(2010-10-20) Mac App Store

Apple Computer is creating an ITunes AppStore for MacOs X apps. A Fat Client instead of a website. 30% of the gross. Application approval process. This is progress?

Dave Winer is concerned, as am I, about how Open the Platform stays. The more BigGov shows its disrespect for Civil Rights, esp in the digital sphere (War On The Net), the more we should be concerned about creating/supporting yet another Choke Point.

Mark Bernstein is less concerned, because so many software categories obviously don't belong there. He seems to see this as aiming for and supporting mostly the Casual Game and Casual Software categories that are big in the Mobile/Tablet AppStore-s. Right now, there is no channel for $1 and $5 software. The software world has never had a decent dime store. There’s an audience willing to buy, if their fear of installation can be assuaged and if the channel costs can be kept in check. If you want to build a business in this direction, the app store should help. This whole dime-store mentality seems like DotCom Lotto to me: you're rolling the dice for a tiny chance to make big money, otherwise you make 1/10 of what you would have under older ShareWare price levels.

Michael Sippey downplays the hand-wringing and asks great strategic questions.