Apple has threatened to remove Amphetamine from the App Store • Hacker News Board

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

#351

Post by 013a » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 9:31 PM UTC

philwelch wrote: post #156

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…

Banning books is widely considered to be a bad thing.

And it is thus important to recognize that our cultural perception of book banning, book burning, etc as a bad thing isn't something intrinsic to humans, and its not something we got for free. It took years of effort from major authors and members of the literary community to shift that perception. And we need to fight that fight again for applications, and especially for platforms which give their users and developers no other recourse, on behalf of the vast majority of users who don't have the knowledge or context to understand why it matters.

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

#352

Post by crististm » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 9:33 PM UTC

zepto wrote: post #233

crististm wrote: post #204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The relevancy to the debate is established by the meaning of the word. Which is a technical issue. Leaving the definition of a precise term to the whims of layman results in that we can't any longer say if we are talking about the same things. Look no further then to this very thread.

There is a technical definition and there are lay understandings. This has always been true. Wouldn’t you say?

True.

The end result is that the merge of the two ends up in the dictionary. Perhaps it's time to update the definitions but I doubt that 'amphetamine' will be defined as slang for 'meth' when in fact 'meth' is slang or short for 'methamphetamine'.

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

#353

Post by raverbashing » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 9:33 PM UTC

hugi wrote: post #239

Bodell wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Honestly if your name your product stupid things I would think that some of us might be choosing not to download your product as a result. And if a store decides not to sell your product because of this it’s really their prerogative. Saying you violated their terms with impunity for 6 years doesn’t mean they lose the right to correct the mistake. This name is pretty rings rather badly in my ears, though I’m not offen…

Americans being American. "We love freedom of speech but fuck you if your product name mentions a chemical compound or a word I or someone else might find offending".

For purporting themselves as worldwide champions of freedom of speech it's kinda funny to see how Americans react when that freedom of speech involves sexuality, cursing or substance use.

Show as much violence in a movie as you want, but two swearwords and the rating is bumped up.

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

#354

Post by bigphishy » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 9:33 PM UTC

zepto wrote: post #71

TheRealSteel wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, meth is an amphetamine. Meth is not amphetamine, amphetamine is a different molecule.

Amphetamine is a general term as well as a proper noun. Both are valid and widely accepted meanings. Meth is amphetamine.

I'll just leave this here, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categorical_proposition

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

#355

Post by ineedasername » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 9:34 PM UTC

Trademark issues aside, I wonder if this would be a problem if the app was named Adderall.

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

#356

Post by sbarre » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 9:35 PM UTC

webmobdev wrote: post #298

freehunter wrote: post #279

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I download and use the app despite the name. I’m not okay with it, but I need the features it offers and there isn’t a better alternative with a better name. There used to be (called Caffeine) but it disappeared from the store and I’m not sure why. Just because people use the app doesn’t mean they like the name.

But do you believe Apple should be the ultimate arbitrator of such silly things like the name of an app you create?

In their environment that they clearly indicate is their environment from the outset? Yes..

They are not telling the author they can't call his app whatever they want. They are saying they will not sell it in their app store under that name.

And that's the bargain you enter into when you sell in a walled garden ecosystem.

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

#357

Post by jMyles » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 9:35 PM UTC

croes wrote: post #318

jMyles wrote: post #280

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I wholeheartedly agree with the thrust of your argument (particularly that stigmatization is detrimental)... > it’s not referring to a street drug. Amphetamine (and other amphetamines) are certainly available as 'street drugs'. The stigmatization of 'street drugs' (and generally, drug use as part of someone's self-directed diet) is also harmful.

So apps with the words pep or speed in the name are also inappropriate?

Uhhh, no. I don't think this name, nor any name based on a psychoactive compound, is a bad or inappropriate name on that basis.

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

#358

Post by webmobdev » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 9:36 PM UTC

judge2020 wrote: post #236

There's a great talk titled "Lessons Learned from the App Store" by Phillip Shoemaker - https://youtu.be/tJeEuxn9mug One of the main points is that apple has a hierarchy of priorities for their App Store: protect Apple's brand, protect the customer, then make money (timestamp 5:08 in video). Apple probably got some complaints about the name of the program (probably 100 or less) and decided it wasn't worth the $0 it w…

> and decided it wasn't worth the $0 it was making to leave it up.

Then apparently they made a poor decision - the app apparently has been downloaded 500,000 times. That means it adds value to the users who use it, and that means it creates more value for Apple's platform. Apple shouldn't forget that developers add value to their platform, and moreover, with Apple charging them, they are also clients too!

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

#359

Post by 0xEFF » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 9:37 PM UTC

webmobdev wrote: post #266

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.

> My advice is to immediately rebrand as gracefully and effectively as possible and use all that activist energy to effect the transition. Apple will definitely appreciate it if all of us would just shut up and let them screw us. While I appreciate your well-meaning advise to the author - pick your battles in life carefully - I'd like to add that using your anger constructively at some injustice is a positive move to…

Do you expect to see a box on a shelf of any retail store labeled, “Amphetamine” with a colorful picture of drugs?

It’s entirely reasonable for the retail store to tell the vendor to rename the product or else it will be removed from the shelf.

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

#360

Post by sbarre » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 9:37 PM UTC

pixelatedindex wrote: post #339

jkmcf wrote: post #297

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The HOA stereotype definitely is, but all HOAs are not the same. My HOA is generally hands off but you do need to ask permission for structural or cosmetic changes -- the neighborhood doesn't want to look like an amusement park. But, no one is going around measuring the height of your grass or other overly strict things I've read about. However, I did just get a nasty gram to take down my political "Giant Meteor for…

> the neighborhood doesn't want to look like an amusement park. I do think this is where a lot of the HOA problems come from - if someone wants to put something up on their front yard or lawn, then neighbors can intervene and say you can’t do that there. Since you bought the property and it’s yours, why do others get to have a say in it? I know I don’t give two hoots about what the neighbor does to their own home.

Buying the property came with the HOA strings.

If you didn't want those strings, then go buy a property somewhere that doesn't have an HOA.

Same with this case, I sympathize with the author and I personally think this is a stupid thing for Apple to do, but the author (hopefully) understood the bargain they were entering into when they chose to enter the walled garden.