Monday, October 19, 2020

Pure Programming

gazzini (via ChrisLTD):

I used to joke, back then, that I was a professional App Store rules explainer, because in every role, I was constantly explaining to peers, managers, and clients why we couldn’t build X because it violated Apple’s terms & conditions. I just wanted to build what our users wanted, but instead we debated endlessly about what Apple might allow. Even then, we’d still occasionally be punished by a frivolous rejection, moving us to the back of the app-review line.

But Apple isn’t the villain here – this is a large industry trend. The entire internet is increasingly burdened by various governments, corporations, and everything in-between.

[…]

In-app purchases. Email verification w/ various “unsubscribe” options. Sign-in with X. DUNS numbers. Applying for AWS Service Limit increases to send any emails. These “table-stakes” features are a real drag on productivity because… well, because they’re no fun to develop! It’s energizing to solve real problems, and draining to solve fake problems.

Previously:

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Absolutely. This is why I abandoned the Keyboard Maestro Control iOS app (which lets you trigger macros on a Mac from your phone). Developing the iOS app and fighting all the Apple review requirements and delays, dealing with the endless nitpicking about icon sizes and screenshot requirements just sucked the life out of me. Let me build what my customers want, not what's required by some ridiculous rules.

And note: this is not about security - software security can't be handled by rules, it has to be handled by code which already exists.

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