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I don't think 3rd party software distribution is a main contributor to openness. Before Apple's app store most software was distributed directly to customers. F

I don't think 3rd party software distribution is a main contributor to openness. Before Apple's app store most software was distributed directly to customers. For example, Symbian, J2ME phones, Windows Mobile, etc. None of these were considered open.

bookwormAT 13y ago
"None of these were considered open." I would say they are now, because of this: "Before Apple's app store most software was distributed directly to customers." Most discussions I see on the net these days are about free markets vs privately regulated markets. Windows and Android and Mac OS X belong to the former, while iOS and the XBox to the latter. Should people provide products and services to other people, maybe with some government regulation? Or should a few private companies control and regulate the distribution? Would the world be a better or worse place when Microsoft had the power to prevent the distribution of Web Browsers?