Re: [Fed-Talk] Snow Leopard transition creates problems
Re: [Fed-Talk] Snow Leopard transition creates problems
- Subject: Re: [Fed-Talk] Snow Leopard transition creates problems
- From: Dave Schroeder <email@hidden>
- Date: Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:51:06 -0500
Mike,
As I said before, I do appreciate and understand much of what you have
said. Frankly, I sympathize with some of the concerns. However, I
think it would pay to have a slightly more sanguine outlook, and a
more realistic one for the benefit of government iPhone users.
I am impressed with your ability to craft the below reply from your
iPhone. ;-)
On Oct 1, 2009, at 11:45 AM, Pike, Michael (IHS/NPA) wrote:
There are thousands of people having problems with 3.1. I'm glad
you have not had problems, but there are thousands who have.
I agree that there are problem reports with 3.1. However, as a large
site deploying these devices, I can say that we have not had a higher
incidence of issues. In fact, anecdotally, many with issues have been
people who have previously jailbroken or otherwise hacked their devices.
I disagree with the above comment.. while they are not out to
directly screw me, they do things that are no in the best interest
of the customer. True, apple does not decide what markets MMS and
Tethering work in, that is the carrier (as we can see with the 3.1
disablement at the whim of ATT).. but here are some fact that you
cannot dispute:
1) MMS does NOT work on the first gen iPhone... WHY? Because Apple
removed the MMS code from the 1G OS... why did they do it? They can
say (and publicly do) that the iPhone 1G won't handle MMS... you and
I both know that is a crock. There are MMS apps that work on the 1G
iPhone... and the Edge network is more than capable of MMS... I have
an old RAZR that will MMS... if you live in an EDGE market with no
3G signal, the 3G and 3GS phones MMS just fine... this is Apple's
way of strong arming an upgrade to a 3G (minimum). The 1G iPhone is
still 5 times more powerful than an average smartphone IMHO.
The issue here is a complicated one. I do fully agree that the first
gen iPhone can support MMS. However, its subsidy model and the fact
that the overall data plan was $10/mo cheaper probably resulting in
Apple and AT&T collectively agreeing that the device will not support
MMS. The fact that the best user experience, and resulting customer
goodwill and overall adoption, for iPhone happens on 3G. Even if not
all customers are in 3G areas, Apple and AT&T are both best served by
attempting to get people on 3G as soon as possible.
2) Lets not forget to strong arm 3G users into getting a 3GS... case
in point. iPhone 3G is MORE than capable of video recording...
there are apps that do it... Apple will not allow it because they
want you to upgrade to the 3GS. The iPhone 3G has plenty of power
to not only take video, but also edit it on the fly (there are apps
that do this, but apple won't distribute them). The solution is to
get a 3GS - the same could be said about Voice Command... no reason
it should not be on the 3G other than they want you to upgrade to a
3GS.
There is no doubt marketing is a component of the strategy here;
indeed, part of the marketing is having secure devices that work
reliably, and work *well* with new features (such as video recording
and voice control). There are video recording apps that function, yes,
but Apple's implementation would likely not work well on a 3G. Could
they have made one that did? No doubt, except it may have required
development sacrifices in the 3GS version.
3) The iPhone upgrade process - earlier versions of the iPhone OS
and itunes allows you to restore to a CURRENT RUNNING version of the
iPhone OS (in my c ase 3.0.1)... you can no longer restore a current
runing version, you are FORCED to upgrade. I do not remember any
pop up windows alerting me to that fact.
I'm not saying the above are meant to "screw" anyone, it's
marketing, but item number three specifically is shady at best. If
I buy something and own it, I should not be forced into upgrading it.
Yes, but do you really believe that is because Apple is trying to
forcibly disable people who are more than capable of figuring out
workarounds for any issue? Or perhaps that since iPhone is under the
microscope from a security perspective, it is in every users' best
interests to upgrade to the latest version of iPhone OS when possible?
The latter is the more likely scenario here. And even so, all recent
firmware versions are still available for download from Apple:
Original: <http://appldnld.apple.com.edgesuite.net/content.info.apple.com/iPhone/061-6974.20090731.Cf4Tg/iPhone1,1_3.0.1_7A400_Restore.ipsw
>
3G: <http://appldnld.apple.com.edgesuite.net/content.info.apple.com/iPhone/061-6972.20090731.Zx3Rr/iPhone1,2_3.0.1_7A400_Restore.ipsw
>
3GS: <http://appldnld.apple.com.edgesuite.net/content.info.apple.com/iPhone/061-6976.20090731.Vgbt5/iPhone2,1_3.0.1_7A400_Restore.ipsw
>
In any event, these are part of the cost of doing business with a
largely consumer-oriented company, such as Apple.
I'm not using the iPhone in an unsupported matter, I do not have a
single unauthorized application or hack on my phones. I *AM* a
registered Apple iPhone Developer, I have been given authorization
to modify and update IPCC files as has everyone who has the same
developer agreement that I do.
Are you using your own carrier file? Or one that has come from an
unknown source? Even if you are using your own carrier file that you
constructed for the purpose of enabling tethering, tethering without
an explicit tethering plan from AT&T violates AT&T's terms of service:
<http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/legal/plan-terms.jsp>
"Furthermore, plans (unless specifically designated for tethering
usage) cannot be used for any applications that tether the device
(through use of, including without limitation, connection kits, other
phone/PDA-to computer accessories, BLUETOOTH® or any other wireless
technology) to Personal Computers (including without limitation,
laptops), or other equipment for any purpose."
Similarly, Apple's iPhone Developer Agreement says:
<http://developer.apple.com/iphone/terms/
registered_iphone_developer.pdf>
"You agree not to exploit the Site, or any Services or Content
provided to you as a Registered iPhone Developer, in any unauthorized
way, including but not limited to [...] burdening network capacity or
using the Services, Site or Content other than for authorized
purposes. Use of the Site, Content or Services to violate, tamper
with, or circumvent the security of any computer network, software,
[...] technological protection measures, or to otherwise engage in any
kind of illegal activity, or to enable others to do so, is expressly
prohibited."
I completely understand what you're saying here, but by enabling
tethering on AT&T, you're in the wrong. I understand that it is
technically possible and appears to work well on 3.0/3.0.1. Indeed, I
have witnessed it. It is the best, easiest to use tethering
implementation I have seen on any mobile device. But AT&T forbids it
without an explicit tethering plan, or other allowance in the
contract. AT&T likely will have a tethering plan in the future, and it
will probably be around an additional $40/mo for unlimited data. Sure,
I wish AT&T had a simple "pay as you go" or emergency use plan, but
they probably won't.
I love the iPhone... I love Apple... I disagree with some of the
things that are done, but I am sure everyone does at some juncture
in their life. I'm not complaining about what I can do with my
phone, I love it. I'm complaining that a forced upgrade is not
right, and that the 3.1 OS has issues, and until they are fixed a
"forced upgrade" should not be forced. You've made your point that
your iPhone works great, so therefore everyone should be thankful,
but you are, as the Beatles said, "but a grain of sand".. Google
iPhone 3.1 issues, I am sure you will find many more problems than
you and your group of "couldn't be happier" users.
I'm aware of all of the claims of iPhone 3.1 issues, and have seen
some of them myself. I also didn't say all iPhone 3.1 users should be
happy. What I am saying is that I believe that several thousand
devices is a large enough sample size to assert that the problems with
iPhone 3.1 aren't as big as you're making them out to be, compared to
3.0.x. I understand they ARE a problem for you and other users. But
single users with issues, reinforcing it with Google searches, doesn't
mean that iPhone 3.1 is "worse" than 3.0. There are a few *new* issues
in 3.1, as there are in any software. But all evidence I have seen,
any particular 3.1 issues aside, is that 3.1 is on the whole in better
shape than 3.0.x, and to say that 3.1 is "crap", just because you have
issues with it and can find others who do, is disingenuous.
And if you want to play the Google game:
iphone 3.0 issues - 3,820,000 results
iphone 3.0.1 issues - 1,750,000 results
iphone 3.1 issues - 810,000 results
...a totally unscientific and worthless survey, but I trust you see my
point.
- Dave
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