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I don't see how Apple can force the matter. Why would Dropbox comply if it breaks things?

Twisell 4y ago
They can't force but they can't retract from the AppStore. You'd still be able to deliver outside the AppStore with a signed App on MacOS but with way less visibility.
- jshier 4y ago
  Who's discovering DropBox from the App Store? Seems like they could drop that and be just fine. Much smaller devs have.
- flangola7 4y ago
  Who installs anything to a desktop computer from an app store instead of the developer's website?
  - msingh_5 4y ago
    I prefer installing things from App Store on my parents' computers cause it will handle automatic updates and provides certain guarantees (i.e. can rely on Apple not letting malware onto their App Store).
Kwpolska 4y ago
Dropbox currently uses API X to have files that are available online but still visible from the Finder and other apps and can be downloaded on-demand. Apple wants to retire API X and offers API Y (FileProvider) as a replacement. If Dropbox want to keep the download-on-demand feature, they must switch.
easton 4y ago
It’s because their implementation of “files downloaded on demand when you click on them” required a kext, and kexts can’t be loaded on Apple Silicon without weakening (disabling?) system integrity protection. Google Drive and OneDrive had to wait a while before Apple had these APIs ready before they could make non-Rosetta versions, and I’m sure Dropbox was the same way, we’re just hearing about it now.
- flangola7 4y ago
  What is a kext? What is system integrity protection? What is Rosetta? I don't use Mac
  - charrondev 4y ago
    - Kext == Kernel Extension - System Integrity Protection (or SIP) is a feature where various core operating system files around the boot process and kernel must be signed by Apple or the machine will not boot. It can be disabled, but this leaves your machine in a much more insecure state and can cause certain features to be disabled. I know for example I would get reamed by my companies InfoSec team I had SIP disabled on my corporate machine. - Rosetta 2 is an transparent and efficient x86 -> to ARM64 translation layer on MacOS. It’s used on Macs with apples m series of processors to run old software that hasn’t been recompiled for the new architecture. It runs quite efficiently actually with ~15% performance overhead in my experience. Rosetta 1 was and older version of the same thing from the last Mac CPU architecture change (PowerPC -> x86)
    - flangola7 4y ago
      It doesn't allow the developer to sign their own kernel extensions? That's seems mighty asymmetric.
      - charrondev 4y ago
        A developer can sign their own kernel extensions, even on M1. It just requires you to initially set the machine into a specific mode that allows it. The people this puts pressure on is not individuals trying to write or sign their own kernel extensions if they know what they are doing (essentially reboot into recovery and run some some shell commands). It does prevent - Unsuspecting or otherwise ignorant users from being tricked into installing a malicious kernel extension. - Prevent large companies from distributing custom kernel extensions for every day users
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]

They can't force but they can't retract from the AppStore. You'd still be able to deliver outside the AppStore with a signed App on MacOS but with way less visibility.

jshier 4y ago
Who's discovering DropBox from the App Store? Seems like they could drop that and be just fine. Much smaller devs have.
flangola7 4y ago
Who installs anything to a desktop computer from an app store instead of the developer's website?
- msingh_5 4y ago
  I prefer installing things from App Store on my parents' computers cause it will handle automatic updates and provides certain guarantees (i.e. can rely on Apple not letting malware onto their App Store).

Kwpolska 4y ago

Dropbox currently uses API X to have files that are available online but still visible from the Finder and other apps and can be downloaded on-demand. Apple wants to retire API X and offers API Y (FileProvider) as a replacement. If Dropbox want to keep the download-on-demand feature, they must switch.

easton 4y ago

It’s because their implementation of “files downloaded on demand when you click on them” required a kext, and kexts can’t be loaded on Apple Silicon without weakening (disabling?) system integrity protection. Google Drive and OneDrive had to wait a while before Apple had these APIs ready before they could make non-Rosetta versions, and I’m sure Dropbox was the same way, we’re just hearing about it now.

flangola7 4y ago
What is a kext? What is system integrity protection? What is Rosetta? I don't use Mac
- charrondev 4y ago
  - Kext == Kernel Extension - System Integrity Protection (or SIP) is a feature where various core operating system files around the boot process and kernel must be signed by Apple or the machine will not boot. It can be disabled, but this leaves your machine in a much more insecure state and can cause certain features to be disabled. I know for example I would get reamed by my companies InfoSec team I had SIP disabled on my corporate machine. - Rosetta 2 is an transparent and efficient x86 -> to ARM64 translation layer on MacOS. It’s used on Macs with apples m series of processors to run old software that hasn’t been recompiled for the new architecture. It runs quite efficiently actually with ~15% performance overhead in my experience. Rosetta 1 was and older version of the same thing from the last Mac CPU architecture change (PowerPC -> x86)
  - flangola7 4y ago
    It doesn't allow the developer to sign their own kernel extensions? That's seems mighty asymmetric.
    - charrondev 4y ago
      A developer can sign their own kernel extensions, even on M1. It just requires you to initially set the machine into a specific mode that allows it. The people this puts pressure on is not individuals trying to write or sign their own kernel extensions if they know what they are doing (essentially reboot into recovery and run some some shell commands). It does prevent - Unsuspecting or otherwise ignorant users from being tricked into installing a malicious kernel extension. - Prevent large companies from distributing custom kernel extensions for every day users
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]