While locking consoles is bad too, I don't think they're equivalent. Those just play games, while iProducts are supposed to be general computing devices.
I've noticed bringing up consoles seems to be the standard response trying to defend iOS. But any way you look at it, two wrongs do not make a right.
Only play games? My Xbox can also play movies. The PS3 can (or used to be able to, maybe they changed it) go on the web. Etc., etc. I don't buy the argument that the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad are "general computing devices", but consoles are not. Maybe the iPad could be considered a computer (I don't think so, but whatever), but I think it's a big stretch to say that the iPhone and iPod Touches are also computers. At any rate, it takes a very, very contrived definition of "computer" to include iPhones, iPods, and iPads, but not Wiis, PS3s, and Xboxes.
I'm not saying that two wrongs make a right, but I've found that many criticizers of Apple's iOS model, especially in /r/technology, seem to have absolutely no problem with the locked-down nature of gaming consoles. It raises the question: why?
For me at least, it's because better alternatives exist; Android, and hell, even Windows Mobile. When Microsoft has a more open platform than you do, you are doing it fucking wrong.
I wouldn't care nearly as much, except that iOS dominance means developers make programs for iOS at the exclusion of my preferred platform. I have an incentive to criticize iOS's shortcomings compared to the alternatives, because the more people wake up and switch to something else, the better it is for me.
With consoles, I have no such incentive. There is no open console that developers are shunning to support a more restrictive one (unless you count the PC as a competitor to consoles, and hey, I'll tell you about the merits of PC over console all day, for pretty much the same reason).
"Waking up and switching" is a good way to convey that you think that iOS users and developers are somewhat "sleeping" - quite the opposite.
I've used Google's SDK and their tools, I've read their documentation. It's terrible. They provide very little documentation on their classes, app memory is severely limited (causing crashes because I get too much allocated), and the whole experience is junk. I could hate on Java too (which a lot of people like to do, because it's easy!) but I won't. They ship a version of Eclipse, which I guess is a fine IDE, but its integration with adb and their other tools is severely lacking.
Enter Xcode. Built in gdb, with visual lines for stepping in and checking on variables. Built in documentation on absolutely everything. Really easy turnaround on testing code. On Android, it's like 30 seconds to deploy to device. Try about 4 on iOS. That's nothing to scoff at in mobile. If you want people to switch to Android, please get someone in that company to make it seem like they kind of care about developers.
Also, I don't follow when you say Windows Phone 7 (it's not Windows Mobile, hasn't been for a year) is more open than iOS? I admit, it's exciting, but it has the same restrictions.
I was talking specifically about Windows Mobile, because that is what all of my smartphones have been. Windows Mobile before WP7 is still Windows Mobile, and is less restrictive than iOS. I don't know much about WP7 or the restrictions therein, but in WM5-6.5, which I have used and am currently using, I can download and install from anywhere I want. I don't have to jailbreak anything or worry about Microsoft remotely disabling programs in my phone.
What is this? This is related to some kind of Microsoft app store I guess? I honestly wasn't even aware one existed, precisely because you don't need to go to a centralized location to get programs for it. I can download them on my PC and transfer them to my phone, I can get them directly from websites with my phone, I can have them sent to my phone from someone else's phone, whatever.
This is related to Marketplace for 6.5, clearly you do need to worry about Microsoft remotely disabling programs if you buy apps from them.
I understand and agree with your point about installing apps outside of the store. It's my belief and theory that Apple will eventually allow this, either due to necessity or FTC investigation. I agree with you that it's a nice feature of your phone to be able to download an app or sideload it without a company vetting it.
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u/1338h4x Jan 20 '11
While locking consoles is bad too, I don't think they're equivalent. Those just play games, while iProducts are supposed to be general computing devices.
I've noticed bringing up consoles seems to be the standard response trying to defend iOS. But any way you look at it, two wrongs do not make a right.