Apple’s recent products, especially their mobile iOS devices, are like beautiful crystal prisons, with a wide range of restrictions imposed by the OS, the hardware, and Apple’s contracts with carriers as well as contracts with developers. Only users who can hack or “jailbreak” their devices can escape these limitations.
– EFF
If it provides me with the tools I not only want, but also needs, I’ll take a crystal prison any day – hoping it also serves Cristal.
I switched back to OS X and iOS for three reasons; syncing across different devices works flawlessly, most software are available across different devices, and I have less issues with OS X and iOS than Linux.
It is almost a decade since I used Windows, so I can’t really say anything about that, but what I’ve read about Android and been told by those who use it, Android isn’t that open as you would like to think.
To get full use of an Android device you need a Google account. No, not everyone has one – anymore. With Google making their “Don’t Be Evil” motto turning into a joke, I can’t really see how Android is any better.
It is correct that you need to get an AppStore account to get applications for your iOS device, but that’s it. iCloud is optional and you can easily sync your devices via iTunes – too easy to be off the Apple grid.
Even if EFF has a point with their write-up, I can’t help but find it a bit too biased. They do however save face by saying that Apple has the power to change this culture, which is kind of true, but I don’t think the issue is that easy to solve.
Imagine an app crashes on an iPhone. Who do you think the user blames for that? Apple or the developer of the app? From my own experience working in tech support, the customer will first blame the producer of the device. When you have then explained 3rd party apps or addons are not supported by the company, you will be asked why and demanded that it should be changed and the company fix a 3rd party problem.
I agree that what Apple is doing is extremely restrictive, but they are also minimising bad PR and angry customers blaming them for what a 3rd party developer did wrong.
Apple has the power to push openness more, but if that is done, the customer must also be ready to take responsibility for their tinkering. Not blaming Apple if something goes down the shitter if they tinker – which I see often when a jailbreak shits itself.
If customers wants to tinker, let them, but then the customers need to accept the fact that they should only give themselves a hard time if the brick their device.
Ever heard a car company get blamed for a car accident which was caused solely by the driver?
