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> The closedness of the iPhone is its Achilles heel. If the iPhone was targeted just towards hackers, then yes I agree that closedness is its Achilles heel. Bu
by wyday 18y ago
> The closedness of the iPhone is its Achilles heel.
If the iPhone was targeted just towards hackers, then yes I agree that closedness is its Achilles heel. But the presence of the "regular schmo" in the market negates the closedness problem.
The more regular schmos the iPhone attracts, the larger the market for the hackers.
I cite the profitability of Windows applications as an example of a closed system that works to the benefit of both the hacker and the schmo despite its closedness.
- pg 18y agoIn the most successful platforms in the past, the spread among schmoes has been driven by the applications. E.g. the Apple II by Visicalc.
- Raphael 18y agoYou don't need permission from Microsoft to write a Windows program. You just need to know a bit about the Windows API. Apple actually screens iPhone apps, so it is more of a closed system.
- wyday 18y agoIt wasn't a perfect comparison, I know. I was talking about closedness in the private API sense. Namely, the private APIs in Windows (see the lawsuits against Microsoft in late 90's early 00's) vs. the private API in the iPhone.