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This app goes against the iOS Devloper Program License Terms. They specifically state no code or scripts may be executed period unless (a) they bundled in the

This app goes against the iOS Devloper Program License Terms. They specifically state no code or scripts may be executed period unless (a) they bundled in the application's package or (b) use WebKit and WebKit's JavaScript If Apple is relaxing their policies it would be good to know. Lots of others would like to write apps like this but were told they would be banned. Maybe they are getting around it by running Lua in JavaScript in WebKit?

ricardobeat 15y ago
I really wish this butt-hurt comment wasn't at the top. It's a beautiful app.
- dendory 15y ago
  Why not, though? The point is that this kind of app should be allowed, and many people thought about doing stuff like that before, but were told no, so it's a valid question.
- Tichy 15y ago
  Uh, it's the truth? No matter how beautiful, it will probably be removed from the app store and the development effort will have been wasted.
  - simonh 15y ago
    It's not the truth. Apple has no rules against Lua these days. The problem isn't with using scripts in your app, it's with downloading scripts.
    - greggman 15y ago
      Lua ok, User scripts not ok. Doesn't matter if they are download. The license says no scripts that are not part of the app's package period except WebKit JavaScript scripts
    - Tichy 15y ago
      I didn't know that the app won't allow sharing of the creations. Maybe they can get by with that (no guarantees on the app store).
  - ricardobeat 15y ago
    No, it's no the truth. From what I understand they just won't allow apps to execute assets downloaded from somewhere else. As long as there is no sharing of code it should be fine (yeah, that's a shame).
johncoltrane 15y ago
I may be wrong but I seem to remember Apple relaxing their rules sometimes last year.
- Tichy 15y ago
  I think they allow you to write your app in different programming languages now. But I can't imagine that they allow you to execute downloadable scripts, which would make it possible to circumvent the app store.
  - Tichy 15y ago
    Downvoted why?
thought_alarm 15y ago
Rewards go to those who take the risks. The app did sit in review for quite some time, according to a quick look at their blog. Either the interpreter is implemented entirely in JavaScript and Webkit (it's not terribly speedy), or Apple is now comfortable enough with Lua to let something like this fly. Either way, it's really great that there's an app like this for the iPad. Edit: After poking around the app package, it looks like a real Lua interpreter rendered inside a EAGLView, and not some WebKit/Javascript hack.
- seclorum 15y ago
  > real Lua interpreter rendered inside a EAGLView, and not some WebKit/Javascript hack Just like moai, so I guess I'm off to write that moai-dev environment!
- victim 15y ago
  I heard from the guys that work for Apple that Apple has accepted Lua as a language for many of the apps and realise that it can be sandboxed, so do expect that before approving it. Yes Apple is comfortable with Lua.
prehensile 15y ago
The license terms were indeed relaxed last year. Quite a few apps use scripting languages generally, and Lua specifically, including a little game you may have heard of named Angry Birds.
cstross 15y ago
There are already sandboxed Lua, Python, and Scheme implementations on iOS, and have been for some time. The strict "no interpreters" rule seems to have quietly fallen by the wayside a while ago, to be replaced by selective enforcement. (Presumably based on something non-obvious, like: does the implementation offer a way to break out of the app sandbox?)
shawndumas 15y ago
"We have listened to our developers and taken much of their feedback to heart. Based on their input, today we are making some important changes to our iOS Developer Program license in sections 3.3.1, 3.3.2 and 3.3.9 to relax some restrictions we put in place earlier this year. In particular, we are relaxing all restrictions on the development tools used to create iOS apps, as long as the resulting apps do not download any code. This should give developers the flexibility they want, while preserving the security we need. In addition, for the first time we are publishing the App Store Review Guidelines to help developers understand how we review submitted apps. We hope it will make us more transparent and help our developers create even more successful apps for the App Store." --http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/09/09Statement-by-Apple-on-App-Store-Review-Guidelines.html http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/09/09Statement-by-Apple...
- lloeki 15y ago
  > "as long as the resulting apps do not download any code" Does that include using the App Documents mechanism?

ricardobeat 15y ago

I really wish this butt-hurt comment wasn't at the top. It's a beautiful app.

dendory 15y ago
Why not, though? The point is that this kind of app should be allowed, and many people thought about doing stuff like that before, but were told no, so it's a valid question.
Tichy 15y ago
Uh, it's the truth? No matter how beautiful, it will probably be removed from the app store and the development effort will have been wasted.
- simonh 15y ago
  It's not the truth. Apple has no rules against Lua these days. The problem isn't with using scripts in your app, it's with downloading scripts.
  - greggman 15y ago
    Lua ok, User scripts not ok. Doesn't matter if they are download. The license says no scripts that are not part of the app's package period except WebKit JavaScript scripts
  - Tichy 15y ago
    I didn't know that the app won't allow sharing of the creations. Maybe they can get by with that (no guarantees on the app store).
- ricardobeat 15y ago
  No, it's no the truth. From what I understand they just won't allow apps to execute assets downloaded from somewhere else. As long as there is no sharing of code it should be fine (yeah, that's a shame).

johncoltrane 15y ago

I may be wrong but I seem to remember Apple relaxing their rules sometimes last year.

Tichy 15y ago
I think they allow you to write your app in different programming languages now. But I can't imagine that they allow you to execute downloadable scripts, which would make it possible to circumvent the app store.
- Tichy 15y ago
  Downvoted why?

thought_alarm 15y ago

Rewards go to those who take the risks. The app did sit in review for quite some time, according to a quick look at their blog. Either the interpreter is implemented entirely in JavaScript and Webkit (it's not terribly speedy), or Apple is now comfortable enough with Lua to let something like this fly. Either way, it's really great that there's an app like this for the iPad. Edit: After poking around the app package, it looks like a real Lua interpreter rendered inside a EAGLView, and not some WebKit/Javascript hack.

seclorum 15y ago
> real Lua interpreter rendered inside a EAGLView, and not some WebKit/Javascript hack Just like moai, so I guess I'm off to write that moai-dev environment!
victim 15y ago
I heard from the guys that work for Apple that Apple has accepted Lua as a language for many of the apps and realise that it can be sandboxed, so do expect that before approving it. Yes Apple is comfortable with Lua.

prehensile 15y ago

The license terms were indeed relaxed last year. Quite a few apps use scripting languages generally, and Lua specifically, including a little game you may have heard of named Angry Birds.

cstross 15y ago

There are already sandboxed Lua, Python, and Scheme implementations on iOS, and have been for some time. The strict "no interpreters" rule seems to have quietly fallen by the wayside a while ago, to be replaced by selective enforcement. (Presumably based on something non-obvious, like: does the implementation offer a way to break out of the app sandbox?)

shawndumas 15y ago

"We have listened to our developers and taken much of their feedback to heart. Based on their input, today we are making some important changes to our iOS Developer Program license in sections 3.3.1, 3.3.2 and 3.3.9 to relax some restrictions we put in place earlier this year. In particular, we are relaxing all restrictions on the development tools used to create iOS apps, as long as the resulting apps do not download any code. This should give developers the flexibility they want, while preserving the security we need. In addition, for the first time we are publishing the App Store Review Guidelines to help developers understand how we review submitted apps. We hope it will make us more transparent and help our developers create even more successful apps for the App Store." --http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/09/09Statement-by-Apple-on-App-Store-Review-Guidelines.html http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/09/09Statement-by-Apple...

lloeki 15y ago
> "as long as the resulting apps do not download any code" Does that include using the App Documents mechanism?