Lots of sites have picked up the story of Google's App inventor for Android from yesterday.
TechCrunch says that this new initiative from Google is one that Apple should take very seriously. I have mixed feelings on this. On the one hand I think it is a good thing that anyone can have a go at making their own app. On the other hand do we really want any platform over run with dull and functionless apps that make discovering really innovative and creative apps more difficult?
In terms of whether Apple should take it seriously as TechCrunch suggests, I simply can't imagine Apple making something like this, but as I write I can also see them doing something similar! Let's face it, they sort of tried to do this with OSX widgets and dashcode to a degree. If they were to do something similar with iOS apps I can see finding good apps in the app store almost impossible.
Only time will tell what the impact on the Android market will be from app inventor. I'm sure lots of people will have a go, but how many will release apps through it, and will they be able to charge for those apps?
As for whether or not you can make anything musical with App Inventor, I've heard some positive things so far, but until devs get a chance to take a proper look we'll have to wait for a definitive answer on that one.
2 comments:
>>"On the other hand do we really want any platform over run with dull and functionless apps that make discovering really innovative and creative apps more difficult?"
First of all, it's already almost impossibly difficult to discover really innovating and creative apps. This is ALREADY a critical problem.
The solution to the app discovery problem is not to suppress accessible generative tools.
I just don't see Apple following Google's lead here. Their paths are diverging dramatically. Apple's policies and track record so far of banning generative tools for the iPad and iPhone platform sends a very strong message of where they want their platform to go. They've rejected MIT's Scratch programming educational tools. They've banned Flash Pro CS5 as a development tool for native iPhone and iPad apps (which has a very gentle learning curve BTW). They've rejected proposals to put RevRun (a Hypercard derivative) on the iPhone and iPad.
A little history lesson: the internet did not buckle under the weight of free GeoCities and Netscape websites. What happened? A lot of hobbies got documented and family favorite recipes got published on the web. And innovative companies solved the website discovery problem -- search engines got much better.
There is nothing bad that happens as a result of putting generative tools in the hands of as many people as possible. Some of those people will come up with incredible, cleaver ideas. Some of those people will just solve some small problem in their own backyard.
Post a Comment