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Apple just kicked Fortnite off the App Store

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1704 points ardit33 | 2 comments | 13 Aug 20 19:03 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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lordleft ◴[13 Aug 20 20:04 UTC] No.24147974[source]▶
Imagine if Microsoft did this on PCs. a) prohibiting the installation of non-windows store software (sideloading) and b) insisting that all purchases done via apps give them a 30% cut. I think this is a ridiculous practice on the behalf of Apple.
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eggbrain ◴[13 Aug 20 20:20 UTC] No.24148287[source]▶
I mean, couldn't we just replace Microsoft->Sony and PC->Playstation and the argument falls apart a bit?

> Imagine if Sony did this on Playstation. a) prohibiting the installation of non-PlayStation games and b) insisting that all purchases done via their store give them a 30% cut.

Many platforms are like this -- and many also have the majority marketshare. Is this a call to redefine what platforms can and cannot control?

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ClumsyPilot ◴[13 Aug 20 20:26 UTC] No.24148405[source]▶
There is a distinction between a general purpose computing device and a gaming console. I depend on my computer for important aspects of my life, not just entertainment.

I perceive capricious behaviour like this ad a threat to my liberty and well-being.

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viro ◴[13 Aug 20 20:36 UTC] No.24148624[source]▶
"There is a distinction between a general purpose computing device and a gaming console." Whats the distinction? gaming console use x86 now. is it the keyboard support? the gpu ?
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the_af ◴[13 Aug 20 20:47 UTC] No.24148835{3}[source]▶
Well, you could say one definition is that a general purpose computing device is a tool that lets you run what you want in whichever way you want to install it (sort of, of course one could nitpick exceptions).

An Apple laptop looks like a general purpose computing device. Do we want it not to be one, and become closer to a gaming console?

I think that merely looking at the guts and seeing which processor it has is kind of a red herring.

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hnick ◴[13 Aug 20 23:46 UTC] No.24151318{4}[source]▶
> Well, you could say one definition is that a general purpose computing device is a tool that lets you run what you want in whichever way you want to install it (sort of, of course one could nitpick exceptions).

It does seem a bit tautological. A vendor can restrict access then simply argue this is not a general purpose computing device because look, you can't run the things we don't let you run.

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the_af ◴[13 Aug 20 23:52 UTC] No.24151407{5}[source]▶
It seems tautological but if you think about it, it's what it actually means. A general purpose computing device is a device that can be used for any computing. If you restrict it, it ceases to be general purpose. If you turn it into a locked-up appliance, like a Playstation, it's not general-purpose anymore.

General-purpose is when you can install whatever software will run in that architecture, unimpeded.

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1. hnick ◴[14 Aug 20 00:04 UTC] No.24151516{6}[source]▶
I don't necessarily disagree, but does that imply that whether or not something is a general purpose computer is reliant on the current software status of the machine rather than the hardware? You can crack some smartphones or install Linux on older Playstations.

Tautological was in reference to the argument about whether or not we should be able to install things if an iPhone is a general purpose device.

If that status relies on what software lets us do, then the answer is always going to be no, because if they don't let us then we aren't allowed to.

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2. the_af ◴[14 Aug 20 00:10 UTC] No.24151563[source]▶
Ah, now I see what you mean. Good question. I'd say the hardware within is general purpose, but the overall "product" isn't because it has been artificially constrained.