The Mac App Store’s future of irrelevance – Marco Arment
Must-read on the worrying withdrawl of OSX applications from the Mac App store. Perhaps the issues raised here are only currently relevant on a professional application level, but after seeing the ‘race to the bottom’ in the iOS appstore, I can only conclude that this is an extremely valid point.
2 months ago I made the decision to forgo all Appstore purchases where possible, based on the following comparison:
Direct Download Benefits over the App Store:
- Supports the Developer directly without Apple taking a 30% cut
- I’m able to get a discount on major software updates, which is currently impossible in the App Store
- Possibly critical Updates are unhindered by review delays
- Developers are able to achieve out-of-sandbox functionality
- Multiple license purchases are possible
App Store Benefits over App Store Purchases
- Bulk software re-installation is easier
- Software updates are marginally more convenient
- Required for the app to implement iCloud storage
That’s it*. The fact that iCloud integration can be effectively swapped with Dropbox integration really doesnt leave much in the way of enticements for Appstore purchases (or distribution), and to be truly honest, I prefer knowing an update to an app is available when I am using it, but I can also see how maybe that’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
The thing is, it is entirely possible for the appstore model not to suck, just look at Steam.
*There is also the remote possibility for indie developers to start turning over serious moneys™ by hitting the featured page & top 10 lists (see angry birds)- however with 28 out of the 73 total links (38%) on the featured page in the (NZ) Mac Appstore going to Big A’s own software, and operating system, this becomes even more of an impossibility.
To resolve our anxiety in the most productive way we can, we stare at our glowing screens looking for Truth, for Meaning, for some sort of concrete resolution. We want to stamp out the gripping fear lurking in the back of our minds, the Fear that we aren’t exactly sure what we are doing, and that things all seem shinier and easier when other people do them. We create linear narratives that make us feel comfortable knowing: 1) There is a reason things happened the way they did. 2) The reason things happened is both knowable and easily understandable. 3) We can digest all of those learnings from reading a 1000-word blogpost.
Zen & the art of startup advice by Dalton Caldwell
A great read into ‘advice’ blogposts, and human cognitive nature.
There is a hill in my mind where we go to see the fireworks from the city below. My hand covers yours as you rest your head on my shoulder and we watch the stars burn
The state of being ‘installed’ at a computer or laptop for an extended period of time without purpose, characterized by a blurry, formless anxiety undercut with something hard like desperation. During this time the individual will have several windows open, generally several browser ‘tabs,’ a Microsoft Word document in some state of incompletion, the individual’s own Facebook page as well as that of another randomly-selected individual who may or may not be on the ‘friends’ list, 2-5 Gchat conversations that are no longer immediately active, possibly iTunes and a ‘client’ for Twitter. The individual will switch between the open applications/tabs in a fashion that appears organized but is functionally aimless, will return to reading some kind of ‘blog post’ in one browser tab and become distracted at the third paragraph for the third time before switching to the Gmail inbox and refreshing it again.
(via sloaneohno)
Reading comic books, especially old ones tend to piss me off in terms of art direction. I think it’s a combination of the boring gridded panells and the lack of detail and ‘dynamic-ness’ to the action that frustrate me. No doubt the interactive designer in me having a grumble - i’ve always felt they could do better, it feels like only in the last 8 years have we started to break out from this 4x6 convention into more dynamic layouts. I realise that having a collection of images and panels collaged on the page could get in the way of storytelling but ive found the more adventurous japanese manga address this the most successfully — augmenting full page illustrations with small panels which continue the plot or action sequence.
But seriously check out that sword. How is that not about to chop your face off?
