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

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

#421

Post by solidsnack9000 » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 10:17 PM UTC

sudosysgen wrote: post #292

aardvarkr wrote: post #241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"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." Taking this literally, is an amphetamine an illegal drug? It’s a clas…

It's not illegal, it is perfectly legal, but like driving a car you need to go through a process for it that not everyone can clear. For example, if you have issues staying awake from narcolepsy it's possible to legally obtain amphetamines, and our society generally accepts this to be a good thing.

One way it's different from driving a car is that you can own a car without having a license -- car possession is not regulated -- whereas the possession of controlled substances is what's regulated.

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

#422

Post by throwaway201103 » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 10:19 PM UTC

smnrchrds wrote: post #415

owenmarshall wrote: post #400

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m assuming that the long term contract also carries with it a warranty? So if your furnace fails while in the contract it is repaired/replaced free or at a pro rated price? If so, I could see people liking it as it serves the same function as an HOA: a hedge against bad things happening. Water heater died? Plumber comes out, no charge. Neighbor starting a junkyard on his front lawn? HOA sends a letter, no confronta…

> I’m assuming that the long term contract also carries with it a warranty? I believe so. But the price is so unreasonably high that you could replace the furnace literally 3 to 5 times and you would still be ahead compared to renting the furnace. How many people would purchase an extended warranty that is priced at multiples of the price of the object they are buying? More than none, but a very small number. New ren…

That's the way warranties work. Warranty providers are not offering them at a loss.

If you buy a home warranty, or an extended warranty for your car, you are (on average) going to be out of pocket more than you would be without it. You are buying it for the peace of mind that comes from not having to deal with an unlikely but major repair expense.

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

#423

Post by qppo » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 10:19 PM UTC

alisonkisk wrote: post #70

qppo wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

What's wrong with romance novels?

Nothing! Just that they're over represented in listings and publishers/authors will game their way to the top of search and best seller results on book apps. It makes it more difficult to find content I would like to read.

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

#424

Post by timsneath » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 10:20 PM UTC

_jal wrote: post #409

bambax wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I’m not offended by the word “fuck” but I don’t really want to buy products that are named that. Then don't. How is this relevant? They say the app has been downloaded 500,000 times, so many people are fine with the name. These stories keep coming; they should remind us that nothing is more precious than the open web, and all those stores or walled gardens, their "rules" and vague TOS are the ennemy.

It is less that the rules are vague than that the rules are whatever Apple says they are today, for you. Apple was promoting Amphetamine not that long ago: https://apps.apple.com/us/story/id1470456860

Yeah. Clearly one team at Apple feels (or felt) that the name was no impediment to them marketing it. Like all corporations, Apple is just a congregation of human beings, rather than a synchronized hive mind. But it's problematic if app authors can't trust in consistency as a result.

FWIW, it's a net downside for me that my professional workstation has an app named "Amphetamine", so I'm quietly in favor of a rename. But it's obviously the author's prerogative to choose its branding, so long as it falls within (consistently) applied policies of those who they rely on to distribute it.

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

#425

Post by tomasf » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 10:20 PM UTC

freehunter wrote: post #279

bambax wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I’m not offended by the word “fuck” but I don’t really want to buy products that are named that. Then don't. How is this relevant? They say the app has been downloaded 500,000 times, so many people are fine with the name. These stories keep coming; they should remind us that nothing is more precious than the open web, and all those stores or walled gardens, their "rules" and vague TOS are the ennemy.

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.

[Caffeine's original developer here]

I removed Caffeine from the App Store when Apple started complaining that a click on a menu bar icon for an app without a dock icon must always show a menu (offering a Quit option). I wanted it to toggle the active state instead and show the menu on right-click/cmd-click.

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

#426

Post by zackkitzmiller » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 10:21 PM UTC

glitchc wrote: post #419

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.

I concur with OP. Rebrand ASAP. Apple is looking for an excuse to shut your app down so that they can replace it with an in-house version. This is on purpose, they want you to feel outraged. If you take the bait and start a legal battle, you’ll play right into their hands. They will drag it out for years or until your money runs out. Far better to keep the money you have earned, recognizing that even the rebrand won’…

Amphetamine is and has always been free.

You can always just disable the screensaver on your Mac if you'd like. Amphetamine really helps when you have MDM installed or something that requires your computer to sleep every so often.

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

#427

Post by Tsiklon » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 10:22 PM UTC

_jal wrote: post #409

bambax wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I’m not offended by the word “fuck” but I don’t really want to buy products that are named that. Then don't. How is this relevant? They say the app has been downloaded 500,000 times, so many people are fine with the name. These stories keep coming; they should remind us that nothing is more precious than the open web, and all those stores or walled gardens, their "rules" and vague TOS are the ennemy.

It is less that the rules are vague than that the rules are whatever Apple says they are today, for you. Apple was promoting Amphetamine not that long ago: https://apps.apple.com/us/story/id1470456860

This, I think is perhaps the biggest item in the developer's favour. That Apple themselves found the name palatable enough to promote the app on the front page of their App Store with the existing name.

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

#428

Post by andai » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 10:22 PM UTC

nsajko wrote: post #412

crazygringo wrote: post #168

I mean, on this point I'm actually inclined to think Apple's general policy is reasonable, even if it sucks that Apple is only now adding or enforcing this rule. It doesn't want apps that jokingly call themselves "Crack Cocaine", "Crystal Meth", or "Mango Vape". It doesn't have anything to do with them actually promoting drug use, but it helps normalize illegal drug use in a way, while Apple wants to keep a "family f…

No. Amphetamine is the name of a chemical with both legal medicinal and illegal applications. I might agree with you if the app's name was "Meth" or some other slang term for a stimulant drug associated with illegal use.

Another comment in this thread said the same thing, and someone replied saying "but I take meth to function (desoxyn)".

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

#429

Post by qppo » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 10:23 PM UTC

rgovostes wrote: post #54

qppo wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

I mean the opposite—not that they should censor/moderate their other stores, but why are they hypocritical (edit: or inconsistent, if you prefer) in saying that certain content is harmful when consumed as an app, but not as a book or movie that they are happy to sell to you?

I think the simplest explanation is that they don't have automated review processes for media like they do for software and Apple isn't a single person making decisions about what they sell on every app all the time.

That said, TV and movies are far more controlled than the App Store.

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

#430

Post by jjcon » Fri, Jan 01, 2021, 10:23 PM UTC

floatingatoll wrote: post #288

jjcon wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

My issues with it stem from something unpublished in the late 90s, which is not something 'dismissable' that you can simply set aside using the negation-by-framing of 'outrage culture', so I can't offer any reply to your question. Please accept my apologies for how far off the mark my reasons are from your assumptions; perhaps another time we'll be better aligned.

> something unpublished in the late 90s

Why should anyone care about this? I’m still confused.