Pot, Kettle, Teflon.

[Buleste]

I've just noticed this in today's news.



Apple clamps down on code tools

Apple has clamped down on the software tools that developers can use to write programs for the iPhone.

Before now developers have been free to use many different tools to create applications for the iPhone and iPad.

Imminent changes to the way the iPhone software development kit is used will restrict these tools to just three.

The move has brought protests from many software developers with some declaring they will no longer produce applications for Apple's handset.

Apple said the change was made to improve the quality of applications appearing on its hugely successful App Store.

But critics say the changed text in section 3.3.1 of the development licence move is unnecessarily restrictive and is aimed more at Apple's rivals than poor quality code.

Many developers use other tools that have specific utilities, such as physics models and 3D graphics engines, that are useful help when creating certain sorts of applications such as games.

Any application submitted to Apple that does not use the mandated tools will be rejected.

Many developers took to their blogs to complain about the change.

"Developers are not free to use any tools to help them," wrote Hank Williams, adding: "This is akin to telling people what kind of desk people sit at when they write software for the iPhone."

Pierre Lebeaupin said clause 3.3.1 was so widely drawn that it was "completely impossible to enforce" and urged developers to contact Apple to show how strongly they feel.

Many joined an "I'm with Adobe" Facebook group which now has almost 6,000 members. The new terms led one programmer, Dan Grigsby, to say he would now no longer develop for the iPhone.

Developer Greg Slepak wrote an e-mail to Apple boss Steve Jobs setting out his problems with the clause saying it "limited creativity".

Mr Jobs responded saying that the limits would improve the quality of the applications. Letting developers use other tools would produce "sub-standard apps" and hold back the progress of the iPhone.

Apple has not yet given any official comment on the criticism it faces over Section 3.3.1.

Industry experts said the restrictions might be intended to stop developers re-using applications written with Adobe's Flash. Neither the iPhone nor iPad can run Flash applications.

Adobe released a software package, Creative Suite 5, on 12 April which can turn Flash code into iPhone code.

Flash programs are very widely used on the web and many games and videos are created using the software. However, under the new terms and conditions using Creative Suite 5 would lead to an application being rejected.

In a statement, Adobe said the change to section 3.3.1 would not stop it releasing the software.

"We intend to still deliver this capability in CS5 and it is up to Apple whether they choose to allow or disallow applications as their rules shift over time," wrote Kevin Lynch, Adobe chief technology officer, in a blog post.

Now correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Apple kick up a big stink over M$ monopoly of computer OS's and code for it's software?

So now that they have something successful which has the lions share of the market they do the same thing as M$. How nice.

[Harrison]

Yes! Apple are the biggest hypocrites of all, and if you really look back through the history of the home computer, the attacks and claims, and law suits, Apple is probably the one company that is the common factor in all of them.

This won't help Apple keep their current market share though if they continue down this route. The opposition mobile device makers are continuing to work on their own OSs, and developers will just jump ship and be free to develop what they like on the other platforms, cutting Apple out of the loop.

It is exactly what happened with the Mac. Software development was quite wide early on, but slowly shrunk and now only a handful of commercial applications are exclusive to the platform, with most others either being cross platform now, or no longer offered for the platform. If Apple don't watch it the same will happen with the iPhone and iPad.

[Teho]

I for one am never getting an iPhone, or an Android phone for that matter as long as they remain closed platforms. Sure they look fancy, but I for one cannot stand when a manufacturer of a product dictates how I can and cannot use it after I bought it. This is how it's been with consoles for as long as consoles have been around and there's never been an open alternative, but with phone OS's it's a more recent development. And if we keep accepting that they act like this, do you think they'll stop there? Mark me, one of the two major computer OS's is going to try going that route one day. And then where will that leave us?

[Buleste]

And the story goes on.



Adobe confirms plans to move away from Apple


Adobe has posted a short response to the letter Apple boss Steve Jobs has written about Flash technology.

In it, Adobe said the legal terms Apple imposed on software developers had led it to shift its focus away from Apple.

Mr Jobs used the open letter to defend Apple's decision not to allow Flash on many of the firm's products.

In it he criticised Flash, saying it was not fit for an era of smartphones and touchscreen devices.

Critical stance

Kevin Lynch, Adobe's chief technology officer, wrote in a blog posting: "We feel confident that were Apple and Adobe to work together as we are with a number of other partners, we could provide a terrific experience with Flash on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch."

Currently, none of these products can run the Flash technology which is used on many websites to power media players, games and other animations.

However, added Mr Lynch, Adobe has decided to shift its focus to get Flash working well on gadgets made by Google, RIM, Palm, Microsoft, Nokia and others.

He said Adobe expected to release Flash Player 10.1 on Google's Android operating system in May and then for it to be on general release in June.

"From that point on," he wrote, "an ever increasing number and variety of powerful, Flash-enabled devices will be arriving which we hope will provide a great landscape of choice."

The letter came soon after Adobe announced it would stop making tools that allow developers to quickly translate Flash code to run on Apple gadgets.

These allowed developers to make applications once and then distribute them for use on various phones and operating systems, including Apple's iPhone.

Adobe's announcement followed a change to the terms and conditions of the licence that software developers must sign when writing code to run on Apple products.

That change banned developers from using automatic translation tools, effectively forcing them to develop two applications - one for Apple products and one for everything else.

Hypocrisy

Other Adobe executives have commented on Mr Jobs' letter.

Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that "when you resort to licensing language" to restrict development, it has "nothing to do with technology".

He said it was now "cumbersome" for developers who were forced to have "two workflows".

Mr Narayen said the problems highlighted by Mr Jobs were "a smokescreen".

He added that if Flash crashed Apple products it was something "to do with the Apple operating system".

He said he found it "amusing" that Mr Jobs thought that Flash was a closed platform.

"We have different views of the world," Mr Narayan told the Wall Street Journal. "Our view of the world is multi-platform."

Crashing Macs

In his lengthy open letter titled Thoughts on Flash, Mr Jobs said the reason Apple did not want people to use Adobe's automatic translation tools was because experience had shown it results in "sub-standard apps".

He described Flash as a closed system and said that it was bad for the smartphone era because it did not support multi-touch systems and helped drain battery power unnecessarily.

He also pointed out that there were now alternatives to Flash technology, particularly for web video.

The Apple boss added that Flash fell short on security and was "the number one reason Macs crash".

The letter provoked an avalanche of comments online, with many saying Apple's restrictions on what can be done with its software go far beyond those on Flash.

In an editorial on OS News, Tom Holwerda said Mr Jobs' letter was "hypocritical" because Apple was guilty of many of the faults it levelled at Adobe.

[Submeg]

Yikes, what a load of rubbish. Here's an idea, stop being such jerks. Nerds and their perceived power...*sigh

[Harrison]

A dictatorial approach to business is the reason I've always avoided Apple products other than the iPod.

[Buleste]

A dictatorial approach to business is the reason I've always avoided Apple products other than the iPod.

Since they went all colourful and homosexual looking I've decided not to bother with Apple products.;)

[Submeg]

A dictatorial approach to business is the reason I've always avoided Apple products other than the iPod.

If only they weren't so good for music stuff, I had to join the darkside...but only half, as I installed XP on it :ninja:

[Harrison]

There is no denying that Apple are one of the best at hardware design. The level of detail they put into the case and internal component layout is one of the best in the business; as is the build quality now (it wasn't when the G4's were new as the plastic coloured cases of the G4 and iMacs were really bad and fell apart). They are still way over priced though, as while they do make their own custom motherboards, PSUs, coolers and cases, all of the actual components that make it work, the CPU, ram, GPU, HDDs etc are all standard PC parts, so you are paying a huge amount for a custom PC case and motherboard.

It is very true that they are good as making mp3 music devices though and no one is close to matching the iPod, and it is that which saved Apple. Without the iPod I believe Apple would now have gone the way of Commodore as they would not have been abl to sustain the Mac home computer market as their main poduct.

And the iPhone's success is completely down to the iPod. Most who bought an iPhone have been iPod users for years and the interfaces were very similar, all be it touch screen rather than scroll wheel.

[Buleste]

And Apple are now worth more than M$.

The problem I have with Apple is all the trendy sheep MF's that buy every Apple product because they think by buying a non M$ computer that makes them individual and also they are so "stylish". You know the kind of people. The ones that have minimalist living areas and even the dust is feng shui'd. They probably also own Prius's because they want to do their bit to save the planet but actually drive a Mercedes 4x4 on a daily basis. I think Toyota should put a few more bugs in the Prius to kill the bastards off.:evil:

[Harrison]

I think Toyota should put a few more bugs in the Prius to kill the bastards off.:evil:
LMAO! :lol:

[Buleste]

Damn peaking before the POTM competition comes back.:p