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I see slightly differently. It would be nice to be able to have FOSS apps on the iPhone, but I don't think anybody of the parties are acting particularly unreasonably here. I think the FSF is forcing compliance with the spirit of the law. As I understand it, the point of having source code freely available is so that anyone can make modifications, use them, and further distribute them. Not everyone will make modifications, but if everyone cannot, then no-one will. In the case of the Go app, if you or I obtained the source code, and made modifications for the go pieces to have some marble effect for example, then we could not distribute those changes. As a side note, I think it is pretty reasonable to require Apple to distribute the source code. It is more likely that the creators of the Go go out of business than Apple, taking their FTP site, or other source code distribution mechanism with them. In which case the burden of distributing source code would fall to Apple. If Apple are not willing to set up a mechanism to distribute source code for apps now, then they would not be willing in the case that an app producer goes out of business. While I wish it were possible to run FOSS on the iPhone, I think t's a sensible business decision for Apple not to undertake this contingent responsibility. What may happen in the future is that competition from Google commoditizes the App store, and forces Apple to open out the iPhone platform, for example by allowing other people/companies to host their own Apps. In which case a GPL App store may become a possibility. |
What ever gave you that idea? Nothing stops you from putting your modified source up somewhere for download, so that people who want to use it can download it, compile it, and install it on their own phones.