This conversation reminds me of the discussions we've had about software patents. We're all against those, of course.
Yet we're taking umbrage with Apple integrating functionality from existing apps into iOS/OSX.
Aren't these conversations fundamentally about the same concept, the protection (or lack thereof) afforded to the owner of an executed idea?
It seems like it's the same conversation with the only difference being our role in the vignette. If it's the story of Lodsys, we're accused of infringement. If it's the story of iOS5, we're the infringed.
I'm anti-patent and also OK with Apple baking these features right into the OS just like I'm OK with Microsoft (or any other OS maker) shipping a browser with the OS.
If the features are useful to such a great number of end-users, they should be there in the base install, it makes for a better user experience even if it does cause pain for some small business owners. Nobody is owed a business just because they already have one, this goes for app devs just as well as anyone else. As with browsers on Windows there will be plenty of room for alternatives to the base implementation so long as they offer a decent value proposition.
The only thing about this that would get me up in arms is if Apple started blocking updates to the existing apps because they "duplicate functionality". I don't think we can really count them out from doing that based on some past events, though I do hope they've moved beyond that by now.
Yet we're taking umbrage with Apple integrating functionality from existing apps into iOS/OSX.
Aren't these conversations fundamentally about the same concept, the protection (or lack thereof) afforded to the owner of an executed idea?
It seems like it's the same conversation with the only difference being our role in the vignette. If it's the story of Lodsys, we're accused of infringement. If it's the story of iOS5, we're the infringed.