Comment by Tichy | Hacker News Reader

Comment by Tichy | Hacker News Reader

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While I voted you up for interesting insights into another mindset, just one inaccuracy: 'You click "Accept" once, then never see it again.' - actually, it happens with every iTunes update. Even if you read the license the first time (and I don't), how many more times are you going to read it? So Apple can put in the license whatver they want?

Also I don't like your tone when you say "But most Mac users don't find it outrageous to pay developers for their time. "

It really isn't about that. I just don't want to tie myself to proprietary software. And something like apt is fundamentally impossible with proprietary software, unless you go the App store route (let Apple control everything).

Whenever I install a proprietary application that I have downloaded from some website I googled for, I feel as if my Computer has become unclean and untrustworthy.

Basically, the second half of your post is just nonsense ("Apple never fucks up etc."), but as I said, the first part was OK.

Even if you read the license the first time (and I don't), how many more times are you going to read it? So Apple can put in the license whatver they want?

It really isn't about that. I just don't want to tie myself to proprietary software. And something like apt is fundamentally impossible with proprietary software, unless you go the App store route (let Apple control everything).

Both of these are issues of trust. I don't think Apple will fuck me over with their iTunes user agreement. I do think the proprietary developers I purchase from won't stop making their stuff better any time soon. So far, I've never once felt that trust broken. I don't think it ever will break, because for Apple or especially a third-party developer to try and fuck its users over would be suicide. A two-man team can't afford to use their applications capriciously if their lifestyle is funded by app development.

Basically, the second half of your post is just nonsense ("Apple never fucks up etc."), but as I said, the first part was OK.

This is an argument that happens here once a week, and not just with my involvement, so I'll give my typical answer: Some people are the type that notices Apple's design expertise, and they're people who don't need explanations; other people don't care enough about design to ever notice, and that's completely fine too. Fact is, I think that my Macbook Pro with OS X is the best thing I've ever used in my life, and I love everything about it ferociously, but the things that make me fall in love likely aren't things that would interest you at all. Similarly, I don't feel your love for free software whatsoever. It's a difference of mindset that's completely cool.

"other people don't care enough about design to ever notice, and that's completely fine too."

Or maybe they just have different tastes and preferences. Apple Design is not the only possible design, and it has it's downsides.

That's essentially what I said, but you're nitpicking my use of the word "design". I hold that by how I define "design", Apple's design is the best out there, by several orders of magnitude. There is no user experience more painstakingly crafted. Apple makes it into an art form.

They certainly look the fanciest, and I admit to the quality of their recent hardware (but really only the recent one). But I'd argue that they also sacrificed some usability to the fanciness. I must even hand it to Microsoft that in some cases they added features that make it easier for power users, even if they don't look as pretty.

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