iLounge

1

So, Pull My Finger gets canned but all those virtual cigarette lighters, disco balls and bubble wrap poppers (to name just a few) are deemed to be of sufficient “utility” to continue clogging iTMS with their obvious worthlessness? What a pathetic joke.

Posted by Surf Monkey on September 4, 2008 at 5:31 PM (PDT)

2

I don’t understand the outrage this decision by Apple has created (and eventually here most likely). While I am making assumptions, I think “offensiveness” may have been a contributing factor, just not overtly stated. I am not sure why they wouldn’t but it does seem reasonable. Then again I’m not 15 years old nor am I typing this from a frat house. If they truly have decided not to carry this for limited use reasons, I applaud this because the potential for the App Store to be cluttered is much too high. If Apple has allowed “limited use apps” before but has now changed their tune is that SO wrong?

Posted by Jordan on September 5, 2008 at 5:19 AM (PDT)

3

Jordan, will you defend literally every move Apple makes? It is disingenuous for you to lash out at me in a prior discussion here after I offered sound, rational criticism of the App Store and the policies being employed therein (I believe you remarked a while back that you wished “people could be removed from Earth” as easily as apps could be stricken from the App Store). It would appear that you would castigate anybody who dares to comment negatively about Apple after stories like this emerge.

As to this story, if iTunes peddles R-rated movies and music with parental advisories for blue content, then why on earth would “offensiveness” be a legit criterion upon which such a decision could be made? The App Store also features simulated gambling games and alcoholic beverage “trinkets.” I have no idea why a farting app is dramatically worse than the useless silliness that Surf Monkey cited.

Apple’s whole ideology, or at least the one they professed months ago, was to make the App Store as diverse and deep as possible. They wanted to make the iPhone easy to customize, and give users the ability to tailor it to their needs and desires. The App Store has a lot of virtues and a lot of different flavors, so to speak, but these instances in which Apple drops the hammer on random apps for no apparent reason are troubling. Unless there’s some sort of inherent harm to the consumer, why hack and slash in such an unpredictable manner?

Posted by Flippy Hambone on September 5, 2008 at 8:16 AM (PDT)

4

I have no issue with Apple picking and choosing apps, but as Flippy Hambone says it needs to be more predictable, not the hack and slash manner that seems to be out there so far with things that have been up and down off the app store, and with all the disco balls and bubble poppers out there where are all the developers still denied access to the app store? Something is rotten in Denmark, I just can’t fathom how rotten. Apple certainly is cycling through good and bad mojo the last 6 months… Still love ‘em, but I am trying to be a little more critical and more cautious in their doings lately. I’m just looking for more transparency.

Posted by studogvetmed in Loveland, CO on September 5, 2008 at 10:01 AM (PDT)

5

Would me taking anything disagreable that Apple may do personally be a better alternative? I may have been in support of them at times you haven’t but what I continue to not understand is how many play the victim in these situations. If that is unacceptable to you then I’d apologize, if I actually cared.

Posted by Jordan on September 5, 2008 at 2:43 PM (PDT)

6

Speaking of taking things personally, how about you griping about literally every single reasonable complaint about Apple here, but saying nothing to refute it? Just because you have no objections to Apple’s current practices or policies doesn’t mean that others are pulling their complaints from thin air. And the notion that complaining parties are “playing the victim” is ridiculous—Apple does have responsibilities to its consumers and does bear certain obligations in making sure that it produces good hardware (iPhone 3G), develops quality software (iTunes and iPhone 2.0.x), and maintains support thereof. Right now, there are serious, legitimate doubts that Apple, a company long celebrated for its achievements in these areas, is doing its part anymore.

The person who seems to be “playing the victim” is the one who, at the first hint of reproach for Apple on this site, snipes at the poster for simply speaking out.

Posted by Flippy Hambone on September 6, 2008 at 10:45 AM (PDT)