https://www.macrumors.com/2024/08/15/altstore-pal-now-free-epic-games/
AltStore PAL, the open-source app that is designed to distribute apps in the EU from independent developers, is now free thanks to a grant provided...
I would rather pay $10 a year for something that has no Epic Games involvement at all.
This feels like an embrace & extinguish tactic. I’m skeptical this is good for AltStore and its users long term. But then again I’ve always found the AltStore devs practices leaning toward shady. Everyone deserves to be paid for their work but he consistently locks features behind a paid Patreon beta, then doesn’t publish updates for many months. For me personally, this rubs me the wrong way and guarantees I won’t pay.
But then again I’ve always found the AltStore devs practices leaning toward shady
Yes they're shady, after all we're talking about the guy who made Delta only available in Europe through the AltStore in order to push it. They're also the guys who make banners saying "3rd party apps are here" showcasing UTM, qBitControl, PeopleDrop and iTorrent when none of those apps are available on their store - just delta and 2 other random utils.
Sure, in a nutshell. 1. Here is money, no strings attached. 2. Userbase becomes used to free service, dev becomes used to providing free service. 3. Oh no, no more money… unless you attach these strings.
Is step 2 really "extend"? I swear to god, nobody uses this term properly anymore, especially here. EEE is description of practice of attacking standards like file formats and protocols.
Epic has proven to be very spiteful. They're likely doing this just to hurt Apple with Altstore being accidental beneficiary. I very much doubt that Apple fee is going to remain in place, so this donation will carry Altstore through the interim period before EU forces Apple to comply.
Swear to whoever you like - you’ll find words and phrases created for one thing often apply to other things. But if we want to be pedantic, how bout this: I don't trust Epic Games. They do not do anything for the sake of good, this included. Your logic fails here because this doesn't spite Apple in the slightest. They still get their money.
It's only recently that EEE as a term started being misused and it's happening mostly in the Fediverse so I'm not giving up on correcting that.
Also, what I said doesn't mean I like any of the involved companies. I use Apple products but cheer whenever they're exposed for being dumb or greedy. Epic is only doing this because they missed the train on electronic storefront monopolies. AltStore took people's money and released a store that had like 2 apps total for months and only got some more only recently (and they're very middling). There's no good guys here but outcomes of their fight seem positive regardless.