First rule of conspiracy theory

What I find amusing about all these rants is that everyone immediately seems to assume that Steve Jobs is micromanaging the entire thing, as if he is personally vetting each app, and making idiotic choices. Stand back for a moment and look at the pattern. This isn't some sort of high handed conspiracy. It is simple incompetance.

The guys charged with vetting the apps are not going to be the brightest geeks in the building. It is going to be a thankless task, essentially checking over other peoples programs. Not much creativity, coding, or indeed anything much at all. A few cubicles with some second rate geeks, and a semi competant middle manager. About one step up from helpdesk duties. Any wonder you get inconsistent rulings, poor feedback, and when a clearly stupid decision gets some publicity, a retraction. (When no doubt a senior manager whacks the group over the head and tells them they stuffed up.)

As for the usual ranting about Apple's 30% cut, read the comments on the Apple as gansters piece a few weeks ago, and see how nobody who actually writes and sells code thinks this is at all bad, and indeed that 30% is vastly lower than the 90% odd they usual never see selling though any other channel.