Why Microsoft Shouldn't Copy Apple's iOS Walled Garden 244
Kethinov writes "Will the computers of the future be tools for freedom or for censorship? An insightful Ars editorial examines this question in depth, concluding that Apple's walled garden approach to iOS is fundamentally flawed and thus Microsoft should reconsider their plans to apply the same model to WinRT. The authors are careful to present a nuanced analysis that adequately weighs the competing interests of security, convenience, and user freedom, ultimately concluding that Mac OS X and Android offer better models because while their walled gardens are on by default, they offer supported mechanisms to opt-out if desired, thereby offering users the same security and convenience benefits without sacrificing user freedom in the process."
A similar article by software engineer Casey Muratori looks at the effect Windows 8's closed distribution system will have on game development. The restrictions involved in getting approval for the Windows Store would preclude 2011's game of the year, Skyrim, from appearing there, as well as 2012's top candidates. The requirements contain clauses that would cut out huge swathes of the video game industry, like this one: "Your app must not contain content or functionality that encourages, facilitates, or glamorizes illegal activity."
This is what Microsoft wants (Score:4, Insightful)
Go buy an XBox if you want to play games. Microsoft doesn't really care if you can't play top-shelf titles on Windows 8, and would probably prefer the hassle of not supporting DirectX for the general PC class systems. They'd be much happier selling you an XBox. Not only does it lock you into their console, it helps lock game developers into their console too.
Re:This is what Microsoft wants (Score:5, Informative)
the xbox's walled garden makes a good statement about what MS does with walled gardens. drives the devs insane. charging devs to push updates. good idea! lets discourage bug fixes and updates! *sigh*
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
The other XBox precedent is tying. They bought up Bungie and Halo which was going to be Mac and PC and made it XBox exclusive at a point when Halo was likely to be smash hit and the XBox's viability was still in doubt. So Halo essentially made the XBox a viable console.
Admittedly they did release a PC version a year later, but a year old video game is like reheated lunch. Halo 2 was a Vista exclusive and was released two years after the Xbox version.
In fact this is an amusing example of how tying is self de
Re: (Score:2)
WP7 never had native code and never will. WP8 will, but it completely replaces the WP7 ecosystem with an incompatible one.
Not true at all. After reading this [phonearena.com], it's clear that the WP7 ecosystem will work on WP8, albeit with a few little tweaks here and there (like going from XP to Vista/7 in a way).
Re: (Score:2)
XNA apps will not run
Wrong again - it seems XNA apps will work on WP8 in a 'legacy' mode.
Source [zdnet.com]
Even better, from Microsoft directly [windows.com]:
today’s Windows Phone applications and games will run on the next major version of Windows Phone
Selling decades-old video games (Score:2)
a year old video game is like reheated lunch
Nintendo makes money selling decades-old video games in Virtual Console on Wii. Heck, The Tetris Company makes money selling the rules of a decades-old video game to developers.
Re: (Score:2)
lets discourage bug fixes and updates!
The sad thing is that it usually works. I'm always amazed at how many fewer bugs there are in console games compared to PC titles... and I don't mean things like graphics glitches. I'm not saying it's a good thing, but console games genuinely do function better than PC games.
the xbox's walled garden makes a good statement about what MS does with walled gardens.
I was okay with that, because you don't buy a console to do general purpose stuff. You buy it for a very limited number of tasks (unlike a PC or potentially future tablets).
What drove me to stop using my XBox wasn't the walled garden
User-created mods (Score:2)
the xbox's walled garden makes a good statement about what MS does with walled gardens.
I was okay with that, because you don't buy a console to do general purpose stuff. You buy it for a very limited number of tasks (unlike a PC or potentially future tablets).
Say I want to buy a device to play a game and user-created mods to that game. This is "a very limited number of tasks", yet the forced curation of the consoles interferes with even this task. Very few console games support user-created mods compared to PC games.
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
... instead it promotes shipping buggy or broken games and not patching them later, or delaying the patch for as long as you can in case some new bug gets uncovered.
Re: (Score:2)
Not sure where you live but that reasoning doesn't make any sense in Europe where you'd have every right to return the proudct for a full refund regardless of what the license agreement says because license agreements cannot overrule your statutory rights as a consumer.
Re: (Score:2)
in Europe where you'd have every right to return the proudct for a full refund regardless of what the license agreement says because license agreements cannot overrule your statutory rights as a consumer.
Is this why certain games never end up released in the PAL region?
Couldn't get a license in the first place (Score:3)
[Forced curation] discourages developers from shipping buggy or broken games with the mentality that it will get patched later.
Instead, developers end up not shipping them at all because the developer couldn't get a license in the first place. Remember Bob's Game? Under forced curation, how is someone who has never been to Austin, Boston, or Seattle supposed to build his company to the point where it qualifies for a license?
Re:This is what Microsoft wants (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:This is what Microsoft wants (Score:5, Funny)
Perhaps because new exploits in existing software are found? Sometimes data has a virus payload etc. Win 8 still has a full blown desktop OS in it that doesn't have a walled garden and has all the registry and other circa 1990 stuff we've all grown to love. MS app compatibility story extends to virus writers :)
Re: (Score:3)
This is actually a good point - Microsoft have gone through decades of pain being the target of malware, have suffered through it, and at this point have something of an immune system developed with Security Essentials and the ecosystem of third-party anti-malware. It's definitely an advantage over Apple, whether or not it's the best way to go.
Re: (Score:3)
Re:This is what Microsoft wants (Score:5, Insightful)
Dude, it's a heavy handed attempt at controlling the market, and Microsoft is going to FEEL the magnitude of its mistake here. Even Apple isn't feeling so hot, as without S. Jobs's charisma field, the company is suddenly sitting out in the open with a target on its back.
MS wants to copy Apple in that respect, which would be fine, except MS isn't Apple. Ballmer doesn't have charisma, and certainly doesn't have S. Jobs's ability to bend reality around 'The Chosen.' As such, he's making a hideous mistake (this is going to hurt, like a blow to the solar plexus).
Between their sad attempts at market segregation (Windows 7 with its dozen or so editions, just spreading confusion), and now their attempt to dictate to developers what will and will not run on their OS (that'll end well), I would short MS's stock immediately after their Windows 8 blowout (I imagine the stock will rise for a few months, after they mention that it now accounts for 80% of their OS sales or something (nevermind that the OEMs will be using the downgrade clause), after which some news report will mention that people hate it, with a sudden drop in stock price, as the bad news press really starts rolling).
MS had a choice between investing in DRM, a wonky GUI, and a walled garden, or a better GUI, better communications, and moving everything out of unmanaged land. Guess which one it chose? If you are thinking "money grab," you would be correct.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Go buy an XBox if you want to play games.
Windows games aren't competing against Xbox. Try getting something like Civ or Supreme Commander playable on an Xbox (cluebat: you cant and THQ ruined the Sup Com series by trying).
Windows 8 for gamers is competing against Windows 7. If Windows 8 sucks for gamers, we'll stick to Win 7. If MS doesn't get the message we'll end up moving to Linux (mac is a non starter due to paying $1500 for a machine with a 5400 RPM HDD and Intel GMA) as Valve is already looking at a Linux version of Steam. Restricting gam
Re: (Score:2)
Go buy an XBox if you want to play games. Microsoft doesn't really care if you can't play top-shelf titles on Windows 8, and would probably prefer the hassle of not supporting DirectX for the general PC class systems. They'd be much happier selling you an XBox. Not only does it lock you into their console, it helps lock game developers into their console too.
This is not remotely insightful. MS is positioning Windows 8 as a tablet OS to compete with the iPad and Android. Games are extremely important in that arena and the better the games the more likely people will buy your product. MS knows this so, yes, they most certainly do care about DX and the suitability of W8 for gaming.
Growing a developer from zero (Score:2)
Go buy an XBox if you want to play games.
Requiring all games to be made for a video game console with forced curation risks creating a scenario where a game is censored simply because its developer is too small. This has already happened in one well-known case on a console platform other than Microsoft's. How are small developers supposed to be nurtured into large, profitable developers under such a scenario?
Re: (Score:2)
As a side note, MS definitely does care about gamers on Win8; they expressly allow native apps and graphics APIs (they encourage DirectX, of course) int he Win8 store. I'm not a fan of the content restrictions, to be sure, but you could just host those apps on a third-party site and have peopel sideload them (yes, sideloading is totally possible on Win8 / Windows RT).
MS doesn't know what it think of PC gaming (Score:2)
MS constantly reverses its opinion on Windows Gaming, then it pushes it, then it neglects it, then it forgets it even has it, then it is the next big thing.
Games for Windows is a prime example.
And MS KNOWS damn well that the only reason a lot of us haven't gone to Mac and/or Linux fulltime is gaming. But it has this multiple personality syndrome were it tries to have all its cakes and eat them to and hug them and squeeze them to death and ignore them because ignoring a girl you like is the best way to show
Re:This is what Microsoft wants (Score:4, Informative)
MAKs are available under the following circumstances
Medium or enterprise sized customers with Software Assurance for Windows or Windows VDA subscriptions in the following Volume Licensing programs will be granted Enterprise Sideloading rights and provided with the MAK keys as an SA benefit at no additional cost. Product keys for Enterprise Sideloading will be made available through the Volume License Service Center (VLSC).
Time-limited developer licenses are available for free for the purpose of testing your own software and...
Microsoft can detect fraudulent use of a developer license on a registered machine. If Microsoft detects fraudulent use or another violation of the software license terms, we might revoke your developer license. The monitoring process helps ensure the overall health of the app marketplace.
In other words, in order to sideload you're either an enterprise customer, you run your own AD setup at home or you use a time-limited developer license that's not intended to be used for sideloading and that can be revoked if Microsoft finds out you use it for sideloading. Which, according to TFA, Microsoft monitors.
Either you're wrong or TFA is and TFA has links to Microsoft as its sources.
Re: (Score:2)
[...]
Microsoft doesn't care about pc gamers.
And yet, it definitively should. MM games, FTP online games are all well and good, and for now they are mostly played on MS based environments. but their stranglehold on office application is gone, in the sense that people stick to MS office for compatibility , not features or availability. In fact, few things spread terror through the realm than the words " We at Microsoft intend to improve the consumer experience in MS office". My God, not another interface hassle, please!!!!
So, gaming is important
Windows XP end of extended support (Score:2)
My pc works perfectly well on win XP. as of now I see no reason to buy a new one. [...] my cut off date for changing my PC is the end to sales of Windows 7
Or April 2014, when security patches to Windows XP stop, whichever comes first.
MS shouldn't copy Apple (Score:2)
They will do it poorly, but it might be very profitable. And who cares about all that 'freedom' crap? 'Freedom' doesn't sell. It's a very tiny fringe market.
Re: (Score:2)
On the contrary (Score:5, Funny)
Microsoft should by all means copy Apple's walled garden model. Then they can both proceed straight to hell, holding hands.
Timing (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
People were complaining about this a year ago as well. It's just taken a long time for the naysayers to realize that, yes, Microsoft is going the iOS route with WinRT.
Re: (Score:2, Flamebait)
Re: (Score:2)
You sound hurt that people are discussing it. Should we sit back and just, you know, ignore it?
Or does any somewhat negative discussion of lock down immediately send you into a shitfit over "RMS faithfuls?" Your post history suggests you are highly defensive regarding Windows and Microsoft as a whole, and extremely anti-Linx/anti-Android. Is it personal?
There is but one question from Microsoft. (Score:5, Insightful)
That is what the executives at Microsoft are asking. They don't care about openness, or user freedom, or anything else like that - except in so far as it affects the success of the company. So work out the answer to that question, and you can predict Microsoft's future actions.
The answer looks clear to me. A manditory app store would not only make Microsoft a fortune, but save them from the problem of needing to run an eternal upgrade cycle to keep users constantly buying new software. The power it gave them would also open up untold opportunity in other areas - they could use it to mandate support or lack of support for specific technologies (eg, no OpenGL-compatible games permitted), or prohibit software that could compete with Microsoft's own.
Re: (Score:2)
Beyond that, the market is already prime for an app store. Both Apple and Google have them, and this is going to be the expectation of most consumers. The market share of those who want greater control to put applications on their devices is probably a very small portion of the total smart device market, so it's not as if make a more open device is somehow going to make Microsoft oodles of extra money, and beyond that, control of the ecosystem has been proven very successful, and incurs certain advantages.
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
STRAW MAN WARNING!
The argument is NOT about the PRESENCE of a garden but rather the WALLS around the garden.
WHAT ARE YOU ARGUING ABOUT?
Re: (Score:2)
If those are walls, the gate is awfully big and easy to open. Win8 permits sideloading, and doesn't charge for it. Enabling it requires Powershell (oh the horror, a command line!!!!) but is quick and trivial to do.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/hh974578.aspx [microsoft.com]
Re-signing (Score:2)
Skyrim would never appear in the Windows Store... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
There's no technical reason for Skyrim not to appear in the Windows Store other than the sandbox and the store restrictions, however.
Getting all your customers to do the same (Score:2)
you simply just avoid ARM based Win RT devices
Should Windows RT become popular (which I admit is unlikely), good luck getting all your customers to do the same. Just like good luck getting console gamers to buy a PC to put in their living rooms, even if nearly every HDTV does have VGA and HDMI inputs to display video, and even if PCs do take Xbox 360 controllers.
The only thing Windows needs to do (Score:4, Interesting)
Viruses can't do a whole lot if they can't get to system files, can't modify anything but themselves.
Windows would suddenly catch up with this whole Internet fad if they secured their OS from viruses finally.
Sure allow trusted legacy aps an option to be run, but aps for the future should be basically sandboxed.
I believe if Microsoft made their OS secure against viruses, they'd actually be a step ahead of Apple. The main old reason Apple doesn't have a lot of viruses is that it had a lower market share for a long time.
Re: (Score:2)
Windows needs to make "future" applications unable to get out of their install directory, and unable to write to a global registry.
Viruses can't do a whole lot if they can't get to system files, can't modify anything but themselves.
As described, that also wipes out basically everything that makes a computer useful - for starters you can't edit a document in more than one program. You can't back things up because the backup program can't get at files outside its install directory.
You can't record a WAV file in one program then use another to clean it up. Hell, you can't listen to the file afterwards because the media player can't get at it. You can't compile programs because the compiler suite consists of an entire toolchain, you can
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:The only thing Windows needs to do (Score:5, Informative)
Point #1: You just described AppArmor or SELinux. These already exist. They're a pain to configure, but they do what you want.
Point #2: This is, in fact, one of the things that "Metro-style" apps do. It's not just a "touch-first" UI; it's also a per-app sandbox with restrictions on the locations and access that each app has, independent of other apps or of the permissions of the logged-in user.
Re:The only thing Windows needs to do (Score:4, Informative)
NT permissions are actually much more fine-grained than POSIX; you can for example permit all logged-in users to read, and all users of a specific group to write as well, but deny one specific user (who might even be a member of the aforementioned group) the right to do anything at all with the file. Write, append, and delete are different permissions. The same permission can be applied to multiple users and/or groups. The owner of a file (or other securable object; in POSIX these would all be files so I might as well call them that) can overwrite any permissions, as you'd expect, and the Administrator ("root") can take ownership of any file, but it's also possible to allow multiple users/groups the ability to take ownership of files. By default, directories use inherited permissions, but it's possible to add additional permissions (or to deny permissions, which overrides "allow" behavior), and it's possible to disable permission inheritance on a directory or file entirely.
Re: (Score:2)
Windows needs to make "future" applications unable to get out of their install directory, and unable to write to a global registry.
Hey great idea Microsoft should have done that with their metro/RT apps. Apps could even come with a manifest declaring access required of the app, enforced by the operating system ahead of time before the app even runs... hey that would have been awesome.
Windows would suddenly catch up with this whole Internet fad if they secured their OS from viruses finally.
It is not that difficult to protect the OS...problem is the operating system is not what users really care about.
If you fence a browser from the rest of the OS..great the OS is safe from the browser...but wait a second...I don't care about the OS!! I car
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Windows needs to make "future" applications unable to get out of their install directory, and unable to write to a global registry.
Viruses can't do a whole lot if they can't get to system files, can't modify anything but themselves.
Windows would suddenly catch up with this whole Internet fad if they secured their OS from viruses finally.
Sure allow trusted legacy aps an option to be run, but aps for the future should be basically sandboxed.
I believe if Microsoft made their OS secure against viruses, they'd actually be a step ahead of Apple. The main old reason Apple doesn't have a lot of viruses is that it had a lower market share for a long time.
Now I'm confused.
You state that Microsoft would be ahead of Apple if they did what you listed above - do you not realize that this is exactly what Apple is doing right now?
https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/Security/Conceptual/AppSandboxDesignGuide/ [apple.com]
Re: (Score:2)
indows needs to make "future" applications unable to get out of their install directory, and unable to write to a global registry.
Vista already did that. When apps write to the registry the data is stored in their own little registry file, and they don't have access to anything owned by other apps or the system. Similarly they can't just shit all over the filesystem any more, only user data folders.
UAC allows them to request permission to access those things.
Viruses can't do a whole lot if they can't get to system files, can't modify anything but themselves.
Which is why they all now rely on either tricking the user into giving them permission or exploiting bugs that allow them to get higher rights.
Sure allow trusted legacy aps an option to be run, but aps for the future should be basically sandboxed.
That is exactly what UAC was designe
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Erm, the registry ha sa number of advantages over text config files (.INI or any other kind).
It's centralized. You don't have to search the whole disk, just the registry itself, which is pretty fast.
It's strongly typed. Strings are strings, integers are integers (well, DWORDs), and while arbitrary binary data is permitted, it's not the default.
It's compact. Text files are wasteful of space in several ways (representing numbers as unicode characters, filesystem entries, etc.).
It's hierarchical. A registry ke
Re: (Score:2)
It's transactional, so a properly coded app won't leave you with half written state.
HKCU can be roamed in active directory so settings can follow a user around.
Devs don't have to write a pile of not-so-reusable code for deserializing text files.
Re: (Score:2)
> I can't really think of any benefit of having it over .ini files.
I hate the registry for all the reasons you list, but you are forgetting the *only* benefit:
A binary file is significantly faster to parse and search then a big-ass text file. HTML is a good example of an over-engineered solution. You have to parse an arbitrary length strength for tags, instead of just using a simple byte tag.
The registry also has a minor benefit that you can guarantee the syntax is valid.
Another reason I hate the regis
Re: (Score:2)
I know, lets put all our config files into a giant, unmanageable, unnavigable, proprietary format!
Soooo an .ini file?
Re:The only thing Windows needs to do (Score:4, Interesting)
The registry was an abortion from the first day it came out. I can't really think of any benefit of having it over .ini files.
Apps are free to do whatever they want including writing .ini files... that soo many have chosen to use the registry for configuration should speak for itself.
I can think of several possible advantages:
Central configuration store with a common access experience for all applications. .ini files...xml files...binary files...
Configuration store is automatically safe against concurrent access..try rewriting a .ini file by multiple apps at the same time and let me know how it goes. Today bulk registry operations can be fully transactional thanks to windows KTM.
Security ACLs per entry. .ini file security as far as the operating system is concerned is for the whole file.
Common set of tools "regedit" to modify, backup, monitor, restore and search configuration across participating apps.
I love classic centrally controlled systems and I love compartmentalized jails where all configuration and file access is localized. There is no right answer only the best tool for the job at hand after careful consideration of competing tradeoffs.
Re: (Score:2)
Apps can share data on iOS (Score:2)
Oh yes what a GREAT way to make a collaborative platform: make it so the apps CANNOT share data with each other
You do not understand the iOS model. Apps cannot arbitrarily write into another application space. But they CAN provide another app data via a number of channels - from URL schemes that open another app and passing in data using a URL, or also through various clipboard mechanisms that are allowed to pass in rich data types - you can also open a dialog to open apps that take in a data type you are
Re: (Score:2)
Until someone will write a "storage" application that implements semantics of a filesystem, thus effectively becoming a filesystem. iOS is just lucky that it does not have any local data that user cares about, except tiny per-application storage.
Catch 22 (Score:5, Interesting)
If I read the passages about why Steve Jobs was against Apps in the first place, he had the fear that it could lead to tainting the user friendly experience in which they invested a lot. Which I think - after seeing my share of bad designed software - was a valid fear.
I have an Android smartphone as I find iPhones ridiculous expensive. But if I look at the quality difference between what is available in the Google Play store on my smartphone & the iOS store on my iPad, there is a difference. And I do - personally - think that this is because Apple does run a very strict ship in guidelines, how an app should work, what you expect as behavior, etc. I don't think it is because iOS developers are so much more talented then their android counterparts.
This may come over as a nightmare for those who like to tinker or loves freedom to design or develop an app like they want it, but reality is that when it comes in designing good and consequent interfaces, 90% of the developers can't do it even if their live depended on it. Give them to much room and you really get some of the horrendous software available on the Google play store. Sometimes I find it a pity that Google doesn't enforce some basic guidelines because it is the only way some developers would put some sense in what they are developing.
So no is not the iOS concept that is flawed, it is that stubborn idea that a lot of techies have that they have the same needs or mindset as the general public.
Re: (Score:3)
Writing code for the Mac has been free since around 2000. Visual studio exp
Re: (Score:2)
I consider myself an average user. I use my perfectly good old 3GS to surf the web, e-mail, send text messages, do calls (gosh!), listen to music, use the RPN calculator, take notes, read my Kindle purchases, let my kids play "Where's My Water?". It simple, nice and most of the apps are free.
What other life critical task would Android let me do? NFC would be a valid point....i
why? this is why: (Score:2, Informative)
Why Microsoft Shouldn't Copy Apple's iOS Walled Garden
Microsoft should not copy Apple, it should sue Apple for copy right infringement. The idea of proprietary file formats, making switching costs high, getting people and making it difficult to leave, monoculture, etc etc were all invented by Microsoft and pushed for decades. Of course it is sad people jump out of one walled garden and jump right into another in the form of iOS. But still, if Microsoft copies Apple it will be a xerox copy of a xerox copy.
Re: (Score:2)
Just deserts (Score:2)
I doubt that enough people are going to be annoyed by the restrictions and move to another platform. "It really isn't
OT: x86 tablets (Score:2)
anyone got a list of x86 based tablets that can run Linux distros.
Sure, why not? (Score:5, Funny)
Why complain if Microsoft wants to shoot itself in the head?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
If no one will complain, Microsoft management will suspect that it's a good idea and cancel the project.
censorship, EU, anittrust, and other laws may stop (Score:2)
censorship, EU, anittrust, and other laws may stop MS from being able to lock it down.
MS is to big for them to get away with big time lock down and at best the only lock should be that the app does messes the rest of the system up.
I don't any 3rd party DRM system will work in MS s (Score:2)
I don't any 3rd party DRM system will work in MS store will work so no EA origin, no steam, no SafeDisc, , no StarForce, no SecuROM, no Impulse / GameStop App , no game tap.
we need to make windows 8 bomb so hard that (Score:2)
we need to make windows 8 bomb so hard that they may need to have a SP 0.5 rushed out to have the old UI to come back.
This can be generalized! (Score:2)
Why $firmA shouldn't copy $firmB.
Customers are attracted to $firmA because something about their products resonates with them. The same is true of $firmB. If one tries to copy the other, it's only a copy. Everybody knows it's a copy. Because the methodology of the first is the driver of the 2nd, it'll always be an inferior copy. Worse, you are putting your competition in the driver's seat. You and your customers BOTH lose in this scenario, and MSFT trying to copy AAPL isn't the only example.
1. Bing g
Who still works for Microsoft (Score:2)
MS is a second tier company now. Where are the best and the brightest going? Amazon, Apple and Google.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
I agree, but Apple has changed things a bit, there still has to be a central marketplace for the average user to find things...that's what Apple changed.
Apple has changed nothing, because such "central marketplaces" already existed with Linux distros (and other mobile devices) in both paid stores and free repositories, years before Apple tried it.
Re:I agree but... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
God, please, don't give them any ideas. Download.com has been the zit on the ass end of the Internet for over 15 years.
Re:I agree but... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:I agree but... (Score:4, Informative)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
How is this Android "walled garden"?
I have a GNex (bought outright) on Telstra (Australia), previously I've had a HTC Dream, Moto Milestone and HTC Desire Z (all bought outright) and I've never seen the restrictions you speak of.
You even said that the restrictions disappeared when he installed CM9 which would indicate it's not And
Re: (Score:2)
Moto Milestone
I had that phone too. We should start a support group or something. Worst tech purchase I ever made.
Re: (Score:2)
Moto Milestone
I had that phone too. We should start a support group or something. Worst tech purchase I ever made.
I loved it, great phone, shit support from Motorola... Which is why I purchased a HTC Desire Z.
Re: (Score:2)
This is not the point I'm contesting, off course it's a walled garden to the end user.
But the garden is not Android's doing, it's AT&T's doing.
Clearly you read and understood that before decidi
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
People with a tenuous grasp on the concept seem to think the walled garden is referring to the nature of the stores. They miss the fact that the walled garden isn't walled until the user is trapped in by the actions of the store owner.
Android gets around this by simply allowing sideloading.
You can sideload Win8 too... (Score:2, Informative)
Sideloading is permitted on Win8 as well, though. You don't even have to pay for it. The option is less public than on Android - it requires either having Visual Studio installed or using the command line (Powershell, sepcifically), but it's there, it's free, and the info isn't hard to find if you do a search for it.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/hh974578.aspx [microsoft.com]
Re: (Score:2)
And why do you think, this is going to be allowed for non-development purposes?
Re:I agree but... (Score:4, Interesting)
Re: (Score:3)
I wish there was some alternative, where maybe Microsoft would merely control people who have other marketplaces, and it would be up to say..CNET to insure that their download was safe, etc.
I certainly would hope not. CNET/download.com is already one of the worst free software curators in the world.
It already takes free (and sometimes open source) software that's already available elsewhere on the internet for free, and most of which is already free of spyware and free of marketing toolbars, and wraps them inside their own installer [infoworld.com] that installs their own spyware and installs poorly-worded half-hidden opt-out internet browser toolbars.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Since both Microsoft and Apple insist on a pretty significant cut of the price of an application, it may very well become that.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
There are many examples
Balderdash. (Score:2)
Linux is absolutely the most restrictive. They insist you run linux, which bars 95+% of users from participating.
Re: (Score:3)
I'm currently using a Geforce 8800 GTS. Yes, 8800. From 2007. It still does modern games reasonably well and if it wasn't so RAM-starved I'd keep using it for another year. When I'll upgrade my gaming rig at the end of the month I
Re: (Score:2)
Apple is like a supermodel. It (she) may be flawed, but nerds will always come back for more.
Microsoft is like the eldest daughter. The king has to pay some schmuck to marry her (so the knight in shining armor can sweep the hot younger sister away).
Re: (Score:3)
Apple is like a supermodel. It (she) may be flawed, but nerds will always come back for more.
Microsoft is like the eldest daughter. The king has to pay some schmuck to marry her (so the knight in shining armor can sweep the hot younger sister away).
Apple is like an ordinary girl who thinks she's a supermodel. Not that hot but has a terrible attitude, (princess/superiority complex). You pretty much cant ask her to do anything without a huge argument.
Microsoft is the girl with a serious self esteem problem. May not be good looking but wont say no to anything you want.
Linux is like a girl from SE Asia. Good attitude, good looks and reliable but occasionally can be very hard to understand.