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0 pointsawinder3y ago0 comments

I can’t remember the last time I allowed an unsigned app to run on Mac, I can’t even think of examples recently where I’ve gone “oh **, this thing is unsigned?!”. I’d love examples of high quality apps without a basic codesigned certificate, maybe we have a disagreement over the term “quality”.

“App Store apps are garbage” is also kinda rich, it’s not windows, the Mac App Store is the go-to source for distributing Mac apps at this point. There’s some examples of popular apps not on the MAS but they grow fewer by the year.

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Nuzzerino3y ago

> I’d love examples of high quality apps without a basic codesigned certificate, maybe we have a disagreement over the term “quality”.

We're not talking AAA rated, but Kdiff3 and Zenmap should qualify.

> the Mac App Store is the go-to source for distributing Mac apps at this point.

I wouldn't say the verdict is in yet.

https://9to5mac.com/2022/06/09/setapp-mac-developer-survey-r...

> There’s some examples of popular apps not on the MAS but they grow fewer by the year.

Well, yeah, the success stories have the budgets to handle compliance issues, and to manage risk appropriately. Apple will also be more lenient with large publishers for a number of reasons. I wasn't talking about popular apps, I was talking about apps that make me productive. Things made for power users. Popular isn't a concern there. But if BigCo doesn't allow me to install it, that's a dealbreaker for me working there. Experienced that in 2010 when working for a Fortune 50. One approved text editor, one approved browser. The productivity apps I use are not on the app store. They are signed, but chances are that a locked down Mac will require App Store installations only, while a Microsoft configuration would be more optimal.

For the record, I DO prefer a Mac for productivity. But when it comes to security, Microsoft wins. Or even better, Linux (though Microsoft is giving it a run for its money with W11)

awinderOP3y ago

Kdiff3 had its last release in 2014, old multiplatform apps that weren’t updated would have this problem. Zenmap seemed to not be unsigned? Wireshark was definitely signed, which I was kinda surprised about. I wouldn’t have expected QT apps to be signed, but looks like even those have some support. I’d also argue there’s better Mac apps, at least in terms of kdiff3 ;-).

Fair enough on App Store / popularity, my point was mainly saying the apps on the App Store are of “lesser quality” / the lowest quality is ridiculous. It’s not like the 30% of setapps not-on-the-AppStore apps are explicitly not doing it from a quality standpoint. Most are just because they don’t want to / financially can’t afford the revenue split.

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