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Comment by jackalope | Hacker News Reader

But it still requires an Apple ID, and that's what bothers me. Xcode should be an optional install included with the OS or downloadable anonymously. After all, I need it to install free software with MacPorts/Homebrew/pkgsrc, so I don't think my position is unreasonable, even if it seems extreme or impractical. It's just the line I wouldn't cross myself. With Linux, I don't have to, so I'm enjoying the alternative while it still exists.

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Seems somewhat over the top and unreasonable to me to be honest. If it was included only on the install dvd or disk image, it could be out of date or have known bugs that are fixed in other versions. Keeping it downloadable means llvm can be updated independent of the OS. Not sure why an id is so offensive to you.

Before Software Update was integrated with the Mac App Store, Xcode was an optional install from the DVD that was also freely and anonymously updated via Software Update (beginning with Snow Leopard, I believe). It allowed me to freely and anonymously use my computer in a way that I wanted, so requiring an Apple Id makes it feel like that freedom was taken away. Everyone has a line somewhere, and that was the one I couldn't cross. Why do I need Apple's permission to install Mutt? It seems crazy and, yes, offensive to me.

Where do you get apples permission to install mutt? They're only going for a developer id. Put in bogus information if you want.

I guess I don't see this as being a freedom issue at all. From my vantage it seems over the top. And this is from someone thats used linux since 1997ish and osx since whenever 10.3 was. Seems over reactionary to me.

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