[kresh]

I have never seen an article that more clearly demonstrated the "Entitlement Syndrome" that is so gripping the American mentality. Let's boil down Rob's article.
1. Apple's firmware update re-locked the iPhone and broke 3rd party apps.
2. Apple is within their rights to do so, Rob even admits it.
3. Listen to Rob whine because he feels like he is entitled to something.
4. Moved to Magazine Feedback

[mopcodes]

Here! Here! I totally and completely agree.
If Apple wants to sell me an iPhone they need to allow third party applications.
I have a Palm Treo 700p. It's not perfect, but there is a healthy supply of software that I've bought into that brings a whole new and customized for me personally higher level of productivity!!!
I can use the Treo in phone as modem mode to access Sprint's EVDO network.
One last thing Apple...dump ATT I've avoided doing business with them for well over 10 years. They had incredibly poor customer service back then and still have room for improvement.
So realistically outside of allowing me to use the Sprint network for my iPhone I still don't need one and won't buy one.
I'm happy with my feature limited iPod Touch - but don't get me started on that one!!!! :-p
Bottom line - Apple you bungled the iphone and the touch. you've introduced a new keyboard that's awful as well. What's going on over there?!?!?

[kresh]

Quote:

---

i bet there will be a bunch of completely alternative iphone OS out soon... linux anyone?.... that will really burst Steve's bubble...

---

I call BS on this statement. I use RockBox on my 30GB iPod (Because of the text reader), but there is no way I would put up with that crappy interface on my iPhone.

[luomat]

If that is really their plan, then they need to be more clear to users and developers to say "An SDK is planned but not yet ready" rather than what they have said thus far which is "You don't need an SDK, make web apps."
S.Jobs isn't that stupid, and he knows (or should) that Apple users aren't either, but the excuse he gave (phone stability, rogue app "taking down the network" etc) are completely bunk (not that it couldn't happen but that Apple couldn't sandbox the APIs).
I think that Apple will eventually open the iPhone to developers, but I think they have gotten bit by the "Charge For Everything" bug (note the recent stories that Apple, not AT&T, is the one refusing to unlock phones, contrary for AT&T's previous practice of unlocking after 90 days. And, oh yeah, charging for ringtones).
In the meantime, 1.02 for me.

[lymond]

As I've posted elsewhere, Apple has, I think, declared war not on all third party developers, but only on one small subset of them: the folk in black hats who like to engage in security exploits, such as making and distributing those nasty vicious Trojan horses and viruses that have been the bane of many a computer user over the last couple of decades.
Lest we forget, the original iPhone software was discovered by security researchers to run all of its applications with root privileges, which is, to put it mildly, a security hole big enough to sail the QE2 through flanked by a couple of aircraft carriers. By encrypting the firmware, Apple has made the phone a much safer device. Yes, this strategy breaks all the clever third-party applications that folk have developed in the last few months, but that is a side-effect.
Personally, I dont want my iPhone easily rooted by a hacker, and if the encrypted firmware makes that less likely, Im willing to accept the loss of third-party apps for the moment.

[Johnson]

And if you don't believe Lymond, see the following website: http://www.metasploit.com/

[ishan]

Perhaps an open letter from Mr. Jobs, making the following points, would help:
1. I did not realize that the iPhone users community would be so adversely affected by the 1.1.1 firmware update.
2. Apple is contractually obligated to only allow AT&T to be the carrier used by the iPhone in the US.
3. We respect the many superb third party application developers. I did not know that all third-party applications would be "locked-out" with the firmware update
4. We will issue another update on (date) to allow third party applications to be installed on the iPhone (at the user's risk)
5. We will also release some superb Apple miniapps for the iPhone on (date) and simultaneously release the SDK needed to create useful miniapps by third party developers.
A letter along these lines would not only generate enormous good will and very positive PR, but also enhance sales of the iPhone. I hope Mr. Jobs is considering writing such a letter, this week.
Ishan Bhattacharya, MD

[Ken_Franklin]

Quote:

---

I have never seen an article that more clearly demonstrated the "Entitlement Syndrome" that is so gripping the American mentality. Let's boil down Rob's article.
1. Apple's firmware update re-locked the iPhone and broke 3rd party apps.
2. Apple is within their rights to do so, Rob even admits it.
3. Listen to Rob whine because he feels like he is entitled to something.
4. Macworld publishes this trash, while continuing to wonder at why readership is down.

---

Well said. All products win or lose by whether they are bought and used. Apple has heard of our gripes and lauds - the result being better products. Why should we suddenly doubt this will continue?
Why aren't they telling us before it's finished? Because, as we've discovered, not all who are listening want a good product: some want to hack it for personal gain, and some want to compete with it, and some want to bash it because they are apparently addicted to Mac bashing. (I understand there's a few of those in Redmond.) /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Howzabout we count our blessings, use our cool stuff, provide respectful critiques, and then wait to see our critiques turn into more improvements?
---Ken (hope is better than despair) Franklin

[bager]

Rob, obviously you are one of those who Think Different.

[NovaScotian]

Quote:

---

All products win or lose by whether they are bought and used. Apple has heard of our gripes and lauds - the result being better products. Why should we suddenly doubt this will continue?

---

Because, for the first time in my recollection, the iPhone is tied to another company, ATT, who are not, the evidence shows, particularly well-connected with their public.
I was really looking forward (on a trip to the US later this month) to buying an iPhone, unlocking it, and using it with my Canadian provider. Part of that appeal was the 3rd party apps. Now I will not. End of story -- they lose a sale, probably permanently, because now I don't trust SJ on this product.

[NewGuyontheMac]

Quote:

---

Different target markets entirely.

---

Actually, I feel it's the exact SAME market... people who want things that "just work". iPod's aren't popular because they're imminently hackable and you can change the theme, add apps, etc. They're popular because, along with iTunes, they're dead easy for anyone to use. And if THEY can't, they probably have someone nearby that can help out /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif For the iPhone it goes even further because not only is it easy to operate, mapping, browsing, and dialing are integrated in such a way that you can actually USE them as features for an everyday person... geekdom not required. By any measurement "regular" people will always outnumber iPhone power users and for that to be the target market really doesn't surprise me.

Quote:

---

Both Palm and BlackBerry have very active developer bases that provide a huge assortment of unique applications.

---

And both are currently still not more desirable than the iPhone./forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif If they were, people would see that the iPhone doesn't allow apps, get one of the Palms or BlackBerries instead, install a hunk of third party apps and be as pleased as... well, BlackBerry punch! And iPhone sales would plummet.
BUT, that's not going to happen because people mainly want the iPhone because it's easy...it's basic phone functions are easier than any phone cheaper OR more expensive.

[tfrogh]

Amen Brotha. I was on the verge of jumping to an iPhone from my Verizon Treo. Boy am I glad I hesitated. The single reason that had me ready to switch was the 3rd party program for adding your own ringtone. I have HATED how locked down Verizon has my Treo. Now that feature is gone. Now Apple is locking down the iPhone. I love Apple, but they are acting a bit like a spoiled brat.
I don't know if anyone else sees a bit of history repeating itself. Maybe it is just me and my old age but all of this seems very familiar to a few decades ago when Apple had the most amazing personal computer and operating system but refused to license it. They had the chance to be King and instead chose to be Court Jester. There were other Personal Computers but none with the style, elegance and refinement of the Mac. There are other Smart Phones. None have the style, elegance or refinement of the iPhone.
Sticking with my Treo. Sure th iPhone is cool, but my Treo is paid for.
Tom

[griffman]

"I have never seen an article that more clearly demonstrated the "Entitlement Syndrome" that is so gripping the American mentality. Let's boil down Rob's article.
1. Apple's firmware update re-locked the iPhone and broke 3rd party apps.
2. Apple is within their rights to do so, Rob even admits it.
3. Listen to Rob whine because he feels like he is entitled to something."
#1: Yep.
#2: Yep.
#3: Where did I whine? I merely stated my displeasure with the disappearance of third party apps. If disagreeing with a company's decisions is "whining," then I will continue to whine and make my displeasure known -- whether that company is Apple or any other.
-rob.

[heisetax]

Quote:

---

Surely it's occurred to many people that there are technical reasons for disallowing third-party apps for now. It's very likely that the first revision of the iPhone had to go out before Apple could build a stable set of programmer interfaces. Sure, they're using it for their own development, but they're fixing bugs in the frameworks along the way. On top of that, they're developing new UI elements and metaphors, design patterns, etc., for each app they create.
A lot of the success of the iPhone depends on the device starting out great. Right now that means a consistent, user-friendly interface and a stable system. But before Apple allows third-party development, they need to create a stable set of APIs and behaviors on top of which third-party developers can make good apps. How would it be beneficial to Apple to open up the iPhone prematurely? If the programmer interfaces are still evolving, updates to the frameworks could break existing applications, which will surely frustrate users and developers alike. Sure, Apple could continue supporting both the old interfaces and the new ones, but that just puts them in the bad situation of having to support a broken interface. It's much better for everyone involved for Apple to work out the kinks in their API and then, perhaps in the next year, release an update to the iPhone that enables support for third-party apps.

---

That means that the iPhone had its sale before it was time to be sold. For those that want to do more than making calls on an iPhone should wait to purchase their iPhone until Apple has it ready to do more. At present the iPhone has too many negatives to allow a purchase by me.
Remember in the early days of the Mac, say 1984, Steve Jobs did not want the Mac to be opened. Opening the Mac canceled your warranty, 90 days as it was. You were to make no internal hardware changes. Apple was to do all of the hardware, th OS & some software. 3rd party developers was to only be for software development & add-on external hardware. Fortunately for Apple this did not stop many third party developers to make internal hardware add-ons.
Steve Jobs can use all of the excuses he wants to, but his actions through the years really shows up in all of his actions including the iPhone, iPod & even the Mac. Just look at the non-Intel Mac Pro hardware & see if you agree.
Bill the TaxMan