[Padraig]

Thanks, I appreciate that.

I'm not sure that it's as clear cut as doing something that can't be easily copied — any iPhone app that stores data locally is vulnerable to this. (In fact, I'd advise other iPhone developers reading this to have a close look at any suspicious competitors). I'm cool with someone 'stealing the idea', just not when they go selling my implementation of it.

[viae]

I understand your frustration, but from a different perspective, I think this helps bolster the case for moving on. Since iPhone apps store data locally, making it easy to steal, your iPhone secret sauce can't be the database or database scheme. The secret sauce has to be what you do with that data.

All that said, if you really feel that this is something that you want to do something about in the future, apps like 1password encrypt local data. I haven't done it, and other people have said it's a PITA because documentation is lacking... so YMMV. But, think of it this way, put that anger into learning how to encrypt/decrypt things on the iPhone. You'll gain a great skill while at the same time getting to code a project that allows you to mutter, "Let's see that stupid muppet steal THIS data..."

* Did I really mention that I like the word muppet? :D

[ericd]

I guess his point is to make your new competitive advantage something that isn't easily copied - instead of a data advantage, go for a feature advantage. He doesn't have access to your source code, so he'd have to do real work to make a competitor.

But I feel for you. I definitely think you should tell/threaten to tell his school if he doesn't take it off the app store.