> The “section 3.3.1” issue is just another in a long line of events that have the same basic shape: actions taken by Apple in what it believes to be the best interest of its platform (and, by extension, itself) that run afoul of the interests and opinions of developers. Any Apple follower can surely list others: the [lack of Flash](http://daringfireball.net/2010/01/apple_adobe_flash) on the iPhone, the App Store as the [sole gateway](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cydia_(application)) for iPhone applications, [deprecating Carbon](http://arstechnica.com/staff/fatbits/2008/04/rhapsody-and-blues.ars), and on and on.
>
> Apple’s decisions regarding its mobile platform in particular have been extremely protective from the very start. Cumulatively, these actions represent a huge bet placed by Apple. The proposition is this: Apple is betting it can grow its platform fast enough, using any means necessary, that developers will [stick around](http://arstechnica.com/staff/fatbits/2008/03/cant-help-falling-in-love.ars) despite all the hardships and shoddy treatment. Each time it chooses to do what it thinks is best for the future of the iPhone OS platform instead of what will please developers, Apple is pushing more chips into the pot.
via [arstechnica.com](http://arstechnica.com/staff/fatbits/2010/04/apples-wager.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss)
Siracusa misses the mark here by saying that Apple’s actions “run afoul of the interests and opinions of developers.” What he should say is that Apple’s actions “sometimes run afoul of some of the interests and some of the opinions of some developers.”
I personally know iPhone/iPad developers who are thrilled that Apple is blocking Flash apps compiled with CS5. That just saved them from competing with a boatload of crappy apps written by hack script programmers. I’m willing to bet that more Objective-C programmers than not like the new restrictions in section 3.3.1. The only reason not to like it is if you are too lazy to learn how to write Cocoa apps, or you wanted to pull the wool over the eyes of your users by developing apps that can be easily ported to other platforms. Neither of those scenarios help Apple, and they sure wouldn’t help true Cocoa developers, either.
What Apple is doing here, then, is PROTECTING its current developers from an influx of competition from less worthy programmers. It is also protecting users from confusion, while increasing the likelihood that new apps will take full advantage of new features in the iPhone OS in the years to come.
Again, the only losers here are the ones who wanted a quick and easy shortcut into the Gold Rush. There’s nothing stopping any of these Flash developers from simply learning how to use Apple’s tools instead of Flash.
The only question remaining is who Apple decides to apply this rule to, other than Flash developers. My guess is that game companies that have been using various tools to assist with development will be allowed to continue to do so. This is mainly a shot at Flash and .NET.
So I don’t see this as a game of chicken at all. What I see is Apple holding a Royal Straight Flush, while Adobe has a pair of twos. You’re supposed to bet big when you know the other guy is bluffing.
