[OSX-Users] Re: Lion' app store

[Chris Andrews]

On 11 Jul 2011, at 14:20, Vladimiro Sassone <vs at ecs.soton.ac.uk> wrote:

> (There is for instance an annoying issue with iPad and open source applications not allowed in the App 
> Store. Makes you want to jailbreak only to defy this)

No, there is an issue with GPL and similarly licenced OS apps that are distributed with the clause that no DRM may be placed on the executable. There are Open Source apps on the iOS App Store - for example, Colloquy. I forget what licence it is under, but the source is readily available, and IIRC they accept patches. 

GPL and suchlike apps ARE allowed in the App Store, the only issue is if the developers are unwilling to waive the clause that states "no DRM". See VLC, which was sunk by one developer  who didn't want to see VLC on iOS and threatened to take Apple to court.

Chris