bijansabet.com - Latest Comments in Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

bijan — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:05:26 -0000

i need to get smarter about what the governments wants to do

I'm in favor of more transparency. i think websites should tell you clearly
what they plan to do with the data and the user can decide if they are okay
with that.

-bijan

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

Steve Kane — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:01:23 -0000

so, are you pro or anti govt intervention here?

http://bit.ly/E5IuP

me, i'm in favor

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

Steve Kane — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:07:24 -0000

All good points

But all I meant was the republicans are consistent on regulation of business
and industry

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

bijan — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:07:53 -0000

Good question re net neutrality. I think the iPhone app store is
different than ISPs and given the numbers and reach of each I think
most would agree.

That said I think the market will demand net neutrality if the
government doesn't force it.

On the political question I don't think republicans are consistent at
all. Bush was supposed to be against nation building (iraq). They are
supposed to be the hands off party (ie gun control) but they want to
connect religion and state (abortion rights, stem cell research, civil
rights/same sex marriage). I'm tired of the democratic house
leadership btw.

One more thing, I wasn't into the govt bailout of GM either.

-bijan

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

bijan — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 01:58:26 -0000

Fair enough mike.

-bijan

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

bijan — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 01:55:49 -0000

I don't mind that google is complaining. I actually think the iPhone
would be much better if it was completely open.

I just don't feel great about the government figuring this stuff (tech
industry) out for us.

Innovation FTW !

-bijan

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

bijan — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 01:52:28 -0000

Funny you bring up healthcare

my brother and parents are in the healthcare profession and they are nervous
about government intervention too.

I think we gotta figure out a way to provide a reasonable amount of coverage
to those that can't afford it. i'm not sure how to do that. maybe ending a
few wars would help.

see that: I solved two problems at once with one liberal answer!

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

bijan — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 23:42:02 -0000

Fair enough mike.

-bijan

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

bijan — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 23:38:43 -0000

I don't mind that google is complaining. I actually think the iPhone
would be much better if it was completely open.

I just don't feel great about the government figuring this stuff (tech
industry) out for us.

Innovation FTW !

-bijan

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

bijan — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 23:34:04 -0000

Funny you bring up healthcare

my brother and parents are in the healthcare profession and they are nervous
about government intervention too.

I think we gotta figure out a way to provide a reasonable amount of coverage
to those that can't afford it. i'm not sure how to do that. maybe ending a
few wars would help.

see that: I solved two problems at once with one liberal answer!

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

bijan — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:17:34 -0000

Funny you bring up healthcare

my brother and parents are in the healthcare profession and they are nervous about government intervention too.

I think we gotta figure out a way to provide a reasonable amount of coverage to those that can't afford it. i'm not sure how to do that. maybe ending a few wars would help.

see that: I solved two problems at once with one liberal answer!

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

bijan — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:17:13 -0000

I don't mind that google is complaining. I actually think the iPhone would be much better if it was completely open.

I just don't feel great about the government figuring this stuff (tech industry) out for us.

Innovation FTW !

-bijan

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

bijan — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:16:52 -0000

Good question re net neutrality. I think the iPhone app store is different than ISPs and given the numbers and reach of each I think most would agree.

That said I think the market will demand net neutrality if the government doesn't force it.

On the political question I don't think republicans are consistent at all. Bush was supposed to be against nation building (iraq). They are supposed to be the hands off party (ie gun control) but they want to connect religion and state (abortion rights, stem cell research, civil rights/same sex marriage). I'm tired of the democratic house leadership btw.

One more thing, I wasn't into the govt bailout of GM either.

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

bijan — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:16:24 -0000

Fair enough mike.

-bijan

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

Steve Kane — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:41:17 -0000

Interesting

Two reactions:

1. How is your view here compatible with your support of "net neutrality"? As I understand it (and support it), the movement behind "net neutrality" advocates government regulation to keep ISPs and other TCP/IP network gatekeepers from controlling, fencing or discriminating in favor of one bits provider/creator/distributor over another.

The Google Voice brouhaha seems a textbook case straight out of that tussle. (I know, as a granular technical matter the iPhone app store is maybe maybe not the equivelant of an ISP, but I think that is a distinction without a difference.)

2. Your view here seems to be a nutshell encapsulation of the Democrats basic conundrum when it comes to being the majority ruling party -- inexplicable inconsistency. Love 'em or hate 'em, Republicans are consistent - they want less and less regulation of every industry. Democrats want regulation of every industry... except their own. Wall Streeters cheer Obama's health care initiatives, then fight and kill meaningful oversight of banking and finance. Techies applaud the direct govt intervention in automotive industry... but balk at giving the FCC and other agencies real teeth here and everywhere (except net neutrality, I suppose.)

Personally I support government regulation. As the lesser of two evils. I'd rather have a crisis of too much regulation (the type of which historically we recover from relatively easily) versus a crisis of too little regulation - the type of which literally right now we are realizing is deeper longer more systematic and more global than anything we could have anticipated.

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

willcole — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 15:06:46 -0000

I don't think it's surprising at all that someone who considers himself liberal or progressive finds it objectionable when the government sticks its nose into their area of expertise. Like DonRyan above, I think people generally want to operate absent of intervening powers and be trusted to continue competitive and honest businesses. But if people support interventions by government entities in other industries, I feel it makes it harder to make an argument for why a single industry should be exempt.

Personally, I find it odd that these types of actions are viewed as anti-competitive. On the contrary, this is hyper competitiveness. Developers have significant influence in these decisions. As you pointed out, there are alternative platforms to develop for, and the number is growing.

Innovation will not happen immediately, but I believe it will happen. FCC oversight into these types of business decisions only complicate matters, and is even a bit insulting.

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

mikebrophy — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 12:17:31 -0000

I agree with you Bijan, I'm not for government intervention, but if all that comes out of the FCC inquiry is finally some clear direction for iPhone developers sufficient to let us make a cost/benefit analysis as to whether we sink the costs/time into developing an app, then I think the FCC has done their job without this becoming a regulatory scenario.

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

Paul Jin — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 11:52:23 -0000

I don't believe that Apple's response to Google Voice warrants FCC intervention. If the iPhone was an open source then perhaps there's cause, but as a proprietary platform I don't see why the FCC needs to get involved. I'm all for fair play, but I think the FCC should not be involved.

The Pre represents the next new thing, so (1) developers will complain about the iPhone app environment and will move to the Pre and Android, etc. and make great things on those platforms, and (2) the market will quickly determine whether the Pre is indeed the next big thing and whether Apple responds to its customers/developers. The FCC is not needed for either.

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

Ben Atlas — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 10:39:41 -0000

There are thousands of pages banned from Google index. Since Google doesn't "read" web sites it relies on people to flag objectionable content. So there are many sites that have objectionable content or abuse SEO that are not banned from the index, since no one complained. Conversely there are sites that are banned without a proper procedure after someone complained about it. To make matters worse there is no way to reinstate a site into the index, Google doesn't have a process where the decision is up to a 3rd party. Taking Google to court is close to impossible. The result of this is that there are thousands of sites banned from Google index with no rhyme or reason. For Google to complain about similar action now, is the height of hypocrisy.

Re: Thoughts about the App Store/FCC/Google/ATT thing

DonRyan — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 08:11:02 -0000

Oddly, I completely understand how you feel. The government starts tooling around with your area of expertise and your reflex reaction is "wait a minute, these guys don't understand this the way I do". I've been a nurse for 21 years. I am also generally a liberal but when it comes to health care intervention, I get very nervous when the government starts tooling around with it. With tech, and in health care, it seems like some very smart people in the private sector are being left out.

Thanks for another great post.