thing.

The comments you’re replying to suggest that executables are being streamed or something, and they’re not.

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#282

Post by cdata »

rimliu wrote: post #277
cdata wrote: post #272

The App Store was always a walled garden with notably tall walls. The power Apple has over who gets into the App Store has been described as the primary virtue and attraction of iOS devices for years. Users love that it is a curated collection with a very high bar for quality, and many are willing to accept the trade-off that not all apps (even technically legitimate ones) will be published there. This is why the web…

Have you seen the web lately?

If you don't like the web, nobody is forcing you to use it.

But, your decision not to use it shouldn't come at the cost of someone else's freedom to distribute legitimate software or creative works to those users who seek it out.

Speaking for myself, most of the "apps" I use on my phone and desktop on a daily basis are PWAs, and they are generally indistinguishable from the native apps I use in terms of quality.

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#283

Post by BHSPitMonkey »

Nasrudith wrote: post #250
tlogan wrote: post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The government is not some imaginary person in the sky: it is me and you. You can influence it - but you cannot influence Apple. Of course, being involved in government / politic is hard and takes time. You cannot change things by posting on internet forums. I'm trying to be involved in politic on local, state and federal level. And here are some hints if you are in interested: - Call a member of congress. Try to get…

You certainly can influnce a company - it is called being or not being a customer. There is no such opt out option for government as much as sovereign citizens may believe otherwise.

> You certainly can influnce a company - it is called being or not being a customer.

Let's be optimistic and assume 10% of the population is informed and passionate enough about a company's wrongdoings to boycott it. That company is still going to thrive just fine on the business from the other 90%. Holdouts alone won't stop it from accumulating power and reach.

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#284

Post by xuki »

oltremarino wrote: post #259

I don't really understand why Apple is allowed to have the amount of power it has today: it provides the hardware, the operating system, the software store (which they make sure is the only way to get software for most users), _and_ gets to decide whether any particular piece of software is allowed on the store? Surely there needs to be some separation of powers? e.g. a third party (could be set up by the government…

Because the gov should not control what a private business could do unless it's against the laws? The debate is whether Apple is a monopoly, until we conclude that Apple should be able to run their store as they see fit. Personally I would say Apple is not a monopoly, but Apple + Google is a duopoly and maybe gov should do something about BOTH of them.

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#285

Post by vinnybad »

sukilot wrote: post #238
kevincox wrote: post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because 2% more money is %2 more money and exec compensation is often based on fairly short term performance.

How long is short term? Jobs has been dead for 9 years.

That’s the thing when chasing the market wants: it’s always short term though it’s over a long term.

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#286

Post by carlsborg »

ransom1538 wrote: post #194
mhafez17 wrote: post #29

Wow. I am the author of this email. I have no idea how it resurfaced after 5 years, I was only made aware of this when a friend emailed me the HN link. The sad thing is it was not just my company which was targeted, but Apple removed this entire product category. We never knew the real reason why, or if it was bigger than just a random app reviewer trying to apply Apple policy, until May 2019. That's when Bloomberg i…

1) I worked at a game company 2011: kicked out of facebook (quizzes restrictions were added to the toss) 2) I worked at a mobile ads company 2013: kicked out of apple store 3) I worked at a mobile hosting company for small shops 2015: salons, restaurants, etc: kicked out of apple store 4) I worked at a mobile social network company (2017): kicked out of apple store. 5) I built an app where people can promote their gi…

Why were 2, 3, 4, and 6 banned?

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#287

Post by vinnybad »

mhafez17 wrote: post #142
jrochkind1 wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What happened to the company and the 20+ people? Did it indeed just wind down, everyone lost their job?

Pretty much. Site still up, but only one part time publisher making very little to keep it afloat. Site is now loaded with Google ads (we used to have no ads on the site). I'm kind of embarrassed to show the site in its current form. It's 99% old content, and no maintenance is several years. It was the best time of my life in its heyday. The founders and dev team started a new company unrelated to apps. I tried my be…

You seem like a really good person. Thank you for being you :-).

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#288

Post by danielheath »

wakenmeng wrote: post #239
ransom1538 wrote: post #194

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1) I worked at a game company 2011: kicked out of facebook (quizzes restrictions were added to the toss) 2) I worked at a mobile ads company 2013: kicked out of apple store 3) I worked at a mobile hosting company for small shops 2015: salons, restaurants, etc: kicked out of apple store 4) I worked at a mobile social network company (2017): kicked out of apple store. 5) I built an app where people can promote their gi…

Just wonder, what are you gonna do next? You know, just my simple curiousity;)

You just want to know what seemingly-safe category to stay away from :p

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#289

Post by Taek »

ransom1538 wrote: post #194
mhafez17 wrote: post #29

Wow. I am the author of this email. I have no idea how it resurfaced after 5 years, I was only made aware of this when a friend emailed me the HN link. The sad thing is it was not just my company which was targeted, but Apple removed this entire product category. We never knew the real reason why, or if it was bigger than just a random app reviewer trying to apply Apple policy, until May 2019. That's when Bloomberg i…

1) I worked at a game company 2011: kicked out of facebook (quizzes restrictions were added to the toss) 2) I worked at a mobile ads company 2013: kicked out of apple store 3) I worked at a mobile hosting company for small shops 2015: salons, restaurants, etc: kicked out of apple store 4) I worked at a mobile social network company (2017): kicked out of apple store. 5) I built an app where people can promote their gi…

We're working on a decentralized app platform that mechanically is unable to kick devs off. Its early and doesn't have a monetization layer yet, but it's our goal to provide developers and users alike with a home that will outlast the whims of a single corporation.

https://siasky.net

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#290

Post by Gibbon1 »

mhafez17 wrote: post #75
LurkersWillLurk wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the same file as the original submission. But can you explain how this email got its way to the House Judiciary Committee?

I have no idea. I was not contacted by anyone. This email is an email Tim Cook forwarded to the executive team. So my guess is when doing discovery for this case, they got to look at Tim Cook emails regarding the App Store and this one came up. Again, this is an email that Tim Cook read and forwarded - it did not come from me providing it to anyone

Friend mine works as a legal at secretary white shoe law firm. Not what it sounds like. His job is using software to grind through corporate records and communications. Big part of that is finding interesting documents and teasing out the back channels inside the company. The better to find people to depose. That they found that email isn't a surprise. In a lawsuit between to companies someone that wrote an email like yours would be someone you absolutely want to talk to.
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