Linked List: August 26, 2009

Wednesday, 26 August 2009

Joe Hewitt, advocating for Apple to open the App Store to all technically compliant apps:

Oh, but you say that iPhone apps are different, because they run native code and can do scary things that web pages can’t? Again, you’re wrong, because iPhone apps are sandboxed and have scarcely any more privileges than a web app. About the only scary thing they can do outside the sandbox is access your address book, but Apple can easily fix that by requiring they ask permission first, just like they must do to track your location.

Very similar to Wil Shipley’s proposal. The bottom line is that Apple should remove subjectivity from the review process. That would benefit everyone: developers, users, and even Apple itself.

Ikea Switches From Futura to Verdana ★

Horrible decision. Baffling, really. I have never seen Verdana look good in any way other than in small sizes on-screen. (Via Adam Lisagor.)

Edward Kennedy, Senate Stalwart, Dies ★

NYT:

Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, a son of one of the most storied families in American politics, a man who knew triumph and tragedy in near-equal measure and who will be remembered as one of the most effective lawmakers in the history of the Senate, died late Tuesday night. He was 77.