Comments on: Apple Lifts iPhone Developer NDA

By: foggydave

foggydave — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 06:25:54 +0000

@Joel…

There seems to be some confusion about this — perhaps Apple should have worded their statement more clearly. It seems clear to me that the continued NDA will apply *not* to unreleased apps that *you* are writing, but unreleased versions of the iPhone software (OS, firmware and SDK seeds) that come down to developers from Apple.

You can talk about the projects you are working on to your heart’s content.

By: Joel

Joel — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 04:22:05 +0000

The way the statement was worded leaves me wondering whether developers can discuss technical problems on Cocoa-dev. The notice talks about released iPhone software. The thing that has kept me from doing anything with the iPhone SDK has been the inability to ask questions. I don’t see how this solves my dilemma. Do you have any thoughts on this Daniel?

By: scott

scott — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 02:38:55 +0000

I’d rather apple not arbitrarily reject apps…

I’ve been working on my current app for a month.
It uses non-”standard” UI components.
What happens if it gets rejected?

By: bowerbird

bowerbird — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 23:25:23 +0000

for dropping an utterly stupid policy,
i would suggest an action far short of
“lavish praise”, like “commendation”…

i’d reserve “praise” for the cases where
the correct choice is made at the outset,
and “lavish praise” for those fewer cases
where that choice required courage too.

unless we’re dealing with children, that is,
small children, who should always be told
they are wonderful, even when they’re not.

but you’re right, maybe that’s just me…

-bowerbird

By: Daniel Jalkut

Daniel Jalkut — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:40:34 +0000

To those who don’t think positive change deserves praise, I guess we just don’t see the world through the same lens.

No amount of misbehavior will damage my ability to recognize and appreciate a meaningful, positive change.

By: bowerbird

bowerbird — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:36:16 +0000

“lavished with praise”?

for dropping an utterly stupid policy?

yeah, right.

you’re funny, daniel, you’re really funny.

-bowerbird

By: Jon W.

Jon W. — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:11:40 +0000

I respectfully disagree that Apple deserves an iota of praise for this move. The iPhone epitomizes “defective by design”: the AT&T exclusive, the “very sweet solution,” the NDA that got a book canceled, the App Store exclusive, and the arbitrary rejections. This press release demonstrates Apple’s perspective: “steal our work,” “hundreds of patents,” “ripped off by others.” Android was a kick in the ass, or an Apple suit finally got around to reading the dBase chapter of In Search of Stupidity; either way, Apple didn’t do this for you.

By: Paul D. Waite

Paul D. Waite — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:30:04 +0000

Phew. Definitely makes iPhone development more attractive for the aspiring indie crowd.

Now, if they can just nail down the App Store inclusion policy, we’ll really be cooking.