Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Apple to kill Epic’s accounts on Friday the 28th

twitter.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

781–790 of 996 posts

Re: Apple to kill Epic’s accounts on Friday the 28th

#781

Post by cma »

enos_feedler wrote: post #747
actuator wrote: post #745

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While Epic can be accused of starting this intentionally to prove a point, this just goes into the territory of chilling effect now. I have always been wary of their power over iPhone/iOS ecosystem, but if they are going to use a mistake and their power there into a largely different ecosystem MacOS, that is beyond scary. Consider that the same company has many other ecosystems like TV, speakers too. Apple is too sca…

If a business partner is acting in bad faith (violating terms) I think it’s fair for the impact to spread across the organization.

I don't know what the right word for it is, but calling them Apple's business partner is like calling a statutory rape victim a sexual partner.

Re: Apple to kill Epic’s accounts on Friday the 28th

#782

Post by nomel »

victords wrote: post #624
pwinnski wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some might see a difference between "a developer who went public about their frustrations with the App Store" and a developer who deliberately violated the policies and then filed a lawsuit and started an extensive PR campaign.

It’s still retaliation. No way around that.

Some would consider this enforcement, which is not the same as retaliation.

Re: Apple to kill Epic’s accounts on Friday the 28th

#783

Post by tgsovlerkhgsel »

VectorLock wrote: post #544
Waterfall wrote: post #499

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you find him wrong about?

His public image has been degraded from toe-jam eating and supposedly outrageous riders for speaking engagements (which I think everything in was pretty level headed but some people think it was 'nuts')

> everything in was pretty level headed

It starts out reasonable, but then has gems like "please buy bus tickets only with cash under a fake name", "find me a parrot", "go to the hotel and figure out if their phone jacks do dial-up because that's most likely the only thing that will work with my machine".

The latter may have adjusted with the times, since the document is old; but then again, the demands he places on streaming technology etc. are perfectly reasonable nowadays, but a massive obstacle back then.

Re: Apple to kill Epic’s accounts on Friday the 28th

#784

Post by Supermancho »

eanzenberg wrote: post #734
nyolfen wrote: post #643

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If he were a politician or a celebrity HN would want to see him hanged with the rest of the degenerate elites. you may be surprised at some of the names here: https://www.wikiwand.com/en/French_petition_against_age_of_c...

Its not surprising that elites are for sex with children. We see that in 2020, too.

The consequence of power is such that it emboldens an individual to believe that limits on themeselves, are a moral wrong. The common knowledge acceptance of sexually deviant debauchery, has been pervasive across time (Caligula to Epstein). It is much harder to expose, with the extreme wealth disparity.

I'd bet you have to be really sloppy nowadays to get caught.

Re: Apple to kill Epic’s accounts on Friday the 28th

#785

Post by AlexandrB »

NoPicklez wrote: post #778
AlexandrB wrote: post #764

As usual in these corporate pissing matches, those harmed are the customers. Neither Epic nor Apple come out looking particularly good. Epic's publicity stunt amounts to a marketing ploy and an attempt at hardball negotiation of app store terms. But it does put the negative aspects of Apple's tight-fisted control of iOS software into sharp focus and demonstrates why consumers should be wary of total platform control…

How else do you propose they go after Apple? Go through this process without violating the app store? Then most people would turn a blind eye to the issue because it hasn't actually impacted them. Yes the customer is impacted, but by impacting the customer with the right message Epic can turn their customer base against Apple in the process. Not only does it hurt the customer, but it also hurts Epic by cutting off a…

> How else do you propose they go after Apple? Go through this process without violating the app store?

Epic is a huge company with hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, not some 10-man operation. They can hire lawyers and try to negotiate with Apple for more favorable terms.

> Then most people would turn a blind eye to the issue because it hasn't actually impacted them.

Imagine if this was happening with Adobe and you're a professional that depends on Adobe products (that you pay a large monthly fee for) to do your job. Would you care who is "right" while your boss is breathing down your neck for that project you can't do because Adobe decided to get in a pissing match with Apple? I think you'd think twice about using Adobe products in the future. So why is it OK for Epic to harm their own customers in an effort to apply pressure on Apple? Personally, I'd feel pretty used.

And don't forget. Epic seems OK with continuing to pay Sony/Microsoft 30% on their respective consoles.

Re: Apple to kill Epic’s accounts on Friday the 28th

#786

Post by jordigh »

marcan_42 wrote: post #728
jordigh wrote: post #711

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Then there is also the AGPL, which isn't a Free Software license, but rather an end-user license agreement (EULA), because it violates Freedom Zero: the freedom to use software however you want. If you have this opinion of the AGPL, then you should also have it about the GPL, since the only difference between the two is section 13 of both of them (seriously, just diff them) which says that conveying over a network…

The AGPL section 13 isn't about conveying the program itself, it's about making it available as a service for network interaction. It may be just a one paragraph difference, but that difference is what makes the AGPL into an EULA. It's a requirement on users . The GPLv3 has zero requirements on users , only on distributors . You might think this is a valid clause to include, and like its effects, and that's fine (tho…

No.

It's not a requirement on users anymore than the GPL requiring you to distribute corresponding source on CDs was a requirement on users. Morally and legally, the distribution medium does not make a difference. When you make the software available over the network you are no longer the user -- the users of the software over the network are the users. When you convey the software over the network you are a network operator and a distributor. Being a network operator and a distributor imposes obligations upon you.

It is not a EULA. The AGPL even says, in the same section that the GPL says (to wit, section 9) that you don't need to accept it in order to be granted its rights.

Re: Apple to kill Epic’s accounts on Friday the 28th

#787

Post by [deleted] »

nabla9 wrote: post #432
fishywang wrote: post #352

My prediction is that this will backfire so badly for Apple. Apple clearly underestimated how popular Unreal Engine is to game developers. Apple probably expect developers to just switch to other engines when they took UE away from them, but in reality most of the developers currently using UE will just stop publishing on Apple's platforms because that's no longer a profitable platform (consider the investment for de…

I'm sure that Tim Sweeney has talked with Tencent (owns 40% of Epic) about his plans beforehand. Tencent owns Riot Games (League Of Legends) and parts of several other gaming companies. They also own WeChat,WeGame, QQ, etc. Epic may be just a test case. Everyone else is watching and if Apple blinks, they will side with Epic and Apple must give up huge revenue stream.

[deleted]

Re: Apple to kill Epic’s accounts on Friday the 28th

#788

Post by cma »

nxc18 wrote: post #684
strbean wrote: post #529

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How many kids with iPhones will now insist that their next phone be Android so they can play Forkknife? This could genuinely make a dent in the iPhone's market share long term. edit: Count on the irrational fanbois to deliver drive-by downvotes!

You’re getting downvoted because those kids with iPhones talk to kids with google phones and would know that Fortnight isn’t available there either, because Epic is also starting shit with Google simultaneously. Edit: also it’s in bad taste to discuss downvotes on HN

Epic can return to selling off-store on Android though.

Re: Apple to kill Epic’s accounts on Friday the 28th

#789

Post by cma »

redm wrote: post #392

I'm not surprised by this. From Apples perspective, Epic meaningfully bypassed key terms of the App store which have been in force since the App store was created. Epic then turned around and sued Apple. It also became clear they were planning for this sequence to occur, in effect, trying to publicly shame Apple. I think I would be surprised if Apple DIDN'T suspend their accounts. The signing on Mac is just a side ef…

If you released an iOS app against the guidelines, such as counting up US drone strikes, wouldn't it suck to have your unrelated OS X apps unnotarized rather than just having your app removed? Notarization was supposed to be about security.

Re: Apple to kill Epic’s accounts on Friday the 28th

#790

Post by cma »

drawkbox wrote: post #712
cma wrote: post #555

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Epic also allows free to play games to set up their own payment systems and pay 0%.

If Apple waived the 30% take if you used GameCenter or their game kits you think that would be seen as anti-competitive? Yes. What you have described is Epic engaging in anti-competitive behavior that isn't yet because they are the smaller of the store players. I think people are short-sighted in what Apple did for gaming. Just go back to 2007. Before Apple the only way to make a game was flash/PC with no markets oth…

> Apple opened up game development

No, Apple II already had game devs selling stuff by mail without paying Apple 30%, in a much more open way.

Post reply on HN