We are so used to the App Store model that I don’t think we pause enough to note that app distribution is actually clunky and slow now. In 1996 it was faster for me to do a Mac app build, copy it to a floppy disk, and drive to a friend’s house with it than it is to ship an iOS app in 2026.

@manton a sweet solution.

@manton It’s a matter of scale, I think. Driving a floppy to your friends house isn’t really “distributing” an app. You could do that now by texting someone a GitHub link. Shipping an iOS app is a lot more work, but it’s also more than one copy (hopefully!)

@jimmylittle A GitHub link assumes someone can build the app themselves! Not the same as actually sending a copy of the app ready to go.

@manton As a web developer, as much as I crave the enablement’s of native apps, this is why I have never crossed the line over to app store apps.

@manton I was forced to ship an android and iOS app for my current employer (small company and I drew the short straw). While apple and google have a fantastic reach and distribution systems, the arbitrary rules you have to follow I find quite stifling as a software developer. Personally, I much prefer open systems that let me dictate the rules I follow, though I do recognize there is a cost for not using apple or google for your distribution.

@TheRealChadwick Yeah, the arbitrary rules and delays are frustrating. I think it’s possible to have a middle ground: allow flexible, direct distribution without the “discovery” side of the App Store. Apple is slowly getting there in the EU.

@manton I guess that's true (tho I was thinking of putting a .exe or .app bundle on Git, not just the code... but your idea of it is probably more accurate!)

@jimmylittle That gets to the root of the problem… Because Apple controls iOS distribution through code-signing, there’s no practical equivalent of a .exe file. I wish there was!