After gaining exposure due to these tactics, the developer has taken all his games down off the app store.. See http://www.iphonedevsdk.com/forum/busine...views.html

(See the post by vivianaranha)

He took his apps down and you still continued to cry about it. That is simply low class.

I don't know when "Waaah, someone used a different tactic and I'm losing the battle, that's so unfair!" became a valid complaint in modern day culture, but it's downright depressing.

I don't care either way anymore, but I am amused about how he said "I did nothing wrong but I took my apps down anyway" (paraphrase). Furthermore, it's still bull, as if you looked at the usernames, they were all something like BobGean or JaneGood or something, every single one had the same format. Ah well. I'm more complaining that he/she a moron than his app store tactic.
Alex

After taking his apps down briefly, they're all back. Not only that, but the quite awful iOthello is actually moving up the charts. Perhaps we should accept that setting up shill accounts and giving yourself a few dozen 5 star reviews is going to become the norm?

Urgh... Apple has done nothing?
Alex

Stay classy, Samir

Hard to believe Apple's not just booting the guy.

What an ass.

I personally think it doesn't work - if the game is very low in its category even with the best reviews a very few people will buy it. (And if the game is good, it will gain other good reviews, if bad the rating will be bad).

I did a quick search and discovered something interesting.

Samir's software is just a web application wrapped in a UIWebView.

I extracted his javascript code and found it to match this code:
http://www.digiwidge.com/Reversi/othello.js

Of course, he removed the copyright messages from it!

Considering this recent newstory:
http://gizmodo.com/5329756/third-largest...or-sucking

I wonder if we could get this guy banned from the store for this offense.

Holmes Wrote:I did a quick search and discovered something interesting.

Samir's software is just a web application wrapped in a UIWebView.

I extracted his javascript code and found it to match this code:
http://www.digiwidge.com/Reversi/othello.js

Of course, he removed the copyright messages from it!

Considering this recent newstory:
http://gizmodo.com/5329756/third-largest...or-sucking

I wonder if we could get this guy banned from the store for this offense.

Oh wow, that seems so wrong on many different levels -- mainly that stealing is a bad thing mkay... I wonder if there'd be any reason not to report it to Apple, other than apathy?

Seriously, Apple is sooooo far behind the ball on taking care of things as they should have with the App Store and iPhone developers, I'm not sure I even care anymore, but still... that's pretty outrageous!

AnotherJake Wrote:Oh wow, that seems so wrong on many different levels -- mainly that stealing is a bad thing mkay... I wonder if there'd be any reason not to report it to Apple, other than apathy?

Seriously, Apple is sooooo far behind the ball on taking care of things as they should have with the App Store and iPhone developers, I'm not sure I even care anymore, but still... that's pretty outrageous!

I'm verifying right now with the original authors that Samir is taking this code without permission.

If it turns out "yes" I guess I really should report it to Apple. Though I wonder if it would be enough to get it taken down -- afterall, Samir's stuff doesn't compose 2% of the apps in the store like those one a-holes in the gizmodo article!

Seems like the best path right now.
Alex

http://www.macrumors.com/iphone/2009/08/...-business/

Seems like this guy could probably get pulled as well.
Alex

Edit: more appropriate link: http://www.macrumors.com/iphone/2009/08/...app-store/