Dear OS makers: I’m old enough to make my own decisions, thanks.

[estirose]

Apple’s newly-announced app store for Macs got me thinking – mostly on how to put into words why it’s important to me that I, not really the OS maker, decides what apps I should run.

In some ways, I am your typical computer user – I use my computer for web surfing, email, and games. I like things that “just work”. I like ease of use. I don’t mind recommendations.

But I don’t like being told that I can only run this, this, and this app, and this app over here is too controversial or to adult for me to run. Trust me, I’m legal age in my own jurisdiction. That means things in legal terms.

Choice is an important thing to me. Obviously, if there is an issue with an application, then yes, I’d like to know about it. If it can brick my device, I’d like to know so I can evaluate the risks. But those choices are mine to make. It’s why my next mp3 player will be an Android device, my phone already is, and I’ll be mostly ignoring the App Store when I save up enough money to buy a Mac. It’s why I have no objection to people who create hackintoshes and why my current iTouch will be my last iPod.

I run Linux Mint. If I want something quick, if I want to read reviews, I can do so at its software center. If it doesn’t have what I want, I can use Synaptic, or install via terminal. I can add repositories for software I want to auto-update. Heck, I can compile things if I need to. I’ve owned lots and lots of Macs; I like the interface and I like the hardware. It is not iOS. I don’t want it to be iOS. I’m sure I’ll read the recs in the App Store, but that’s all they should be is recs. I should be free to run what I want, with the caveat that I am responsible if something goes wrong because of it.

So, OS makers, don’t lock things down if you don’t have to. Let me install that .apk if I want. Let me install that .exe or that .app. Be open. Respect me. Respect everybody.

Crossposted from Ramblings Yet Once More here.

Comments

[defeatedbyabridge]

Right *on*.

[tptigger]

*is confused* I haven't watched the keynote, just the website promo thing--there doesn't seem to be anything about auto-update. (Unless by "alerts" it means "automatically downloads".) Link to info, please? You're not the first person I've seen complaining...

[estirose]

Ignore my last comment, I reread my post and I didn't say anything about the Apple app store doing auto-updates. I was talking about an ability in Linux Mint (which acts similar to Software Update).