Comments on: Open Thread: To Hack or Not to Hack, That is the Question http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/10/03/open-thread-to-hack-or-not-to-hack-that-is-the-question/ Rebooting the workforce Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:12:50 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Marc B. http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/10/03/open-thread-to-hack-or-not-to-hack-that-is-the-question/#comment-189847 Marc B. Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:46:04 +0000 http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/10/03/open-thread-to-hack-or-not-to-hack-that-is-the-question/#comment-189847 At the end of the day, my iPhone is my only phone. I'd like to hack and tweak like I do with every other gadget I've had (I'm an avid <a href="http://makezine.com/blog/" title="MAKE" rel="nofollow">reader) but I can't make my only phone unreliable. So that's a big NO to hacking my iPhone. Do I think Apple is being short-sighted? Yes. Do I need a working device that doesn't rely on undocumented features? Yes to that too. I don't know what the right thing to do it, but in the meantime, I'm staying in Switzerland. At the end of the day, my iPhone is my only phone. I’d like to hack and tweak like I do with every other gadget I’ve had (I’m an avid reader) but I can’t make my only phone unreliable. So that’s a big NO to hacking my iPhone. Do I think Apple is being short-sighted? Yes. Do I need a working device that doesn’t rely on undocumented features? Yes to that too. I don’t know what the right thing to do it, but in the meantime, I’m staying in Switzerland.

]]> By: Eric S. Mueller http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/10/03/open-thread-to-hack-or-not-to-hack-that-is-the-question/#comment-189091 Eric S. Mueller Thu, 04 Oct 2007 15:35:28 +0000 http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/10/03/open-thread-to-hack-or-not-to-hack-that-is-the-question/#comment-189091 Despite any flaws they do have, one of Microsoft's hallmarks has always been support for development. Microsoft has almost always provided a way for 3rd party developers to produce applications for their products. Apple (as best as I can remember) has never been known for being that open. I can remember at several points in the past when Apple had a shortage of applications for it's platform. Apple does have the right to dictate how it's platform will be used. As for user lawsuits, I don't see anything wrong with that. If they success, great. If they fail, at least there will be a firm precedent as to what users can legally expect from Apple Inc. I just bought a new phone. I went with the iPaq 6945 unlocked. I know very well what to expect (and not to expect) from Windows Mobile, and one of the things I can expect is a healthy developer community around this platform. Despite any flaws they do have, one of Microsoft’s hallmarks has always been support for development. Microsoft has almost always provided a way for 3rd party developers to produce applications for their products. Apple (as best as I can remember) has never been known for being that open. I can remember at several points in the past when Apple had a shortage of applications for it’s platform.

Apple does have the right to dictate how it’s platform will be used. As for user lawsuits, I don’t see anything wrong with that. If they success, great. If they fail, at least there will be a firm precedent as to what users can legally expect from Apple Inc.

I just bought a new phone. I went with the iPaq 6945 unlocked. I know very well what to expect (and not to expect) from Windows Mobile, and one of the things I can expect is a healthy developer community around this platform.

]]> By: Jason Sares http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/10/03/open-thread-to-hack-or-not-to-hack-that-is-the-question/#comment-189084 Jason Sares Thu, 04 Oct 2007 15:19:19 +0000 http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/10/03/open-thread-to-hack-or-not-to-hack-that-is-the-question/#comment-189084 I won't buy another Apple product because of the way they have treated their iPhone customers. I won’t buy another Apple product because of the way they have treated their iPhone customers.

]]> By: skanery antywirusowe http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/10/03/open-thread-to-hack-or-not-to-hack-that-is-the-question/#comment-188905 skanery antywirusowe Thu, 04 Oct 2007 07:08:31 +0000 http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/10/03/open-thread-to-hack-or-not-to-hack-that-is-the-question/#comment-188905 iPhone :) iPhone :)

]]> By: Victor Trac http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/10/03/open-thread-to-hack-or-not-to-hack-that-is-the-question/#comment-188774 Victor Trac Thu, 04 Oct 2007 02:56:50 +0000 http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/10/03/open-thread-to-hack-or-not-to-hack-that-is-the-question/#comment-188774 I was lucky enough to buy a hackable (firmware 1.0.2) iPhone on Monday and <a href="http://victortrac.com/iphone-owned" rel="nofollow">took full advantage of it</a>. The additional features allowed through hacking are definitely worth it, since you're not forced to upgrade to a crippled firmware. You'll also likelier: 1) accidentally drop/get wet/otherwise break the iPhone 2) have an obsolete iphone before the iphone will break due to a manufacturer's defect. I was lucky enough to buy a hackable (firmware 1.0.2) iPhone on Monday and took full advantage of it. The additional features allowed through hacking are definitely worth it, since you’re not forced to upgrade to a crippled firmware. You’ll also likelier:
1) accidentally drop/get wet/otherwise break the iPhone
2) have an obsolete iphone
before the iphone will break due to a manufacturer’s defect.

]]> By: Mike K. http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/10/03/open-thread-to-hack-or-not-to-hack-that-is-the-question/#comment-188603 Mike K. Wed, 03 Oct 2007 19:52:35 +0000 http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/10/03/open-thread-to-hack-or-not-to-hack-that-is-the-question/#comment-188603 I'm a hardware hacker by nature, so I expect that if I get ahold of an iPhone, I'd want to hack it. That being said, I also consider myself to be reasonably intelligent and therefore able to read the warranty/terms of service. If it says in there that 3rd party apps are unsupported, and violating the terms of service will nullify the warranty *and* support, then I might still go ahead and hack it. I would not however, be upset if my phone stopped working after a software update. Why? Unless the software update was forced upon me (something I really dislike about Microsoft and Vista these days), then I installed it of my own choosing. A software update <em>is</em> support - the update that Apple pushed out is not mandatory to install. Anyone installing it should have been prepared for the consequences. Don't get me wrong - I don't like what Apple's doing, but given that it's spelled out in their service contract, that Steve Jobs has said repeatedly that 3rd party apps wouldn't be supported, and that Apple even warned the community ahead of time that hacked phones might not work afterwards, I think users should have been prepared. Lawsuits? That's just nuts yet sadly typical. You want Apple to open the iPhone up? Don't sue them. Just stop buying iPhones and buy competitor's open products instead. Apple will get the message. I’m a hardware hacker by nature, so I expect that if I get ahold of an iPhone, I’d want to hack it.

That being said, I also consider myself to be reasonably intelligent and therefore able to read the warranty/terms of service. If it says in there that 3rd party apps are unsupported, and violating the terms of service will nullify the warranty *and* support, then I might still go ahead and hack it. I would not however, be upset if my phone stopped working after a software update.

Why?

Unless the software update was forced upon me (something I really dislike about Microsoft and Vista these days), then I installed it of my own choosing. A software update is support – the update that Apple pushed out is not mandatory to install. Anyone installing it should have been prepared for the consequences.

Don’t get me wrong – I don’t like what Apple’s doing, but given that it’s spelled out in their service contract, that Steve Jobs has said repeatedly that 3rd party apps wouldn’t be supported, and that Apple even warned the community ahead of time that hacked phones might not work afterwards, I think users should have been prepared.

Lawsuits? That’s just nuts yet sadly typical.

You want Apple to open the iPhone up? Don’t sue them. Just stop buying iPhones and buy competitor’s open products instead. Apple will get the message.

]]> By: Anthony Williams http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/10/03/open-thread-to-hack-or-not-to-hack-that-is-the-question/#comment-188486 Anthony Williams Wed, 03 Oct 2007 15:35:16 +0000 http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/10/03/open-thread-to-hack-or-not-to-hack-that-is-the-question/#comment-188486 <blockquote>Going beyond the iPhone, do you use your technology as the manufacturer dictates right out of the box, or do you push the barrier? If you tweak, how far do you take it and what is your expectation of the reaction you should get from the company if you do?</blockquote> That's an interesting question. In general, I'm in favour of tweaking, but I don't expect the manufacturer to give me support if I break anything. Certainly, if I overclock my CPU and it burns out I don't expect a refund. On the other hand, I expect the manufacturer to continue giving me updates, and letting me use the item --- if they deliberately cause an update to break equipment that's been tweaked, that's just malicious. In the case that the hardware wasn't physically damaged, I'd also expect to be able to get it "repaired" (i.e. have the firmware reinstalled to the manufacturer's spec) at my expense, if my non-approved tweaks caused it to malfunction, and I couldn't undo it myself.

Going beyond the iPhone, do you use your technology as the manufacturer dictates right out of the box, or do you push the barrier? If you tweak, how far do you take it and what is your expectation of the reaction you should get from the company if you do?

That’s an interesting question. In general, I’m in favour of tweaking, but I don’t expect the manufacturer to give me support if I break anything. Certainly, if I overclock my CPU and it burns out I don’t expect a refund.

On the other hand, I expect the manufacturer to continue giving me updates, and letting me use the item — if they deliberately cause an update to break equipment that’s been tweaked, that’s just malicious. In the case that the hardware wasn’t physically damaged, I’d also expect to be able to get it “repaired” (i.e. have the firmware reinstalled to the manufacturer’s spec) at my expense, if my non-approved tweaks caused it to malfunction, and I couldn’t undo it myself.

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