Microsoft don't really have an equivalent to iOS so let's compare oranges to oranges: macOS vs Windows.

On macOS, Apple don't take a 30% cut on Steam purchases. Steam take 30% however.

There's a big difference - when you develop an app for iOS or macOS, using Apple's APIs, platform and app store tech, it's reasonable to pay Apple something and they legally can charge.

I don't actually have an opinion on whether 30% or 15% is too much or not. It's factually wrong or illogical arguments that bother me: how can we fight anything when the arguments are just nonsensical.

Apple make plenty of user-hostile decisions, but people need to criticise them reasonably, otherwise they will be ignored by those that might have the influence to change things for the better.

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pjc50 8 hours ago | parent [-]

> when you develop an app for iOS or macOS, using Apple's APIs, platform and app store tech, it's reasonable to pay Apple something

Is it?

We spent several decades of the PC world, MSDOS and Windows, with zero platform license fees or approvals. This was hugely beneficial for innovation, and this is why everyone hates the sudden rise of platform landlordism.

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willtemperley 8 hours ago | parent [-]

You're perfectly entitled to distribute a macOS app with your own paywall, the same as ever. Nothing has changed from that perspective.

Rent-seeking on SaaS platforms is far worse I think, e.g. $30 per month for 10GB of data in a recent offering I was looking at, and who knows where the data are. Some datacenter in a foreign land with a mad king probably.

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pjc50 7 hours ago | parent [-]

> You're perfectly entitled to distribute a macOS app with your own paywall

Are you sure the ToS allows that? Given the "anti-steering" rules? Can you point me to an example that isn't by a megacorp?

> $30 per month for 10GB of data in a recent offering I was looking at, and who knows where the data are

That's worse pricing than my mobile contract!

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willtemperley 7 hours ago | parent [-]

Scroll to the bottom:

https://developer.apple.com/macos/distribution/

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pjc50 7 hours ago | parent [-]

Isn't the "outside the app store" bit entirely new, and forced on them by the EU?

Doesn't change that if you distribute inside the app store, the app store rules ban you from any kind of external payment system.

	▲	willtemperley 6 hours ago \| parent [-]
		> Isn't the "outside the app store" bit entirely new, and forced on them by the EU? No it's always been like this. > Doesn't change that if you distribute inside the app store, the app store rules ban you from any kind of external payment system. Yes because you're paying for the payment system amongst other things.