“Counterfeit software is already becoming a problem on the Mac App Store, developer Wolfire complains,” MacNN reports.
“The company has a game called Lugaru HD, which was added to the store in January,” MacNN reports. “At some point however another developer uploaded a title simply named Lugaru, charging $1 against Lugaru HD’s $10.”
MacNN reports, “The former is just a pirated, resubmitted version of HD, Wolfire notes. The company has since e-mailed Apple about the matter, but notes that in the course of a few days Apple has yet to take down the illegal software or even respond.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple needs to develop 1) faster ways to respond to developers and 2) some way to crosscheck code before approval in order to weed out obvious counterfeits.
Or they can just sue them in court.
But….this can’t be right? After all Apple APPROVES each app, so everything has been checked out, no?
Cease and desist order.
Get the courts to order Apple to stop selling a pirated copy of someone else’s property.
What would Apple do if someone put up a pirates copy of iLife or iWork?
My guess is that it wouldn’t even make it to the store.
What the hell today? Is this the droid forum?
So, MDN has investigated this matter and has, based on the evidence they found, order Apple to work faster, eh.
Why dont you STFU and let it run its course.
Apple is a joke. The cracks are beginning to show. The facade is about to come down. Apple will not be able to sustain itself without the ego of Steve Jobs propping it up.
No mention at all of the GPL’d nature of the game’s source code? Way to report only half the story, MDN.
@ Joke – Wishful thinking provides an awfully distorted picture of reality. I recommend taking the blinders off once in a while.
Two things make the clone game illegal.
First, The source code has been released under the GPL license. Apple Store prohibits publication of software build on the GPL-licensed code. Obviously, the owner of the code is free to publish his own code, but anyone else who obtained that code under that GPL license CANNOT use it to build an application for sale in the Apple store.
Second, while the owner has indeed released the code under GPL license, NONE of the artwork has been released, and is under copyright by the owner. Therefore, any graphic in that game clone from the original game is being sold in violation of copyright.
The case is quite simple and straightforward. This guy thought he could make a lot of money on the backs of other people’s work. It is just a matter of time when Apple takes this down. The owner may likely pursue this in court as well. (copied from my post at MacNN)
You would think the Mac App Store would have launched butter smooth given their cumulative experience with the iOS App Store.
Let’s reserve judgement and not just accept such claims at face value. Apple has to do their due diligence, and not just take some developer’s word for what’s going on.
Steve has made it quite clear- a fair number of the developers who go whining to the media- are in fact lying their asses off. You think MDN is able to fact check this kind of thing? No.
This kind of thing requires investigation, not knee-jerk response.
It’s amazing to see all the fandroid trolls feel so inferior that they have to come to all the Mac forums and post crap.
It must sting to not be able to afford the real thing, or just be on crooks payroll to spread hate.
MDN doesn’t like fact checking.
MDN does like posting drivel that gets everyone wound up, resulting in more hits.
A few interesting things that make me believe the story…
Go to the App Store and look. Sure enough, you’ll find Lugaru and Lugaru HD. Lugaru HD is, sure enough, made by a company called Wolfire. On the store, they have a nice link to their website and a nice link to their support page. Lugaru, conversely, has a link to a support site at iCoders.ca, a company that makes iPhone and iPod touch apps. There is no reference on the site at all for the product.
Look through the iOS App Store and you’ll find a bunch of things like this. My favorite is the “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” book App that sold for 99¢s;. If you clicked on the company website, your browser opened up and tried to connect to localhost.
Funny, I cant find either of these Lugaru titles on the iTunes store.
@Joke – use your real name when you post here, Glenn Beck! Your mantra is the same, regardless of your target!
Will probably a problem with the first year if tha store and we are likely to heat many more controversies. Apple will eventually iron it out like they did with the App store.
methinks there are defectors in the ranks