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Comment by litewulf | Hacker News Reader

Again, if this is something that bothers you, please understand the solution is to NOT BUY AN IPHONE, and not "whine online and continue to use your iphone".

RMS once agreed that OSS tools were inferior, but he only used OSS tools because by doing so (and contributing code and +1 userbase) he was working towards a future where the OSS achieved parity or became better. Same for all these other arguments. "But only Apple makes iPhones" is true, but ignores the greater market impact.

Besides, I fear that with the death of Palm and the increasing distaste towards WinMo (and the continuing stillbirth of Android) that the lesson carriers are learning is that closed is better.

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Eh? Not buying an iPhone is certainly a solution, but it's not the only one.

If I walked into my favorite restaurant and said, "I love this place, but I wish you had slightly fresher salads," would you say, "Shut up and take a walk-- there are plenty of restaurants down the street."?

Consumer feedback is important. You're probably right that the most powerful thing a consumer could do is very loudly announce that they weren't going to buy for a specific reason. But it's still plenty compelling for a business to hear, "I'll grudgingly use your app/tool, but I'm continually frustrated by X".

Watch Apple-- I'd wager they respond to the "whining".

A few iphone app developers != consumers.

Do you seriously think iPhone users care one bit about this?

In a second-handed way -- it's pretty clear that iPhone developers care about this, and that iPhone users care about developers.

I'd say iPhone users care about apps, or being able to do what they want to. I don't think they particularly care about developers.

I'm not an iPhone app developer, but there are quite a few banned apps I'd love to use. Notably, the one mentioned in this article-- managing multiple email accounts on an iPhone is a pain in the ass.

There seems to be quite a lot of support out there for jailbreaking etc if you want to install non-approved apps.

Actually, I think as company's get bigger, they don't hear the "I am frustrated by X", they see "ohhh we made HOW MUCH this year?"

I'm sure that Apple is peopled with nice guys and all, but seriously developers are a drop in the bucket (and thus easy to ignore). Either they stand up for themselves or they are going to keep getting abused. All the talk of how developing for Apple is sharecropping is moot because people keep developing.

Also, the "still pretty compelling for a business to hear"? If users said that to me I'd love it, because it means I got them. They're paying money for something that they actually disagree with. That says something about hitting the right pain points and such.

1. How about those that bought an iPhone anywhere between when the AppStore was announced and when this crap started?* Do they get to "whine"?

2. Even if 1. is not the case, why not "whine"? Some might even end up calling it userbase reaction, feedback. Not getting into something is not always the answer to having some issues with that something.

Also, equating negative opinions about something about which you have a positive one with "whining" ain't cool.

* not my case.

True. I would say the events are not surprising given the way Apple works as a company, but sure, I guess they have a right to complain.

I also think they should vote with their dollars too though.

I'm sure the 10 or so lost iPhone sales from iPhone app developers will really hit Apple where it hurts ;)

But I completely agree. This whining is getting really boring. It's their decision, and rightly so. If you don't like it, don't write for their platform. Write for android or a webapp or something.

Boring? Coming from FOSS, I'm rather enjoying this feeling of vindication. Best part is this protectionism helps nobody, apple least of all.

Yeah I'm sure people on the street will stop buying Apple after this gets out eh!

No. Google it.

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