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Comment by zingplex | Hacker News Reader

Just like they promised to open source FaceTime and iMessages? Apple has a history of making false promises in regards to open sourcing products.

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My understanding was that FaceTime and iMessage weren't open sourced because of issues related to a patent troll (VirnetX IIRC). I'd be interested in hearing from others that are more familiar with the situation.

Not only that, but apparently Steve Jobs decided to just say that on stage and while it had been discussed a bit it wasn't the plan and came as a total shock to the people involved.

Or perhaps concern with having to deal with 3rd party iMessage/Facetime clients while at the same time trying to maintain a high level of security. Apple doesn’t want anything to tarnish the security reputation of these products.

> FaceTime

They got sued heavily for it. They had to completely change the implementation and it became a non-P2P video chat.

I don't recall any promises around iMessage, and FaceTime fell victim to patents.

> Apple has a history of making false promises in regards to open sourcing products

No, not true at all. iMessage was never promised, mentioned, or even hinted at being open source. Also, on the FaceTime from they said that the underlying protocols would be submitted to standards bodies as an open standard - that's a completely different things from open source. And the reasons that Apple didn't wind up doing that are well known (lawsuit from patent trolls).

Sounds like you have an axe to grind or only listen to people who do...

Not sure why you're being downvoted.

Too many fanboys I guess. I would hope the community is more enlightened than that.

Because it's just kind of lazy and incorrect, that's why.

Apple did promise to open FaceTime, and was promptly sued – that's why it's not open. AFAIK there was no promise to open iMessage.

My apologies for the unwarranted cynicism, I was not aware.

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