[patio11]

Interesting. This problem is tractable with better software, and it seems to be well within the capability of a single developer to solve. (Make a dedicated beta client which automates all the stupidity for the end-user, including sniffing GUIDs, downloading your distribution, and reporting errors to you, and a web service for the beta clients to connect to to grab apps, report errors, and cough ensure that your customers succeed in paying for your application.)

Unfortunately, while it is software that saves people pain (a plus) and helps make people money (a big plus), it is also sold to developers (ouch), most of whom are hobbyists (double ouch), would have to cost an awful lot in comparison to what they charge for software (triple ouch), and requires Apple to remain clueless or else your investment gets vaporized with a patch.

[gte910h]

I actually think it could be sold as a framework completely legally.

[patio11]

I have no doubt it is legal. The competitive position is just suboptimal:

1) I charge money to make iPhone development not suck

2) iPhone development is primarily controlled by Apple, a company with ...

3) ... smart people who have ...

4) ... more money than God and ...

5) ... could teach Japanese electronics manufacturers about user experience while ...

6) ... making hundreds of millions off the iPhone ...

7) ... justifying making any improvement available free, and probably

8) ... announcing it at MacWorld, to the resounding cheers of their hundreds-of-thousands strong cult of fanboys who whose very identity is predicated on using Apple products.