> There certainly are lots of cases where Apple exercises > too much control with their secretive app store approval > process - banning apps that use private APIs (which is > explicitly forbidden in the SDK AFAIK) isn't one of them.
I have mixed feelings. While your position is reasonable, and for instance I like all the technical means that make it possible to enforce the prohibition of using a private API, because this will cause instability in future, it's also true that innovation often happens with their use by programmers who like the leading edge, and might even result in new features (with official APIs) in future. Needless to say that the problem is not with Android (which is open, you can tweak it to experiment and eventually submit a patch, as Romain explained), while it's a problem with the iPhone OS, which is not open, you can't submit a patch (and in any case it's unlikely that Apple ever looked at it). In other words, there would be a difference in the case Android refused an application to their Market because it uses a private API: you could in any case distribute it with your own channel, it would be somewhat clear to potential users that it's some experimental thing, but it could be used as well, and feedback provided. So, sorry, but the Apple environment looks bad and hostile to innovation in every perspective you looked at it. PS Concerning that wrong fiasco forecast of iPhone, I'm really not the guy who make predictions, nor is able to comment how good or bad is another guy's prediction. Up to today, that statement is clearly wrong. But looking at some recent analysts' forecasts predicting that Android will have more success than iPhone, and above all looking at Apple's nervous attitude demonstrated by the recently triggered patents war, I'd seriously suspend any judgement for a few time. Sometimes bad ideas seem to work in the short and medium time, and fail in the longer - because of myopia. -- Fabrizio Giudici, Ph.D. - Java Architect, Project Manager Tidalwave s.a.s. - "We make Java work. Everywhere." weblogs.java.net/blog/fabriziogiudici - www.tidalwave.it/blog [email protected] - mobile: +39 348.150.6941 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/javaposse?hl=en.
