iPhone App Store Petition

[Clive At Five]

If you're troubled with how Apple has handled the recent App Store rejections, please consider signing the following petition. Remember, this is about how Apple has handled the rejections, not why Apple has rejected Apps.

Dear Steve

As iPhone users we would like to express our dismay at Apple's 'vaguerisms', ineptitude and arrogance in it's recent dealings with 'App Store' developers.

We are of the opinion that Apple's lack of communication and clarity over rejected apps and inappropriate use of 'NDA' Non Disclosure Agreements has become completely indefensible. Furthermore Apple's reluctance to comment publicly on these very public issues is fast becoming a stain upon its character.

As your customers we have great concerns over the future of the iPhone and you should be aware that if 'App Store' developers decide to desert the iPhone platform en masse we will have absolutely no qualms in following them.

A positive statement from Apple on this subject is long overdue.


Sincerely,

The Undersigned

Once again, the link to sign.

-Clive

 

[bluenoise]

I highly doubt any online petition would change anything, especially one with only a few hundred virtual "signatures."

Bad press is a more likely solution and there has been an increasing number of critical articles.

 

[Clive At Five]

I can't remember a single petition that *did* seem to make a difference. I'm just hoping to add awareness of a serious issue to the community. It may not be through this petition, but if enough voices speak up, Apple won't be able to ignore them all.

-Clive

 

[scaredpoet]

I can't remember a single petition that *did* seem to make a difference. I'm just hoping to add awareness of a serious issue to the community.

I don't follow how a petition will bring about further "awareness," either, at least not any more than discussions already taking place in forums and direct feedback to Apple will bring about.


And with all due respect, the petition itself is about as vague as Apple's rejection guidelines. What exactly would constitute - in your eyes - a "positive statement from Apple?" What specifically do you want Apple to say?

A good petition specifies - in very clear and specific terms - what action is necessary to satisfy its undersigned parties and declare a resolution. This petition lacks such a clear action. "A positive statement from Apple on this subject" could mean anything (or for that matter could mean nothing, which is another way of saying that the undersigned will never be satisfied, because nothing Apple says is "positive" enough).

You have to declare what you consider "positive." Is it just a clarification from Apple? A publishing of its acceptance guidelines? Or is it just a puffy press release saying "don't worry, Steve knows what's good for you, and we'll take care of everything?"

 

[Clive At Five]

I agree with you, it is vague, I didn't write the thing. I think the general consensus is that Apple should

A) Be clearer about its rejection policies so that developers don't go through all the work of creating an app that will just get rejected
B) Not abuse NDA by demanding developers not publicly discuss rejected apps (which just clouds the issue of what is and is not an acceptable app).
C) Not reject apps based on "limited utility." I think we can all agree Koi Pond is nearly as pointless as "pull my finger."

And why do it via a petition? To increase Mactivism, pardon the play on words.

-Clive

 

[iphonecode]

I agree with you...

 

[scaredpoet]

To increase Mactivism

Threads like this almost make me want to throw my Apple products out the window and go back to Microsoft. On my knees, and genuinely repentant.


...almost.

 

[Topper82]

Why would anyone post something like this? Here is my response to this thread:

a) Apple doesn't care what you think
b) Petitions don't work, that's why there are class action suits
c) This thread sucks!

 

[nick9191]

They should charge a dollar to create an online petition. It would reduce the amount of useless online petitions by at least 9/10's. They care so much until it comes to hand over a measly dollar.

Edit: I didn't really need to use the adjective useless, its like calling dirt, dirty dirt. Figure it out.

 

[Lightbrazer]

Actually petitions DO work when they get enough people and attention. Look at Helio having to make their youtube app free, and Rogers of Canada having to change their package plans for the iPhone. Don't underestimate the power a thousand vocal angry customers have.

 

[bluenoise]

Was that all because of online petitions or from bad press?

 

[Evev12]

Clive, I sincerely apologize for all of the comments from those on these forums that "don't understand" - they should be thanking you, so I'll do it for them, Thank You! You addressed the major concern that we're all having right now, did so calmly, posted a letter for us to send, and added a link to a petition. You're doing what any pro-active, upset person would do, taking action! AND you're trying to help us all do the same. I also called for a petition before and got the same response, if not more negative. For anybody to disagree with you is beyond me. Even though they've all voiced the same concern, they're not willing to do anything more than defend Apple. While it may be a strong statement, after Apple's dictatorship control over the iphone, nothing makes me dislike them more than their loyalists, which these forums are infested with. They alone make me want to bring back my iphone...I'm starting to feel as if it really is phone for children (I'd LOVE to know the demographic of the posters here). The only reason peitions haven't worked in the past is because of that exact attitude from those previous posters (aside from lightbrazer's). People want to complain, but they're not willing to do anything about it, instead they're too quick to criticize. They'll also never get what they want in life because they don't know how to take action. I'm not going to waste my time doing so, but I'll bet if you go back through all those that criticized, you'll find every single one of them has adressed some sort of dissapointment over this whole app rejection policy - can you say hypocrite?

Thanks again!

 

[sdsvtdriver]

lulz @ petitiononline.com

I wish I had the money to buy that domain. I'd like to alter the functionality so that when someone is on the last page of the process of setting up an online petition and clicks 'submit', instead of creating a petition it tells the submitter what a waste of time it is, just like the time they spent setting up said petition in the first place.