Linked List: May 3, 2022

Tuesday, 3 May 2022

Claim Chowder: ‘Why Apple Pay Won’t Work’ ★

From a report by Matt Krantz for USA Today in October 2014:

Apple Pay contains a variety of major shortcomings that will likely limit its ability to be the dominant form of payment in the future, according to a UBS note released to clients this week by analyst Steven Milunovich, quoting payments expert Richard Crone at Crone Consulting. The problems with Apple Pay stem from technical shortcomings of the system relative to other alternatives and the large fees Apple plans to charge, which banks will be eager to escape, the report says.

Seven years later and the EC is objecting to Apple Pay’s dominance, so I think it’s time to cash this claim chowder in.

Here’s another one of excellent vintage — Matthew Mombrea, writing for IT World, “Why CurrentC Will Beat Out Apple Pay in the End”:

What it boils down to is the fact that one technology is designed for the users (Apple) and the other is designed for the merchants (CurrentC). Normally I’d say that the product with the most user appeal will win but the power and size behind the CurrentC group is too big to ignore.

Good call.

37signals Is Back ★

Jason Fried:

Calling our company Basecamp just doesn’t make a lot of sense when we make more than just Basecamp. We’re headed back to a different time — one where we invented more, created more, and carved new marks into tired markets. And with that, we need a new name.

Or, rather, an old one.

So let’s make it official. Today, May 3, 2022, we’re changing our minds and renaming our company again. This time, back to 37signals, our original name. We’ve always been that company, we just weren’t ourselves for a while. Now is new again.

And to christen the renaming of our company back to 37signals, we’ve relaunched a modern 37signals.com in the spirit of the original. We’ve always tried to lead with ideas, take principled stands, and remain allergic to conformity and corporate sterility. The new 37signals points our way, today.

Speaking of good names, “37signals” is a good name. Glad to see it back.

How the Internet Saved the Home of Blogging Pioneer Noah Grey ★

Slashdot (only feels appropriate to link to Slashdot for this one):

At the end of the year 2000, Noah Grey created the free and open-source blogging software Greymatter (now maintained by a community of users). Wil Wheaton’s new book describes it as “the original, primordial blogging platform. Blogs look like they do... because Noah Grey did it first.”

Three days ago Noah Grey created a GoFundMe campaign headlined “I am losing my home in four days.”

If you’re looking for a feel-good story — and who isn’t today? — this is it. Grey Matter was incredibly influential (not to mention cleverly named). The GoFundMe campaign is still going, too, if you’d like to pitch in.

Submissions to Attend Live-Watch Event at WWDC Open Next Week ★

A few more details from Apple:

We’re hosting a special all-day experience at Apple Park on June 6 to kick off WWDC22. Gather with others in the developer community to watch the keynote and State of the Union videos alongside Apple engineers and experts, explore the all-new Developer Center, and so much more. We can’t wait to connect in person.

Still doesn’t say where attendees will be watching. Inside Steve Jobs Theater? Outdoors, at the rainbow stage inside the ring building? And what’s the Developer Center?