Apple's digital content policy; or, perhaps Dreamwidth's next project could be an iPad app

http://prismcomics.org/display.php?id=1858

According to this article, the iPad seems like it would be a good medium for e-comic books, and distributing through its App Store seems like it would be a good way to get content to people who want it.

But Apple has content restrictions on apps sold through its App Store, and Apple seems to count images of men kissing and hugging as "objectionable" content.

The content restrictions are being applied unevenly. The financial clout of the publisher is one of the criteria they seem to be using—e.g., Playboy and the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition are available. Apple is completely open about playing favorites:

"Philip W. Schiller, head of worldwide product marketing at Apple, told the Times that a Sports Illustrated swimsuit app was different from the disallowed content because it was from a “well-known company with previously published material available broadly in a well-accepted format.” (source)

Steve Jobs said "we do believe we have a moral responsibility to keep porn off the iPhone. Folks who want porn can buy an Android phone."

More here:
http://manga.about.com/b/2010/02/01/manga-publishers-comics-creators-react-to-the-apple-ipad.htm
http://gawker.com/5526475/apple-rejects-gay+sightseeing-app-over-gay-sights

Fun with telemarketers

I canceled my service at Dish Network about nine months ago, because the satellite dish got removed to install a new roof and I wasn't watching TV anyway, so I didn't want to keep paying the monthly fee. I plugged $10 rabbit ears into my TV and now I get anywhere from 2.3 to 15.249 channels depending on the weather, the time of day, and whether the moon is in Taurus. I channel-surf maybe a couple times a month.

Tonight a telemarketer calls me.

Telemarketer from Dish Network: "Why did you cancel your service?"
Me: "I pretty much stopped watching TV, so..."
Telemarketer: "But don't you think you might want to watch a little bit of TV? At a really cheap price?"
Me: "I dunno, but I don't want to restart my Dish service."
Telemarketer: "But is there a specific reason why you canceled your service?"
Me: .....
(*imagines what the next 10 minutes will be like if I start explaining it*)
(*hangs up*)