LWN.net Logo

Wesnoth struggles with App Store's GPL incompatibilities

Wesnoth struggles with App Store's GPL incompatibilities

Posted Jul 21, 2010 22:20 UTC (Wed) by kunitz (subscriber, #3965)
Parent article: Wesnoth struggles with App Store's GPL incompatibilities

What sense does it make to spend months on a "free software" project for the iPhone, if Apple can stop the distribution at any point in time for whatever reason? This is a fundamental incompatibility with free software. Apple has all the rights to limit the distribution of free software and its modification to users.

I hope that capitalism is strong enough to make the iPhone only one short episode of a technological fiefdom. There is no free market if you can buy only from one store.


(Log in to post comments)

Wesnoth struggles with App Store's GPL incompatibilities

Posted Jul 22, 2010 0:09 UTC (Thu) by rahvin (subscriber, #16953) [Link]

IMO Android in the long run will destroy the Iphone as mass market product and reduce it to a niche market again. Android in the long run has far more resources and companies behind it (and if Nokia would abandon Symbian it would be even better). Apple currently has more sales and more recurring revenue which if they spend that money on development they could slow the transition by keeping the Iphone relevant but in the long run it's an Android world. People (and more importantly the Carriers) are drawn to the openness of Android, the flexibility and the ability of each carrier to innovate the GUI and interface. Verzion was a key player in this with the Droid commercials as Android became a feature that users began demanding.

I believe that ATT changing the Iphone Data plan was the first nail in the coffin of the Iphone. Phones like the Sprint EVO are going to become the gold standard. Open platforms, software flexibility, product differentiation and the ability to customize will eventually win over all the carriers and all that plus unlimited usage will draw the users. The Iphone was a significant step forward in the cellular world but it's a fairly stagnant product in comparison to Android development. I'd bet long term on HTC hardware and Android software personally. That locked down world is going to start to chafe eventually.

The worst thing the FOSS community can do is endorse the Iphone walled garden approach in any way. It's contrary to every principle of free software IMO and will only delay the decline of the Iphone.

Copyright © 2013, Eklektix, Inc.
Comments and public postings are copyrighted by their creators.
Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds