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0 pointspjc508y ago0 comments

Theoretically software products could compete on "quality", but this is quite rare because it's hard for the customers to measure. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Market_for_Lemons

I don't agree with the idea that free apps are inherently bad - that would rule out Open Source / Free Software, and it would also put the boundary vs "free" web pages in a strange place.

"Free"+adsupported and "Free"+IAPs have certainly produced some strange and terrible incentives though. As has the incredibly bad discovery process on app stores.

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3 comments · 2 top-level

alok-g8y ago· 1 in thread

We are mostly in agreement. See my other comment here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15532543

I do find open-source software to be generally lower in quality than paid products. Though there are many exceptions at this point in time where open-source is rather highly superior.

However, even in cases where someone could produce a better paid software for an open-source alternative, they practically cannot as it is hard to compete with free.

tinus_hn8y ago

In my opinion open source software typically has worse design but better implementation.

For instance, in the latest iOS there is a stupid bug where the calculator blocks the buttons if you press them too fast. So if you enter 1+2+3 the display will show 23.

In open source this would be trivial to fix. In closed source you have to wait for Apple to do its implementation, testing, distribution.

In open source you would have a customizable calculator with a million generally useless buttons though because it’s so easy to add them.

fjsolwmv8y ago

Ariely was talking about free crapware, not community ware. But even opensource only works in the community. Once you go to apptore you get tons of derivatives of open source stuff, laden with crap layers

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