“Apple’s iPhone app platform is brand new, so developers have plenty of questions they want to ask each other, or tips to share. But they can’t — at least not without violating Apple’s non-disclosure agreement,” Dan Frommer reports for SIlicon Alley Insider.
“We understand why Apple would want to have an NDA on its software kit while it was in beta, perhaps so people didn’t get the wrong impression if bugs or half-baked apps leaked out. And maybe it even makes sense to have an NDA the first few weeks that the iPhone App Store is up and running, just to keep the lid on things if something blew up, say, a security hole,” Frommer reports.
“But now the NDA has outlived any purpose it once had, and is threatening to hurt, not help,” Frommer reports. “If the iPhone platform is going to be a long-term success, it’s going to involve not just software companies with a lot of resources, but thousands of garage coders whipping up inventive stuff. And Apple needs to keep them happy, not tick them off. We are two weeks into iPhone’s launch: High time to let developers ask questions, form communities, lease themselves as consultants, write books, share advice, etc. — and time to get rid of the iPhone NDA.”
Full article here.
Good thing the weekend’s almost here, Dan. From the overwrought tone of your article, it sounds like you need a break. That Frommer goes from “maybe it even makes sense to have an NDA the first few weeks” to “we are two weeks into iPhone’s launch: High time to get rid of the iPhone NDA!” in the space of three sentences is enough to make us scream TGIF!
