

However, I’ll venture that some features will get pulled or omitted from applications because that’s easier for developers than fighting for visibility in the shadow of the App Store. I’ll continue to swim upstream because I’m hard-headed and I personally want some apps to work the way they do (I can’t live without DFX myself).
#Mac apps for developers software#
So yes, developers will have to work harder – or just comply and tailor our software to fit the Apple mold. You’re going to miss out on some inventive stuff. I’m already considering the App Store guidelines for new projects and omitting features that would prevent those products from being sold there. The upshot is that you as a user will eventually see your software options narrowing.
#Mac apps for developers mac#
But how many people will seek out MacUpdate or individual company web sites when _most_ of their needs for new software and automatic updates will be served by the Mac App Store?īy doing this, Apple makes it much more difficult to develop and market software that doesn’t fit the App Store mold. Will there be other options? Yes, of course. Mac App Store access will be in the Dock on all Macs and will become the primary way that new Mac users learn about software. gorilla in a software ecosystem composed largely of small, independent developers.

The ARE taking something away from a community infrastructure they’ve supported for years. Heck, the Cydia store may become more popular than the current software page, I didn’t know about the software page until 1 year as a mac owner, and I found it by accident while doing a google search.īy pushing the Mac App Store and defining what can and can’t be sold there, Apple is in fact dictating where the Mac software market is headed, especially for indie developers that don’t have large marketing budgets. BTW, as a mac user, I rarely if ever use that page, and am looking forward for the app store.Ĭydia is also preparing to offer their own app store, if they do a good job promoting it, this may be a good alternative to the web-page for software that does not meet Apple’s approval. You note you have been an apple developer since 1988, this means for 20 years you managed to get exposure without apple’s software page. I may be miss-reading, and you may mean to keep access to the same customer base as you have now with the software web-page. I don’t find it understandable to expect to have access to the same customer base as the new App Store.
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It is understandable to want the current web-page service active, but you acknowledge it’s understandable why they are taking it down. Not sure if that is a completely fair request. My letter didn’t say it wasn’t – I was merely asking Apple for a means for developers to have access to that same customer base even if their apps don’t meet the App Store criteria.

The Mac App Store will sell more Macs and will get a lot of users up and running quickly with new software – I do think that’s a good thing. Many won’t look further, or even know that entire categories of applications exist that could be very useful to them. Getting their attention will be much harder when they can get many of the apps they need quickly and easily from the Mac App Store. Where you, the expert user, go to find software doesn’t concern me as much as where the other 98% of Mac consumers go. We’re talking about software as a business here – I need to sell a lot of licenses to make a living at $15/copy (or perhaps a lower price in the App Store). You’re seeking them out as an advanced user, and will continue to do so even if there’s a consumer-level app store sitting in your Dock. Beta versions and bleeding edge webkit apps are not targeted at the mass market – the Mac App Store isn’t going to make a big difference there.
