Eucalyptus gets past App Store wowsers

Stephen Withers
Monday, 25 May 2009 11:06

Opinion and Analysis

This overlooked the fact that the application did not "contain" the material deemed objectionable, but could merely be used to display it. As developer James Montgomerie pointed out, the same content could be displayed using Apple's own Safari browser, the Google app, or other ebook readers such as Stanza.

Montgomerie submitted a revised version of Eucalyptus that specifically filtered out the Kama Sutra, but Apple changed tack and approved the non-filtering version.

Eucalypus is now available in the App Store for $US9.99/$A12.99.

But as far as App Store approvals and rejections on non-technical grounds are concerned, things need fixing.

Too many applications are being withdrawn after approval in the light of public outcries (think Baby Shaker or I Am Rich) or being approved after attention is drawn to their unwarranted rejection.

We're all only human, but you can see why some developers have been discouraged from working on the iPhone/iPod touch platform, despite the money some of their peers are raking in.

It's possible to spend several months working on a serious application, only to have it knocked back by Apple. And that would be a lot more painful than if you had only invested your spare time over a few weeks.