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Apple to Eliminate Retail Box Software Inventory
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The way things are going I doubt anyone will recognize the next version of FCP anyway. Most likely it will be souped-down for the masses to use.
Speaking as an Education customer, this - should the rumor be true - is a negative development. App store prices for much software are higher than what I can buy them for at our campus bookstore.
One rather large problem, though - Arn's reporting this as if it's fact, when it's merely speculation. He's also somehow apparently unaware that there are retailers other than the corporate Apple Store. I'd be curious to find out what percentage of all Apple transactions happen in a physical Apple store... it's probably rather low.
One rather large problem, though - Arn's reporting this as if it's fact, when it's merely speculation. He's also somehow apparently unaware that there are retailers other than the corporate Apple Store. I'd be curious to find out what percentage of all Apple transactions happen in a physical Apple store... it's probably rather low.
The interesting thing that needs to be considered is how will large complex applications with external dependencies handle the move to 'AppStore' - will it mean that applications that once had shared external dependencies require all these dependencies to be bundled in with the application itself? wouldn't that mean a lot of needless duplication or will that force vendors to move away from their custom in house way of doing things in favour of actually using the facilities provided by the operating system itself? I'm mainly thinking CS5 and Microsoft Office.
Another thing to consider are the number of applications dependent on private frameworks considering that an AppStore requirement means private frameworks cannot be used. Will that require some applications to be re-written using public frameworks or if the public framework lacks the features will they have to re-create the required technology from the ground up or just flag the idea of selling through the 'AppStore'?
I hope that by having such requirements one will see a rise in the quality applications on offer
Apple is updating the AppStore all the time so it is just a matter of time when they add a feature of allowing you to update your registration details to being a student - probably asking for your student ID and institution then doing a confirmation of study to verify the authenticity. End of the day though it is all speculation rather than empirical statements from the 'great white father' at Apple HQ.
Another thing to consider are the number of applications dependent on private frameworks considering that an AppStore requirement means private frameworks cannot be used. Will that require some applications to be re-written using public frameworks or if the public framework lacks the features will they have to re-create the required technology from the ground up or just flag the idea of selling through the 'AppStore'?
I hope that by having such requirements one will see a rise in the quality applications on offer
Apple is updating the AppStore all the time so it is just a matter of time when they add a feature of allowing you to update your registration details to being a student - probably asking for your student ID and institution then doing a confirmation of study to verify the authenticity. End of the day though it is all speculation rather than empirical statements from the 'great white father' at Apple HQ.
Hate to tell you, but 30% of America is still stuck on dial up. Not because of cost; just because it is not available.... My street still does not have cable TV - they consider us too Rural, and our phone company has a lock-down on the area (I am within acceptable distance of a BellSouth (Now AT$T) switch, but I the FCC will not allow us to use it).. My Phone Company just started offering DSL in 2002. But it stunk and was down more than it was up. I just went back to DSL in 2008 when their technology got better. From 1997 through 2008, I was using Dialup, and I refused to pay the price of Satellite (which would not work on real cloudy days, and the upload speed was slower than dialup).
The MAS is still lacking in content though. They need to at least get Logic and Final Cut onboard before they can pull all the software from the shelfs.
I have purchased at least one product from the Mac App Store that requires I authorize it - using my Apple ID - the first time it's launched on any computer on which it's installed. I have purchased another app where that doesn't appear to be the case. That second app was one that existed before the MAS came to be - we'll see what happens when it is updated.
I don't see the advantage to requiring a login versus entering a serial number - it's basically the same thing.
If you need to do this that often, you should probably burn the downloaded software on DVD
I already have everything backup. I just don't like the idea of no optical drive and only downloadable software. What about reinstalling operating systems?
physical media changes or elimination of said media altogether - the change is going to happen. In every case, you had pundits slamming the change, usually for reasons related to being stuck thinking about how things are today, not wondering how they COULD be tomorrow.
I don't know what's next, but we've gone from etching vinyl to punching paper cards to coding magnetic tape to etching digital data onto cd/dvd's and now we're at either non-moving digital storage or downloadable digital info. I think, there is a clear reason why some companies are placing their bets on cloud based services. It would stand to reason, following how technology has moved, that the next step COULD be elimination of managing the software on your computer when a much more powerful computer connected to a cloud system could do things better, faster, cheaper.
It's true that not everyone has fast wired or wireless data connections and that downloading huge files, or even smaller ones, or connecting to a cloud can be problematic at best - but these things too will change. Whether it's making huge files smaller or increasing the connection coverage and speed, it is going to happen.
If any of us don't like this, then it's up to us to come up with a better solution.
Apple has done a great job at moving things forward - at least compared to many other electronic product manufacturers and certainly much more so compared to other product manufacturers.
I don't know what's next, but we've gone from etching vinyl to punching paper cards to coding magnetic tape to etching digital data onto cd/dvd's and now we're at either non-moving digital storage or downloadable digital info. I think, there is a clear reason why some companies are placing their bets on cloud based services. It would stand to reason, following how technology has moved, that the next step COULD be elimination of managing the software on your computer when a much more powerful computer connected to a cloud system could do things better, faster, cheaper.
It's true that not everyone has fast wired or wireless data connections and that downloading huge files, or even smaller ones, or connecting to a cloud can be problematic at best - but these things too will change. Whether it's making huge files smaller or increasing the connection coverage and speed, it is going to happen.
If any of us don't like this, then it's up to us to come up with a better solution.
Apple has done a great job at moving things forward - at least compared to many other electronic product manufacturers and certainly much more so compared to other product manufacturers.
Ease and Safety
I understand the warm fuzzies of a stored DVD. This insurance and comfort issue is one that does have to be addressed for anything over a few dollars.
...even though the stored disk is likely not the current, running version. Boxed software from Adobe or Microsoft or Apple will inevitably have its multiple online updates. We still (even before the App store) rely on an online delivery component until the next clean boxed set.
But your comparison of the ease of installing from a DVD v. from the App store is backwards. Buying from the App store, you basically do nothing but click that you want the software. The OS does everything else, just as for the iPhone/iPad.
I understand the warm fuzzies of a stored DVD. This insurance and comfort issue is one that does have to be addressed for anything over a few dollars.
...even though the stored disk is likely not the current, running version. Boxed software from Adobe or Microsoft or Apple will inevitably have its multiple online updates. We still (even before the App store) rely on an online delivery component until the next clean boxed set.
But your comparison of the ease of installing from a DVD v. from the App store is backwards. Buying from the App store, you basically do nothing but click that you want the software. The OS does everything else, just as for the iPhone/iPad.
Not a good idea, not everyone has broadband.
Walk down to a WiFi hotspot at a coffee shop or hotel. WiFi is nearly ubiquitous today.
I would imagine they will let you use this with any new Macs which are sold without an optical drive.
Since Apple Stores already offer free WiFi you should be able to bring your Mac to the store if you don't have a decent internet connection at home.
If Apple really wanted to push this approach they would have a local cache of the MAS in every store and have stations where you could connect to their Gigabit network and perform the install.
Ideally they would also be able to download software to a USB key for you that you can take home, with a redemption code sent to your email, kind of like the "Digital Copy" approach that movies come with on DVD/Blu Ray.
B
If Apple really wanted to push this approach they would have a local cache of the MAS in every store and have stations where you could connect to their Gigabit network and perform the install.
Ideally they would also be able to download software to a USB key for you that you can take home, with a redemption code sent to your email, kind of like the "Digital Copy" approach that movies come with on DVD/Blu Ray.
B
Commiserations…
Excellent news
Exactly what I plan on doing with my Mac Pros…
Thanks.