I just upgraded to OSX 10.6.6 and browsing the App Store like crazy for new apps. Did a search for 3D and there’s not many in there but like Cheetah3d,
I think Blender should be available via the App Store! it’s gonna be a huge outlet for people to discover new apps and keep them updated.
+1
Would be very interesting. It could have a symbolic price. Let’s say minimum price + interesting “donation” value (a low price specified by BF?).
I’m not sure I have a clue what “minimum price” means. Dunno how they handle store’s maintenance.
I am always for more proliferation of Blender. Wonder if it could ever be given out for free at stores, like the huge bins of AOL CDs back in the day :X
I think it could help immensely for blenders image. It should be Free, and comparing just screenshots of blender’s ui and cheetah3d customers will see how good blender actually is for “free software”.
In the beginning people might not grasp the Open Source aspect, why it’ free. Thinking it must be crap since it’s free. Au contrarie its free cuz its open source.
anyway would be awesome too see it there one day. btw app store is pretty new, but promising.
+1 to Uncle Entity … app store may be “convenient”, but … well, I won’t go into a rant. shut up artao 
I didnt know there was and IOS version of blender where the itunes app store (for ipad/iphone) apps do apply?
Even then the rules where changed to compatible with the GPL v2 (version 3 seems to be difficult because of the DRM clause) VLC that was pulled is available on the itunes store and I also saw a port of the Battle of Wesnoth last time I checked.
But I don’t want to get in that theological discussions.
That argument applies to the iPhone App Store, not the Mac one. It is quite possible to recompile and use Blender on the Mac OSX - I do it all the time. It is not possible to do so on the iOS platform due to NDA restrictions and having to pay a developer fee.
There is no legal impediment to it being on the new OSX-specific App Store, just a time, effort, and (in some people’s cases) a moral one. However, if it is illegal to Blender in the OSX App Store, it is illegal to be distributing the binaries for OSX full-stop.
just to be clear this is not the app store for iOS, it’s the newly opened app store for mac (desktop/laptop) machines. there are some “heavy” apps there but mostly from apple so far. It could be used as a huge portal to mac users for more independent software as blender, mypaint and gimp.
I’m also compiling myself but, for the most “apple users” are not as tech savy as per se avarage linux user, IMO the Mac App Store will be the facto way to explore/find/install new apps for mac users from now on.
I can’t see any benefit from possibly violating Blender’s licensing just to put it under the heavy thumb of Apple in order to possibly capture some percentage of the small percentage (Less than 7%) of PC users who choose Mac.
Apple imposes its own conditions on the code of apps provided through their stores. There are enough constraints (Time, money) imposed on Blender already: adding another set of hoops to jump through seems counterproductive.
My comments aren’t meant to incite a flame war. If you like Macs then use them - just expect the same capabilities that you have for gaming, CAD/CAM and a host of other applications.
note: the above discussion is only applicable to the ‘mac app store’. Of course mac os x versions of blender work fine and will continue to be offered from blender.org
Apparently from the fsf.org link, Apple really is intent on making devices like the iPhone and iPad and their storefronts literal Open Source free zones (this outside of their strict rules on what code you can and can’t use or what game engines you can use for iPad development, meaning that good quality free software that’s not a one man show will almost be a pie-in-the-sky dream for people using their portable devices).
Whatever the case, I’ve heard the next consumer electronics show will display tablets from more than 100 companies, this may mean plenty of good alternatives that’s more Open Source friendly. (and cheaper, and not bound to AT&T only (in the US that is))
Can only mac people answer the thread maybe, to many seem to be confused with the App Store for iOS devices. The Mac App Store was released very recent and is aimed at desktop computers.
Some of the benefits would be
a) huge massive PR value and exposure to almost every single Mac user. I can’t image getting this kind of exposure for (almost free) anywhere else. I would download blender from the Mac App Store and rate it 5* just to help it become the #1 downloaded free app.
b) Practical, Code-Level Technical Support Tailored to Your Development Needs
When you request Technical Support, you’ll be assigned an engineer with subject matter expertise for your specific issue that can help you troubleshoot your code
c) Mac Developer Program members can access a range of pre-release Mac software, including Mac OS X, Mac OS X Server, development tools, SDKs, and more.
but maybe the blender foundation is already enrolled as mac developer program, if so every mac developer could get the membership and gain access to pre-release Mac OSX. Which would be beneficial also.
I have a hard time see apple want OSS to be destroyed since they host some of their projects as OSS (GCD comes to mind straight of) and I know apps being developed with OpenFrameworks C++ lib for iPhone before.
Anyways it would be a way into a platform known for lacking 3d suites …
I’m not a “mac only” person, but I spend ~80% of my time on the Mac. I develop for Windows, Mac OSX, Apple iOS (iPad/iPod/iPhone), and Linux and so think I can speak with a little knowledge on the matter.
Firstly, iOS really is out. Due to the nature of the SDK, the inability of the end-user to recompile the application, and a few other odds and ends - it is not compatible to release GPL applications through the iPad/iPhone/iPod AppStore. The requirements of the GPL make it impossible.
On the Mac OSX AppStore there isn’t the onerous requirements applied to the iPhone development. More importantly, if the conditions on compiling an executable for the OSX AppStore (and subsequent distribution) conflict with the GPL, than so too does the binaries on the Blender website. So long as the source code is available and people can alter it to their needs - the same restrictions (or lack thereof) on the code copyright (from which the GPL restrictions are drawn) apply to both.
Yeah I know was being sarcastic. I’m an ex apple user but I always amazes me how much Fud there is. Even the fsf is using microsoft tactics these days… I don’t know the agreement for the OSX store but anybody that can think for 5 seconds will know that those will not be the same as the IOS agreement.
It is not possible to do so on the iOS platform due to NDA restrictions and having to pay a developer fee.
That is wrong there are numerous open source ios programs. And you need to pay a fee to spread your app through the ios app store, there is nothing stopping you from downloaden xcode (which is free btw), compiling or even changing the source code and to use it on your own IOS device. Are we at GPL v4 where there is a new clause introduced where you can only be in compliance if they provide you with free services (which the iTunes store is, not so very different then steam if you think about it) with regards of distribution and hosting ?
And again the IOS agreement doesn’t apply on Blender as it a normal OSX app.
Apple imposes its own conditions on the code of apps provided through their stores.
That is open to debate because they changed that part after the whole FSF GO incident. The reason for example one of the VLC developers asked to pull VLC (but it is back…) from the app store was because of his DRM. But strictly on the license side this is weird because VLC is a GPL v2 app. The anti DRM/tivoization was introduced in v3… I can’t shake the feeling that there is a dirty game being played with the users as a victim.
Or to say it in the words of an other vlc developer
As a major VLC developer, I have to say that the FSF is pushing bad faith and FUD.
The matter is way more complex, and it seems that the latest Apple Store terms are indeed compatible with the GPLv2 if you use a few precautions.
See http://www.apple.com/legal/itunes/us/terms.html#APPS “LICENSE OF APP STORE PRODUCTS” part
“You agree that the terms of the Licensed Application End User License Agreement will apply to each Apple Product and to each Third-Party Product that you license through the App Store Service, unless the App Store Product is covered by a valid end user license agreement entered into between you and the licensor of the App Store Product (the “Licensor”), in which case the Licensor’s end user license agreement will apply to that App Store Product.”
Read the unless part…
Oh, of course, it is better to make a political statement that doesn’t even read the AppStore terms… Not to mention that VLC is GPLv2 not GPLv3…
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1850340
I find it a shame because in the past I have seen this kind of fud also appearing on the blender mailinglists
I think that if it can be done without licensing issues, there is no reason it shouldn’t be done.
It would mean a lot exposure that is for sure
I changed my mind. I don’t think anymore that Blender should be available in commercial environment. Blender.org is just damn there, the official thing with the whole info. I’m already happy with this increasing publicity of Blender.
I don’t see Apple spreading easily accessible FOSS while their store has commercial equivalents. You know, when it comes to business…
sneg, what user , wouldn’t try a free alternative , before buying a commercial alternative? hence they could end up using blender instead of cheetah3d or maya c4d.
anyways it’s up for the foundation to rule.
I get your point, aermartin.
There’s that abstract Apple seal of approval. It means something. The average non-naive Mac user can easily google “top free 3d apps” or “3d apps comparison” without previously browsing Apple’s store. I’m feeling as short as: I don’t see it happening. At least not in the store.
IIRC, MS did show interest in being friends with Blender, but their intentions were different.
Anyway… happy Blending.