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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

#31

Post by Unklejoe »

fishnchips wrote: post #17
epx wrote: post #4

Next, some app named Nitrogen will be banned because it is related to explosives and therefore to terrorists.

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?

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

#35

Post by IX-103 »

trestenhortz wrote: post #6

Incredibly insensitive product naming. I’m guessing the software authors don’t have children and don’t have multiple friends and family who’s lives have been destroyed by meth. Instead it’s just a bro having cool fun with words “hey keeps your computer awake! Get it? Ha! So clever!”

It's a successor of the (now-defunct) caffeine app which did mostly the same thing.

Given that most other coffee names were already taken, I can understand the logic of why they chose the name.

As you said though, it is now considered by many to be insensitive. So Apple it's probably in the right here.

I'm sure they would welcome suggestions on how to rebrand.

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

#36

Post by izacus »

fishnchips wrote: post #17
epx wrote: post #4

Next, some app named Nitrogen will be banned because it is related to explosives and therefore to terrorists.

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.

I seriously doubt your nerdsniping changes the point of the original poster. Which you could easily figure out if you weren't so eager to jump upon every single minute detail and consequently missed the forest for the trees.

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

#37

Post by silentsea90 »

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.

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

#38

Post by xwalltime »

Well, this is pretty silly. Surely this won't last. I've only tried apps like Caffeine and Amphetamine a few times, but I never associated it with a bad thing.

Also, why is Apple making a political statement that doctors should not prescribe Retalin or Adderall ?

It doesn't seem like Apple's place to be making judgements on what medicines are good or bad.

Would Apple ban an app called NyQuil that puts your computer to sleep when it gets hot?

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

#39

Post by rxhernandez »

mhh__ wrote: post #24
paozac wrote: post #2

That's very silly. The times are ready for a new job title: software product namer, to make sure a name won't offend anyone or violate trademarks and store guidelines.

Honestly the real enemy (if people are genuinely offended I tend to side with them) is people being offended on behalf of other people.

This kind of crap has been around long before people started caring about how marginalized people feel. Look no further than obscenity laws which have been in place a lot longer than this wave of empathy.

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

#40

Post by qppo »

rgovostes wrote: post #25

Well-written argument for the app reviewers to get bent, especially the highlighted examples of other apps that show the rule is clearly applied inconsistently. Apple's App Store moderation is embarrassing. They routinely fail to catch harmful junk—I've shut down a few top-grossing bogus antivirus apps for Mac, and the publisher of Untitled Goose Game routinely posts screenshots of clones that are trying to make mone…

I don't necessarily agree that TV/Music/books need more moderation in terms of censorship (and they do have plenty of that), but more curation. Apple TV is a good example of that, it's highly curated.

Books are really bad though. Amazon is no better, neither have any modicum of curation or taste when it comes to their bestsellers lists. The New York Times doesn't put salacious romance novels at the top no matter how many copies sell, yet Amazon and Apple Books would lead you to believe there's nothing else being published.

The same goes for the App Store. It doesn't need moderation by way of censorship, it just needs tasteful, manual curation.

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