Calling Apple out on their restrictions
Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2017 2:24 am
The situation with Apple demanding Mr. K remove Dropbox access seems to be going nowhere. And it is almost impossible to reach anyone at Apple in a position of authority, to question them about the policy. I posted a comment/query on Apple iPad Forums recently at https://discussions.apple.com/message/32154269 I titled it "Why is Apple restricting hobby programming?"
The only answer I received was from another user, albeit one with a lot of seniority, VikingOSX. His answer:For the past couple of years I have been exploring apps for designing hobby programs on the iPad. I have found some good ones. Python and Pythonista are quite effective, and I have found several versions of Basic that are also very capable, including TechBasic. The best program I have found so far is Smart Basic. It has over 500 commands and functions, yet is easy to program, and it has an SDK with which apps can be developed for the App Store.
But Apple seems to be piling more and more restrictions on Smart Basic and Mr. Kibernetik, the developer of this software. First they required that he inhibit .txt files from being transferred from Dropbox (because Smart Basic programs are .txt files), and he complied. However since most programs in any language are just ASCII text, there were still dozens of other options for moving Smart Basic programs to and from other sources. Most recently Apple has demanded that he remove the capability to transfer files to and from Dropbox. They will not publish any more updates to Smart Basic until he does so. This will cripple innovation in this app, because now there will be no way to bring sounds and images into our programs.
So here are two questions for Apple:
1. What are you afraid of? The sandboxing of programming apps, including Smart Basic, seems 100% effective. Their program scripts can run on iOS devices, but can not in any way affect other apps or their related files. Calling their scripts "code" is an error, if you are equating it to the code used in App Store apps.
2. Do you plan to apply the same restrictions to all programming apps? Currently Codea and Pythonista are able to access Dropbox and can also directly import program scripts (i.e. what Apple has erroneously called "code"). If you are not going to restrict them, why are you singling out one developer for punitive measures? Mr. Kibernetik is an amazing programmer and developer - a real asset to Apple - but you have frustrated him to the point that he has stopped further development of Smart Basic on iOS and instead is developing a new language for Windows.
If you do plan to implement these restrictions across the board, you are going to drive hobby programmers to other platforms. I have already started to explore Android and Windows 10 options, just in case.
If you aren't, then why are you forcing one developer to remove a feature that makes his app viable?
i would appreciate it if you escalated these questions to someone in Apple management.
It is a catch 22 that Apple has no feedback channel for non-developers, but also refuse to listen to developers! I really don't know where we can go from here.
Apple leadership, and product teams do not read, or otherwise participate in these user-to-user support communities. The amount of text that you have typed will not fit in any feedback form, and the product feedback forms would likely not get your comments in front of the right people. If you yourself, are a registered (paid) Apple developer, then Apple does provide a link to the Apple Developer Forums.
