[endoftheQ]

Hey Bill.

Apologies for the tardy response, I've been playing with my... new iPhone 4!

OK, as threatened, a full reply.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

That is most unfortunate, but weren't you able to roll back to 3.1.3?

Yes, thanks to Greg's help in sourcing a hack, although it's not exactly easy and I had to delete and reinstall every App as it returned my 3g to factory settings but wouldn't then accept a restore from a backup.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

I've been holding off on upgrading my 2G iPod Touch due to the stories I've been hearing, and the lack of a "must-have" feature to make it worth the risk.

I seriously wouldn't recommend it, especially if you type more than a few words a day into OmniFocus, the lag is excruciating, alongside all the other issues. I can't believe that Apple tested this in the real world, iOS4 should have been 3gs and above, only.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

Didn't Amazon do the same thing with some materials sold through the Kindle store?

Yes they did, and although I wouldn't be happy with them either, at least they refunded purchasers.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

What was the reason for the deletion, do you know?

It's been alleged on other Boards that the developer had failed to finalise the licencing of the map data. I accept that Apple wanted to immediately stop selling and supporting the App, I don't agree with them being able to take it away from me. I think of it in terms of a product recall, a retailer shouldn't be able to come into my home and remove something without my permission, they have to ask first.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

If an app bought for an Android device goes poof in the night, do you have any better recourse? I really don't know anything about other vendors' App stores.

I haven't experienced this on previous App stores, ie. when using Symbian on a series of Sony phones. I have to confess that I really didn't think about Apple's ability to 'kill' an App until it happened to ME! It was an App that I'd spent considerable time entering data into and it just disappeared, without any warning or explanation.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

Again, isn't that likely to be the case anywhere? I suppose it isn't a concern if the ecosystem in question doesn't allow in-App purchases! Frankly, though, I'm a lot more comfortable with giving an app the ability to spend money if there's a guy with a big stick (Apple) providing and policing the mechanism than I would be typing CC details into an app where there has been no screening. You know that Apple will flip the kill switch on an app that rips people off, but is there even such a mechanism for Droid apps in general?

I'm objecting to the precedent this sets and the fact that Apple insists I get a refund from the developer or claim a chargeback from my credit card provider. I tried the latter, and was asked if it was a fraudulent transaction. After explaining my situation, I couldn't state categorically that it was fraudulent and, if I had, my credit card provider stated they would block any future transactions to my credit card from that outlet (the App store).

In the UK (and throughout the EU) the retailer is solely responsible for the products it sells. It is unacceptable, and illegal here, for Apple to try and shift the problem elsewhere. If I bought a dvd player from my local high street and it didn't work or was recalled, I wouldn't accept that I had to claim a refund from the manufacturer. The shop I bought it from HAS to give me my money back.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

I haven't been able to do any of those things on my Nintendo Wii.

You can purchase Apps for your Wii from any retailer you choose, surely?

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

While it is true that Apple isn't allowing you to buy apps in a completely unrestricted market, and has chosen not to provide Flash, those restrictions apply only so long as you insist on running only Apple's preferred OS configuration. Microsoft insists that you have a crappy experience running their software on your PC, but the experience changes dramatically if you're willing to go to the trouble of installing Mac OS X or Linux or NetBSD or whatever floats your boat. So it is with the Apple hardware when you jailbreak or install Android.

OK, I would be happy to jailbreak my old 3g. However, if I jailbreak my iPhone 4, Apple 'punishes' me by voiding the warranty, so especially with the antenna, proximity, bluetooth, etc. problems, I wouldn't currently risk it.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

While one might be justifiably upset that they refuse to provide Flash (because you think that their device is otherwise the best choice), for example, it's not like Steve woke up one day and said "that's it, hit the kill switch, no more Flash on the iPhone" — this is not a case of bait and switch.

I admit to a conflict here. I'm more than happy that Apple gave Adobe a bloody nose, having invested large sums in numerous programs over the years only to see Adobe acquire them and cease development (FreeHand, PageMaker, GoLive, et al).

I could live without Flash on the iPhone but I didn't really appreciate how much I would miss it on the iPad.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

You just don't get to enjoy the benefits of the walled garden and live outside it simultaneously.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

Okay, you're unhappy, and your return period, if any, is over. What would make you happy now, and what would prevent future unhappiness?

I want the walled garden to have a door. If I step outside and get mauled by a Big-Bad-App or an optional system feature that crashes my iPhone, I take full responsibility for that. I don't, however, want Apple denying me the choice.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

If you really want to switch phones but keep OmniFocus, picking up an iPod Touch would give you that freedom immediately. If you buy it used you don't even have to contribute to Apple's coffers. You could contribute to mine, instead :-)

If I didn't need to sync with 3g, that would be a perfect solution!

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

I just couldn't live with myself knowing that if I let you make the switch without careful consideration, 6 months from now you might be waking up every morning, looking at your OmniFocus-less phone, and thinking to yourself, "dammit, Bill was right" :-)

OK, this is where I 'got it'! You made me appreciate that no other consideration was more important than having OmniFocus in my pocket!

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

Hey, everyone is going to treat you like a kid, right? Apple's just trying to make sure you don't hang out with the wrong kids, the other parents don't even care what happens to you.

I take it you haven't seen Rebel Without A Cause. I'm the James Dean type, just without the looks, talent, etc. etc.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

Didn't you see the big slide from the iPhone 4 press conference today? "We love our users" :-)

You didn't watch the build. The full slide was: 'We love our users, so much we keep them in cages, and poke them with sticks'!

OK, my ranting is well-and-truly over, and thanks again, Bill, your posts really helped me.

Rich.