New Code Sharing forum; New App Store guidelines for developers

New Code Sharing forum

As of today there is a new Code Sharing sub-forum of the App Store forum, for users to share family/friend codes and for developers to distribute free promo codes to interested members.

The Code Sharing sub-forum is for:

1. users to share family/friend codes for cooperative iPhone and iPod touch applications
2. iPhone and iPod touch application developers to give away promo codes for their applications

All family/friend/promo code threads and posts must be in this sub-forum, not in the main App Store forum or in any other forum. This applies to posts by developers as well as posts by other users.

Posts made in the Code Sharing forum do not count toward your post count total.

Thanks to the work of our moderators, recent code sharing and promo giveaway threads have already been moved to the Code Sharing sub-forum. If you plan to post codes, first review the rules stated in the Code Sharing Forum Rules and FAQ. If you see any further threads for codes in the App Store forum, or individual posts containing codes in the App Store forum, please report them to the moderators, who will move them or remove them.

We know that it will require a transition period for people to get in the habit of posting codes only in a separate sub-forum, but our users have requested this separation to keep the App Store forum less cluttered and more useful. We balance requests for new forums with requests to keep the main forum page from growing ever larger. In this case we've decided in favor of the new forum.

Before posting codes, read the Code Sharing Forum Rules and FAQ and observe the rules stated there. Thank you for your cooperation!


New App Store guidelines for application developers

MacRumors has for some time given special support to developers of iPhone and iPod touch applications, by permitting them to promote their applications in the App Store forum. These privileges were experimental at first, but proved to be a benefit to the forum community. Application developers, many of whom are individuals or very small companies, got a chance to talk about their applications. Our forum members got a chance to interact directly with application developers, discuss features, ask questions, make requests, etc.

We were pleased to find that almost all iPhone and iPod touch application developers have been responsible forum members. Only a few have cluttered the forums by starting too many threads or making too many posts.

We are now making the App Store privileges for iPhone and iPod touch application developers an established part of the forum rules. We are giving these developers official permission to use the App Store forum for announcements and for promotional information about their applications. At the same time, we are requiring that they start a limited number of threads, post promo codes only in the Code Sharing sub-forum, and observe a few other requirements.

The details are spelled out in the new Guidelines for iPhone and iPod touch application developers.

We hope the formalization of the rules for iPhone and iPod touch application developers will work to the benefit of both developers and the users interested in their software. Note that we have not given equivalent permissions to vendors of Mac software or hardware products, in keeping with past policies and to be fair to our paid advertisers.

Forum members who are interested in iPhone and iPod touch applications are invite to visit our sister sites touchArcade and AppShopper, where we provide reviews, discussion, and information about iPhone and iPod touch applications.

As always, we appreciate the suggestions we've received from forum users, the volunteer work of our moderators, and the cooperation of application developers.

GatorDeb said:

I have a code to trade, can I do that here? I'm not the developer.

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GatorDeb said:

That's what I meant, can I trade a promo code in that forum Since this is the discussion thread for the forum, I put the question here. The guidelines says it's for devs to give away promo codes, so I wanted to make sure I could trade one there.

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You can post friend codes but not promo codes. We limit distribution of promo codes to the original source, i.e. the developer, so the forums can't be used for re-distribution of promo codes.

From the Code Sharing Forum Rules and FAQ section on promo codes:

iPad application developers welcome!

Our Guidelines for App Store Developers, formerly named "Guidelines for iPhone and iPod touch application developers", now cover iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad application developers whose products are in Apple's App Store.

We welcome iPad application developers to take advantage of the same privileges as iPhone and iPod touch application developers in our App Store forum and its Code Sharing sub-forum: creating threads for their applications, announcing and discussing their apps, and distributing codes, subject to the restrictions described in the Guidelines.

Mac OS X application developers welcome!

We have again expanded the privileges we offer to software developers, for the benefit of our forum users.

We now provide developers of Macintosh software with the opportunity to describe their applications, talk directly to their customers and potential customers, and provide software giveaways in our forums.

Our Guidelines for Software Developers, formerly named "Guidelines for App Store Developers", now cover iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Mac OS X application developers.

We welcome Mac application developers to take advantage of the same privileges we've given to App Store developers in the Apple Applications section of our forums: creating threads for their applications, announcing and discussing their applications, and distributing serial numbers, subject to the restrictions described in the Guidelines.

spacemansp1ff said:

Is it permissible to link to our app in our sig, or mention it by name?

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Yes and yes in signatures.

Just not in the body of posts, except as allowed in the developer guidelines.

The Mac Applications and Mac App Store forum (formerly just Mac Applications) is available for general discussion about software for Mac OS X, including apps in the Mac App Store.

Both users and software developers can post about applications in the Mac Applications and Mac App Store forum, although software developers have the rights, responsibilities, and restrictions outlined in the Guidelines for Software Developers.