
Developers React to OS X Mountain Lion - jmartellaro
http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/developers_react_to_os_x_mountain_lion/
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jws
Since the title is _Developers React to OS X Mountain Lion_ I'll add mine.

I sandboxed my application last night and turned on code signing. Including
reading up on it and running tests afterwards, it took me 30 minutes.

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k-mcgrady
People are looking at Gatekeeper the wrong way. Apple could have made App
store only the default. Or they could have prevented all non-signed apps
completely. There would have been a backlash but they still could have done
it. Instead they went to the trouble of creating Gatekeeper which helps
protect users and will only minimally affect devs.

Enough of the 'slippery slope' argument. If it really is one and they start
down that path use a different product. Use Windows or Linux.

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wvenable
> Apple could have made App store only the default. Or they could have
> prevented all non-signed apps completely.

No, they couldn't. They actually need and want people to upgrade and you can't
do that if their existing apps won't run out of the box.

This is also the reason why the first version of OS X had the classic mode and
why the Carbon API exists.

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lallysingh
.. and both are gone in 64-bit intel macs.

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mmastrac
I'm concerned about what happens when the RIAA and the MPAA push pressure on
Apple to revoke developer certificates for things they don't like, ie: VLC and
HandBrake.

BluRay ripping software? Sorry, your developer certificate has been revoked.
It might be legal to write that software in your country, but not in the USA.

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killnine
Didn't apple come inches from extinction going down this road once in history
already?

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pornel
I'm very afraid that Apple is on slippery slope towards AppStore-only Mac.

They've added GateKeeper. _"It's only an option!"_ people say.

They might switch default to AppStore-only. _"You're free to change it if you
like!"_

And then when other software is a hard to install suspicious minority, they'll
remove the option. _"Nobody used it anyway. Who wants to invite malware?"_

~~~
ugh
To show that they are actually on a slippery slope you have to point to facts
that would lead Apple to make decisions to that effect. You have to
substantiate why they are slipping. It still remains only a prediction, but it
at least becomes more than a fallacy.

Here is why I think a slippery slope is very unlikely: I can’t think of any
examples where Apple gradually limited the freedom of developers, at least not
in the grand scheme of things. The restrictions were always in place from day
one and in general tended to become less restrictive, not more. Yeah, the
sample size is two, but still.

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unconed
How about the part where some APIs are App Store only?

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ugh
Funny thing you would write that, I actually wanted to include that in my
comment but completely forgot about it when I finished the second paragraph.

Yes, the exclusive access to those APIs is indeed pretty clear evidence to the
contrary. I don’t think it’s really decisive, though.

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molecularbutter
The App Store is a very successful distribution engine and marketing service,
most devs I know are quite pleased with it's existence and Gatekeeper
ultimately will make it stronger. I would be extraordinarily disappointed if
Apple ever went 'App Store only' though.

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cosmando
I think it's more likely they'll add ever more developer hurdles and
effectively ghettoize unsigned apps than ever just flip a switch and announce
"App Store only!"

Unless they change gears and hype up OS XI as a game-changing iOS/OS X merger.

They've certainly taken some steps that are perfect to tease out slippery
slope paranoia. It would be a bit scary if there weren't easily accessible
alternative OSes.

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maxcan
Whats really interesting to me is the possibility of Gatekeeper's flexibility
flowing back into iOS. I've hoped for years that Apple would offer an official
jailbreak which basically would make you click through a bunch of disclaimers
and give you an easy rollback but then let you run non-app-store code. I know
its very low probability but it shows that Apple is open to the idea of a
middle ground on signed code. Maybe iOS 6?

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scubaguy
Macs will eventually be more like PS3 and less like a general purpose
computer.

