[OT] Mac App Store

[Bob Sneidar]

Not to carry on this post forever, but the model of the present iTunes app store is small apps that do one thing well that anyone (if approved) can use for free, or else pay a fee for commercial use. Enterprise app developers are simply not going to go with the model that Apple is presenting, or if they do it will be a vastly scaled down model of their software, with the ability to upgrade to the full "professional" versions. 

Now Microsoft just announced their own "cloud" based version of Office, but it's not going to go through Apple or anyone else. I think a LOT of developers would LIKE to move to a cloud based distribution model, for at least one reason that by itself is overwhelmingly appealing: No Piracy! So while devs may not go with APPLE'S model for reasons already discussed, they might very well go for another model. 

The real question is who's cloud are the devs going to pluck their harps on? I think we are seeing the beginning of what some predicted a long time ago, that is cloud based computing, and I don't like it one bit. I do NOT want to "license" software for use and pay a fee each year to support the infrastructure because all developers decided this was the model that benefited THEM most. I want to pay my money, and then be done with the developer. That is clearly NOT what developers want though. Presently, it's a storm wave model, lots of flow out the gate, and then they get washed up on the sand unless they can catch another wave. What they want is a deep flowing river model, only the river is not flowing with water but cash. 

This is a very bad trend (for consumers), which I think Apple saw coming too and decided to get out in front of. Don't focus on Apple, this is much bigger than one corporation. I think fostering consumer awareness about what developers intend is the strategy to combat this sort of thing. If people think they are going to have to pay a regular fee to continue to use their computers, they will revolt. And it has to happen soon, because once a lot of developers get into the cloud, they are not coming back out of it for ANYTHING. 

Bob


On Oct 21, 2010, at 3:18 PM, Richard Gaskin wrote:

> Bob Sneidar wrote:
> 
> >> Is the the future of what our customers will see at our
> >> software sites?
> >>
> >> <http://livecodejournal.com/blog.irv?pid=1287696062.654893>
> >
> > Oh heck, no one is gonna put up with that!
> 
> Hard to say.
> 
> After all, it's just looking out for the user, providing as much "security" and "safety" as they can.
> 
> Remember that iPhone users report that they like having that sort of "stewardship", and many believe that being able to choose their own software from their own download sites is completely undesirable.
> 
> --
> Richard Gaskin
> Fourth World
> LiveCode training and consulting: http://www.fourthworld.com
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> LiveCode Journal blog: http://LiveCodejournal.com/blog.irv
> 
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