[NTLK] iPhone is not the new Newton (& announcing a Newt sell-off shortly)

[Dennis B. Swaney]

Lord Groundhog wrote:

> 
> Sorry Riccardo, I guess this is a case of my not leaving enough context when
> I trimmed the e-mail.  We were talking about the difference between the
> Newton's ability to allow 3rd party development and the iPhone's hardline
> "no trespassers!" approach to 3rd party development, necessitating for some
> users the jailbreak.  The trouble is, Apple has shown a certain willingness
> to make life punitive tendency towards people who jailbreak -- it's easy
> enough to google for folks who find that iPhone firmware upgrades leave them
> with a pretty mini-brick.  And to save you the trouble of writing back, yes,
> I know they aren't obliged to support the jailbreak; that's not my (and
> others') point.  The point is that if they didn't lock out developers, the
> jailbreak would be unnecessary and the upgrades wouldn't brick the iPhones.
> 
> In the more general way that you're writing, I have no disagreement.  If you
> don't jailbreak, Apple doesn't interfere with your phone.  And if, like me
> you don't own an iPhone they also don't interfere with your phone.  ;-)
> 

I don't know where you live, but there are THOUSANDS of 3rd party 
developers for the iPhone; just go to the App Store and look. I have 
almost 100 non-Apple apps on my 3GS.

As for "jailbreaking", Apple's stance is no different than if you buy a 
new car, and then make changes to the drivetrain and/or the ECU. By 
doing so, you've violated the warranty agreement and if the car breaks, 
you won't get free/discounted service. After the 1 or 2 year warranty is 
up on the iPhone, then it won't matter. I don't understand people that 
expect Apple to still support a product that has been modified in 
violation of the warranty agreement. The only reason that I see for 
"jailbreaking" an iPhone now is to use it on a different GSM provder 
either T-Mobile (ugh) here in these United States or outside them when 
traveling.
-- 
Sincerely,
Dennis B. Swaney

Newton MP 2100
iPhone 3GS