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Now, they're not selling a million computers, they're selling 25 million iPods, and, like it or not, some of those people are going to be among the unwashed who want to see what else the thing can do. Who aren't willing to put up with, "Steve said we don't need to know. We just need to pay twice as much as the rest of the world to keep out the infidels".
Apple is simply afraid that people will find out that the company is either limiting the devices, or hiding the fact that they aren't as good as the hype claims.
Apple preemptively attacking this guy (via his ISP) is wrong in so many ways.
They are making some steady progress towards becoming the new Evil Empire.
I really still just think it comes down to Apple making great products. Think of it like sports: you can be the biggest jerk in the world, but at the end of the day if you're putting up the numbers, the fans will love you.
I'd be delighted to see the iPhone available on any carrier, but it makes perfect sense for Jobs to fight the proliferation of hacks - especially while he's still negotiating contracts.
But before we throw the first stone at corporate shareholders, let's also recognize that at the human core, we all have a little of the prostitute in us and we are all willing to give up some small part of our values and give certain parties a free ride in order to keep the shiny little gadgets coming. Society always cuts the popular guy more slack than others.
The question posed by Mathew will certainly be viewed as heretical by the faithful and indeed, I have examined the supposition that "Steve Jobs is god" here: http://www.music2dot0.com/archives/12
The discussion at hand is about the iPod Touch, not the iPhone.
In the case of Apple, we are talking about a single company, trying to impose limitations on it's own products. Unique products that get unique attention (there is no massively publicized "Nokia/Samsung/Motorola-hacking", there aren't entire online groups dedicated to reverse engineering other phones).
Neither does Apple have a semi-monopoly on anything like Microsoft (and the kind of social and economic power that comes with it), not even in the online music business since the vast majority of iPod owners fill it with mp3's instead of iTunes music.
Apple does not get a free ride. All the Tech-blogs are full Apple's latest stunts. But the reality is, Apple is not "The Man". I can ditch my iPod, my yet-to-be-aquired-since-i-live-in-Europe iPhone and any Macs without any problems. In fact, ditching them would make live easier for me in a Microsoft dominated world.
The reality is, despite all of its success and publicity, Apple is still the opposition, the "other guy". The fact that the more power Apple gets, the more it starts to act like "The Man" is something to be extremely critical of, but compared to the impact of DVD-encryption or Microsoft OOXML manipulations these are minor issues.
Blowing every bad move Apple makes out of proportion will only fuel Apple apologists.
I don't see why Apple's products garner as much attention as they do. Sure, the machines sometimes look nice. But at the end of the day, they're not much different than any of the competition.
It'd be nice to see Apple hire the people that take their firmware and do something better with it, rather than try and alienate their more technologically talented consumers.
He's a Human!
Q: How does this post earn the Web2.0 tag (http://www.mathewingram.com/work/category/web20/)?
A: Because anything published after 1/1/2007 is inherently Web2.0
That being said, these features that hackers want will be available eventually or they wouldn't be on the devices. A little patience would do some good.
It still sucks that Apple can shut you down that easy though.
When you go into a restaurant you don't always pay for food, same applies to a 5 stars hotels. When you buy or support Apple, advanced technology is the last thing on you mind.
Sorry guys, Apple fans, but you are all in the pleasure business, it's like paying an expensive... let's say: girlfriend.
And in the end everything goes into your MasterCard bill, even if it's priceless!
So, to sum it up: who else always gets a free ride?
unrightfully distributing copyrighted material == depends.
It was a freaking sweatshop, but people who like Apple and IPod owners want to ignore this because they think having Apple products makes this 'unique' and rebellious, lol quite the contrary.
And yeah when Apple used DRM everyone said nothing about it. Instead they cuss and throw out swears to every other company that was doing it, and of course somehow Apple fans seem to always like to drag Microsoft in (as if Steve Job's vendetta against MS extends to them and that they have to carry out his vendetta for him). Just look at how they come to his defence so quickly, and they'll deny the sweat shops as if it never happened or as if it was fully resolved - even though Nike has still yet to be forgiven, but Apple is cleared of all charges with no second degree. Also Apple gets a free ride as you said, anything they're caught doing - like intentionally bad battery life or cracking screen on the IPhone, they are automatically excused - where another company would get grilled on it.
Apple is a crappy company that was once upon a time a legend, but now has become nothing more then a religion to some, who would probably sacrifice themselves at the altar of the IPod and Apple consumerism.
"there aren’t entire online groups dedicated to reverse engineering other phones"
Check out modmymoto.com sometime to see why the above statement is wrong.
DVD John published a method of his own manufacture that allowed people to break copyright if they so chose. He did not break copyright per se himself by this act.
The guy that Apple shut down posted a public message to the effect that he was going to publicly post the entire source-code to the iPod touch on his website. Aside form being a stupid thing to do, that's *illegal* and thus he was shut down.
He should have just kept his mouth shut.
In every media report, forum, and IRC channel discussing the topic, the code was posted to a "secure part of his website and was never going to be publicly released". Before passing judgement on another person's intelligence, perhaps you could double-check your facts.
Get a clue, kids, you're the one's who clicked "Agree", as did I, and I don't have a problem with it whatsoever. If you bought an iPod Touch, or an iPhone for that matter, and are crying about Apple, then you're simply a hypocrite. Read and learn people.
-sammy / my touch http://personafile.com/Apple-iPod-touch-16GB-3-...
On one hand the decry anyone who would "steal" GPL code and use it in commercial products without releasing the source, but on the other see nothing wrong with stealing the code/work of others.
There are really simple concepts here.
If you do not like the product or the company, then do not buy their products. I don't think it can get any simpler than that.
Products are sold to the public with terms and conditions. If you do not like these you have the FREEDOM not to buy that product and buy something else. You do NOT have the right to buy the product then say I don't like those terms and conditions and then FORCE your views back on the company who I am sure you will not inform nor give them any choice as to the acceptability of those changes in TOC.
I have conjured up an explanation of why Steve Jobs has a teflon-like relationship with the options affair here: www.music2dot0.com/archives/12
Just a thought.
Apple doesn't get a "free ride", in fact Apple gets just as much or more bad press (most of it bogus) from tech journalists who either troll for hits or are just plain clueless.
From my point of view MS seems to get a bigger free ride (with the exception of all the Vista reviews) since it's software is so crufty and mediocre.
Apple, please cut the crap and stop attacking the technical users who want so badly to be able to evangelize your products and platforms.
The Hacking that "Apple Hackers" want to do is all just to better the product. So I really don't know why Steve would do this.... Unless there's something in the iTouch's OS that's for a future awesome Feature he doesn't want anyone to know about..... Or what about the idea of Steve not wanting someone to take the Algorithum for the whole iPhone / iTouch Keyboard (where it guesses the next letter you'll press) or something like that. I mean come on they didn't do anything for when they hacked the Apple TV.
I don't think it's totally right that Apple stopped this but I'm sure it's another Apple thing to do to keep their secrets for the future from being leaked. Maybe!!! I hope so!!!
EVAR.
Trying to upload the code in it is much more like someone stealing all of your house contents, giving them to people as proof you are a nice guy.
Yes, serves him right and I hope Apple sues the shit out of him.
Dont like the Company, Don't like the product, Dont like the TOC then Dont buy the product.
I now own a Gateway and a Creative Zen. They do not have "quality issues," i.e. they have not broken in the three years I have had then.
That's enough for me.
For now, everyone loves the new growing companies like Facebook, Youtube and Myspace. But believe me if those sites become immensely popular, this love too shall pass -and they will be hated like every big company is hated. It's simply human nature--and people are never really every contented about anything in general.
I don't idolize Apple products; there are good ones as there are bad ones--and I don't have any, except tha iTunes. My take on this is that if they are not killing me, I really don't care. There are more things to worry about.
You fail at paying attention.
Hackers and geeks evangelize the product when they find it to be useful and well-designed. People trust geeks to recommend technology because they know they know what they're talking about. This is not a complicated equation. Apple stomps all over their own supporters at their own peril.
"Trying to upload the code in it is much more like someone stealing all of your house contents, giving them to people as proof you are a nice guy."
What the hell are you talking about? It was being put on a private server so his fellow devs could work on it.
"Dont like the Company, Don’t like the product, Dont like the TOC then Dont buy the product."
So what happens? Let's suppose everyone makes their displeasure known by not buying the product. Does Apple reach the conclusion that they need to be more open with it? No. They reach the conclusion that the entire idea was a failure and abandon the product line. Then no one is happy and no one can have what they need.
“there aren’t entire online groups dedicated to reverse engineering other phones”
maybe because other phones OSes developers provide a SDK?
That's pretty much what was done with the iPod Touch firmware.
He's Matthrew Ingram and I'm pretty sure that he writes for the Globe and Mail, oh snap beotch!
http://www.opensource.apple.com/darwinsource/
There you go. :)
hmmm.... the name of a guy in Texas (David) rings a bell.
LOL. It's just really --- REALLY -- funny to watch.
Personally, I feel apple computers are made and best suited for people who don't want to bother with what is going on "behind the scenes," and never really wonder if they can make the thing do something out of the ordinary/something it wasn't originally intended to (ie: improvements/hacking).
Apple makes boatloads of money off of these people because these are people who just want their stuff to work.
I'll just keep my iPod touch an original and ordinary.
Apple iPod touch