Mac App Store

[pa-0]

Any plans to add Daino to the App Store?

[nuttyartist]

Hi! Yes, there are plans to do that. I'm curious, tho, why would you prefer that over grabbing the installer from the website?

[pa-0]

Ahh that's a bit of leading question. I wouldn't say it's simply a clear-cut preference of one method over the other. Apologies in advance for the essay but....

I understand that, ultimately, that the relationship between Apple and each indie developer is 'just business' but I dislike the problematic nature of the partnership (if you can call it that) between the two -- the disproportionate power dynamics if I had to choose one feature. So when faced with the choice of purchasing an app from the store or directly from the small, independent dev, I will, without hesitation, cut out the strong-arming middle-man and opt for a direct download / purchase every time.¹. (Knowing that, many times, the App Store version of apps are limited in functionality one way or another due to App Store guidelines only justifies the direct purchase further.)

That said, if it is a new application from an unknown developer (from my perspective), and the download is nothing more than a 'test-drive', there is some comfort in knowing that the dev is bound to comply to a higher standard of guidelines. I assume that apps must adhere to strict specifications to qualify for entry just based on Apple's reputation and my (cursory) understanding of the App Store submission process. Having a star-rating, feedback from former / existing users, as well as the App Store's assessment of the app's privacy features (and the type of data it collects) laid out in a single page is always a plus.

Also, It may be misguided, but I always instinctually assumed that apps downloaded from the App Store might have the benefit of a cleaner uninstall process (less left behind) as an added benefit of compliance to whatever standards Apple has sets.

This is not in any way meant as an underhanded jab at you as a developer. I actually purchased your previous notes app (for Windows) and liked it quite a bit.

Footnotes

1. NOT virtue-signaling! ↩

[nuttyartist]

I appreciate you took the time to give your perspective! As a user, I would also often opt to purchase/install apps via the app store, it makes the entire experience seamless as you described. I would probably submit my apps to the app store in the future. As for now, you can be sure that the macOS binaries are code-signed (so it's known who's the developer) and notarized (scanned for viruses on Apple servers etc.). Apps that don't go through this process won't be allowed to open under macOS, and users usually need to go through some hops to disable protection. In Daino Notes case, users are only shown "X is an app downloaded from the Internet. Are you sure you want to open it?".