Apple Backtracks After Popular Mac App 'Amphetamine' Threatened With Removal Over Branding

[DDriver]

this might be the laziest app ever.

go into the terminal and type "caffeinate -t 60"

there. your mac will definitely stay awake for 60 seconds. need an hour? -t 3600

need forever? no arguments.

it's not that hard. been using this for years and years.

I'm a CLI junky but amphetamine is much more usable then having another terminal tab with `caffeinate` running. Instead of cmd+tab to terminal > CMD+T > type `caf`+tab then typing parameters you simply 1click for your default usecase of 2-3 clicks for every other possibility with amphetamine.

 

[greyshirtguy]

"Hey Apple, relax.....Take a chill pill"

 

[jlc1978]

Yeah one golden rule is to NEVER cut and paste a terminal command unless you can read it and are 100% confident you know what it does.

Yea. Back in the old Usenet days suggesting to newbies variants of rm such as rm -r and rm -rf to fix problems was a popular joke...

 

[Kbyrd89]

So, I get the issue with the pill but Apple could have taken the time to discuss their issue with the branding with the developer before attempting to remove them to maintain a good relationship with the developer of an obviously popular app.

What I’m misunderstanding is the app’s use. I’m getting a Mac at the end of the month but I use one regularly for work. Came across this site because it is useful at my job to stay up to date with issues and news surrounding Apple products. But, if someone uses their device regularly in a manner that requires them to keep the screen awake for long periods of time, couldn’t they just change their settings so that the computer doesn’t go to sleep? And when they manually want to put it to sleep, just do it from the Apple menu? It just seems like that feature is already built in. What am I missing?

 

[svanstrom]

So, I get the issue with the pill but Apple could have taken the time to discuss their issue with the branding with the developer before attempting to remove them to maintain a good relationship with the developer of an obviously popular app.

What I’m misunderstanding is the app’s use. I’m getting a Mac at the end of the month but I use one regularly for work. Came across this site because it is useful at my job to stay up to date with issues and news surrounding Apple products. But, if someone uses their device regularly in a manner that requires them to keep the screen awake for long periods of time, couldn’t they just change their settings so that the computer doesn’t go to sleep? And when they manually want to put it to sleep, just do it from the Apple menu? It just seems like that feature is already built in. What am I missing?

Yes, there are several ways of keeping the computer from going to sleep; but what this app does is pretty much allowing you to have your computer go to sleep quickly, but temporarily not go to sleep before a certain task is completed. It's a personal preference more than anything.

Personally I always put the displays to sleep whenever I leave the computer; which I do by having assigned a hot corner where I now by habit place the cursor whenever I stand up, with instant password lock (and automatic unlock when I return, thanks to my Apple Watch). But I've set the computer to never automatically go to sleep; so whatever servers/tasks I run on it always will be live unless I manually put the computer to sleep.

 

[Devnul0]

Need to move all the text files? "mv source/*.txt destination/*.txt"

Still running DOS? On Unix/Linux/Mac that command line doesn’t do what you think it does.

 

[chucker23n1]

Still running DOS? On Unix/Linux/Mac that command line doesn’t do what you think it does.

It’s move on DOS, not mv.

 

[bruinsrme]

I agree with Apple on this. With that said, I am off to play a wholesome game that promotes living a kind and caring way of life that doesn’t promote illegal activities and killing; Grand Theft Auto. Looks great on my iPad Pro and is available in the App Store.

 

[Miha_v]

You can say whatever you want, but one thing is clear: everyone knows exactly what the App does just by using one word 😁

 

[Devnul0]

It’s move on DOS, not mv.

My point was the use of the wildcards. You could do that in DOS, but in a Unix-y shell, ‘mv src/*.txt dst/*.txt’ will not move all your .txt files from one directory to another.

 

[willcate]

Come on. You know full well there are people out there who don't know how and absolutely should not be effing around in Terminal.

Not that it should necessarily be discouraged, but 95% of Mac users will never touch Terminal.

 

[ericwn]

Come on. You know full well there are people out there who don't know how and absolutely should not be effing around in Terminal.

Exactly. It’s besides the topic too.

 

[ericwn]

Apple removed my app from the App Store for a similar dumb reason. It was a clock that used World Time Format and was called WTFClock, and their explanation was “WTF” violated guidelines. After 7 years of me diligently keeping it up to date in the App Store at 100 bucks a year. Maybe I’ll rename it, but WTF Apple?

Best success- maybe this article gave you some additional ideas.

 

[TheMacBookPro]

as it turns out, sometimes it is much, much easier to move files with terminal. or rename them. point and click isn't always the right solution to filesystem problems.

Had to log in and make my first post in over 3 years just to say that you've chosen one of the weirdest hills to die on I've seen in a long time.

 

[Camzor]

A few folks mentioned being turned off by the name and icon. Helpfully, you can use custom menu bar icons, and the developer included a few clever ones. I’m a fan of the tea kettle. Beyond that, you never actually see the app—the branding is almost nonexistent. You never see its name in the menu bar.

Personally, I thought the name was a clever riff on its predecessor, Caffeine. I can understand why it would turn some folks off, though.

And to one last point: There may be command line options for keeping your Mac awake, but this app allows for some pretty thorough customization and automation. It’s honestly really handy when you need it.

 

[ericwn]

But has anyone gotten addicted to using the app all the time?

Caffeine vs smartphone addiction - which one will we pick?

 

[ericwn]

It promotes drugs.

In the same way that Apple promotes apples?

 

[ericwn]

Alternatively they could have used the name “viagra.” That drug will also keep you up for a long time.

Would be interesting to see how long it takes for the first complaints coming in for that name!

 

[Apple_Robert]

Caffeine vs smartphone addiction - which one will we pick?

I don't drink caffeine so, I will stick with iPhone.

 

[ericwn]

I wonder if they will have any issues with my guide for repairing the chimneys on BBQ smokers. I called it smoking crack pipe. Perhaps if I add a soundtrack from a 1980's rock band they might like it better. Smoking crack pipe to Nirvana.

Calling Nirvana an 80s rock band - I hope you don’t write guides on rock music.

 

[ColdShadow]

It would have been stupid if they removed it.
It’s a great app.
Apple store is not children’s class room,they should stop this approach.

 

[noblesoul117]

this might be the laziest app ever.

go into the terminal and type "caffeinate -t 60"

there. your mac will definitely stay awake for 60 seconds. need an hour? -t 3600

need forever? no arguments.

it's not that hard. been using this for years and years.

macOS is neither Linux nor a 1970s mainframe. Thankfully, we have GUI interfaces for nearly every functionality. There is no inclination to live my computer life holed up in a command line window. I’ll keep using shortcuts and the Menu Bar.

 

[applicious84]

I dunno. I never heard of this stuff until I saw the app. Now I pop it like candy. I haven't slept for days, even with my eyelids closed, and I have soo much energy!

 

[ericwn]

Walled gardens are bad for consumers.

Both approaches have positive and negative sides to it.

 

[ericwn]

This is what happens when a boss at Apple comes across something and takes it upon himself to show how important his role is to the company by trying to do something to show how he’s looking out for the company better than the rest. But in fact I’d just proving how disconnected he is from everything and is showing how dumb and useless he is. But since he is in charge everyone just goes along with it because there is no arguing with him.

And then that boss backtracks? As mentioned multiple times in the comments, this smells strongly of some automated filter being put in place together with some automated email, then the developer responded and then an actual human on the Apple side woke up.