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Comment by cosmok | Hacker News Reader

'iPhone completely blocks free software. Developers must pay a tax to Apple, who becomes the sole authority over what can and can't be on everyone's phones.'

I dislike the fact that Apple has considerable (compltete?) control over the distribution of an iPhone app and even charges the developer for doing so.Frigging unbelivable!

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Why are people so upset about this? They provide a great shopping experience for their customers, and a great distribution channel for your apps. This is a service worth paying for.

The problem is that this channel is THE ONLY ONE.

It's not different from Apple's usual way of business. Look at their control of apple hardware and the software that controls the hardware. Things "just work", to quote almost everyone, with apple because of their control. I am happy to elaborate if the comparison to their hardware business isn't sufficient.

I don't mind Apple's pursuit of control over their stuff because they have done little to convince me they can't be trusted with the power. On top of this, their control has led to a consistent and smooth experience with their products.

I must state that I'm not an iPhone developer. I speak as a happy consumer only.

I agree that I'm not upset by this.

Well, maybe not the only one... http://www.ziphoneunlock.com/?id=yuga

Just sayin'

shame on you if that's an affiliate link.

I do not work for the company that the link points to, if that is what you mean. Just saying you can jailbreak your phone and run anything you want.

No, it really isn't. You can get a corporate distribution license if you have a userbase of a few thousand to serve, or if you have a userbase of less than a hundred or so, you can even do adhoc distribution by authorising their individual iPhones. Or, you can distribute source code, and anyone that has paid the less than $100 for a developer license can use your software.

The iPhone has some restrictions on distribution, but they are far from being as draconian as some would have us believe. Honestly, the price for a developer's cerificate is not a significant barrier, and with the other modes of distribution that Apple has provided (mostly to serve the corporate and academic markets), there are enough options to find a reasonably priced solution for most usecases.

There's nothing stopping you from distributing your software for free (no "tax" paid to Apple if it's free) or distributing your source code.

Other developers can modify, compile, run your source code on their own iPhones, and redistribute it on the App Store if they are approved.

As Apple ramps up I believe they will approve more and more developers, and eventually get to the point where anyone can distribute an app on the App Store.

And when the day comes that I can install an application on an iPhone without the permission of Apple, including those I develop myself, I will buy an iPhone. I've made the mistake of buying one device (Sidekick II) that doesn't allow arbitrary applications, and I won't do it again...and I certainly won't pay $80/month for the privilege of only using the products Apple permits me to use.

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