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1704 points ardit33 | 4 comments | | HN request time: 1.037s | source
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mapgrep ◴[] No.24149792[source]
You could argue about Apple's rights, or citizens' free speech rights, or consumer rights, under existing law. It would be an interesting discussion because I think it's a lot more complicated an issue that most people appreciate.

But really why not talk about how we think things should work on platforms like iOS? What should the law be? What protects essential human rights, encourages creativity, and allows business to function to some extent?

Personally, I would argue that consumers should have a legal right to install whatever software they wish on a product they have purchased, including onto the bundled operating system. I don't think it should be permissible for a company like Apple (or Microsoft or whoever) to sell me a gadget and then use various sorts of locks to try to keep me from putting whatever apps or app stores or services I like on it.

Does anyone have any argument for why this right would be a bad thing? People would get bad software on their phones, but last I checked, this is happening already, including on iOS. Apple would lose some margin, but last I checked, their investment in creating and maintaining iOS has been handsomely rewarded and would surely continue to be.

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BurningFrog ◴[] No.24152764[source]
> Does anyone have any argument for why this right would be a bad thing?

For one thing, that is how you get viruses. This is amusingly similar to the mask refusal arguments.

> People would get bad software on their phones, but last I checked, this is happening already

"My proposal would lead to bad things, but there already are bad things" is a terrible argument.

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1. Sargos ◴[] No.24152854[source]
People are perfectly free to use Apple App Store and stay free from viruses and have a nice curated environment. Nothing changes for them if you allow sideloading. The ONLY change is that you have the OPTION to run software Apple doesn't officially sanction. That's just a basic freedom right there and it's hard to see any rational argument against it.
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2. etchalon ◴[] No.24153360[source]
The rational argument is that the ability to side-load applications would be exploited by the nefarious and the clever to take advantage to naive users.

If a website can convince someone to download a "new version of the Flash Player", those same websites will convince someone to "side-load this application to protect against identity theft!"

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3. Fargren ◴[] No.24155071[source]
Android allows sideloading and this doesn't happen (too much) in Android. It's possible to support walled garden by default while giving the user advanced options to sideload, which are difficult but not too difficult to find.
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4. etchalon ◴[] No.24157184{3}[source]
(Too much) and (not at all) are two different things.