Apple: Typical Control Freaks

[Aristotle]

This article addresses another absurd act of hyper-control by Apple via its iPhone app store.

Apple: World's First Victorian Tech Company

An ebook reader was banned because it gave access to Project Gutenberg (a source of public domain books). The excuse is that PG gives access to the Kama Sutra.

I think the real reason is even worse: they don't want people to have access to free books.

But either way, their action stinks, since the ebook reader itself provides no content.

[Rosuav]

Apple are doing something that's absolutely nuts? Yep, fits with their corporate philosophy methinks. They've always been lock-down control freaks; the "no user-serviceable parts inside" philosophy can be seen in just about every iProduct ever produced. Even so, though, I'm somewhat amazed at this. What next? Will they block http://sourceforge.net/ from iphones, ostensibly because of http://wepcrack.sourceforge.net/ but really because it's all open source?

Actually, I don't think they can do that. They've made use of open source material far too much to be able to cut it all out. Still, you'd think they could learn from history, that freedom is a good thing...

[leira]

I read a bit about this the other day. Apple is basically full of shit, and always has been. They are probably the most commercial tech company there is. When you buy Apple, most of the money you are spending is going towards the name, not the tech itself. Funny, considering they made their fortune by selling their overpriced shit to people who thought Microsoft is too greedy.

Apple blocking an application because it could be used to read the Kama Sutra doesn't surprise me at all. Congratulations, Apple. You are now the Walmart of the cell phone apps industry.

[anthson]

This mentality by Apple is what's kept me away from everything of theirs except iTunes. I even shunned iTunes for a good many years until recently when Apple finally got the clue that managing pirated music was easier than managing their DRM bullshit. Now that all iTunes downloads are as easy to transfer, store, and burn as Amazon MP3s, I've gone back to the program. The company took a step in the right direction there, but I don't see them shifting their philosophy as a whole.

[Malacasta]

Apple backs down, allows ‘adult’ Eucalyptus app
Chris Keall | Tuesday May 26 2009 - 07:38am
Apple has reversed course, and made e-booker reading programme Eucalyptus available for download, for $US10, from its iTunes AppStore.

Eucalyptus caused controversy and was denied approval for sale on iTunes on Friday, flagged by a previewer as ‘adult’ and ‘objectionable’ because it allows an iPhone or iTouch user to browse the Project Gutenburg database of 20,000 free e-books, including such ‘sexually suggestive’ titles as the Karma Sutra.

Project Gutenburg’s collection of classic and other copyright-expired or copyright-free books is already available through the project’s website. Learning this, Apple relented, and Eucalyptus was fast-tracked for approval over the weekend for availability today. Its developer says Apple was, on its second review, complimentary about his product.

http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/apple-b...tus-app-102845

[Rosuav]

Originally quoted by Malacasta - thanks Mala for the followup!
Its developer says Apple was, on its second review, complimentary about his product.

In other words, Apple backed down in the face of fierce opposition, and tried to pretend they were never REALLY against it. Of course not! Look how nice we're being!

[anthson]

At least they're listening to consumer feedback and responding accordingly. This may be another step in the right direction for Apple, even if the journey takes another few decades to get to the point where we PC users might like it to be.

[Aristotle]

Originally posted by anthson
At least they're listening to consumer feedback and responding accordingly.

I don't think they are listening to customer feedback. I think they are listening to a torrent of negative PR.

[Riek]

Yet they're stupid enough to put crap like this in their store

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30354894/

before the avalanche of protests caused them to remove it.

[Bael]

Bwaaaaahahahahah I wonder how much money that person made off of that app before it got pulled...