@Lou Gosselin
So, your argument now is that Apple is "forcing corporate policy down [Mozilla's] throat," while ignoring the most relevant parts of my post explaining why this is not so.
>> The fact is apple doesn't want anyone to build a better, more powerful, and open browser for the ipad, since powerful online apps could very well yield the app store redundant."
There are legitimate reasons why Apple does not want to allow third-party rendering engines to run within their device. Some of them have to do with controlling security and reducing the attack surface. Some of them are due to quality control (it *is* their device, after all).
But my bigger point is this: Would you agree that Google's Chrome is a different browser than Apple's Safari? If you grant this--which I would imagine any sane person would--then you must also grant that the underlying rendering engine is but a small part of the overall application that defines a Web Browser. Both of those browsers use the WebKit engine, yet they are considered vastly different applications, in implementation and philosophy.
Likewise, Apple is not *preventing* anybody from creating a browser for the iPhone. Anybody can (and some have), as long as they use the same underlying engine--which, again, is not the only defining and differentiating quality.
I understand that Mozilla won't do this, it is very reasonable. I do not accept with the premise that it is because Apple is singling them out from the crowd as a competitor, which is their allegation.
>> I understand the typical consumer doesn't think or care about these things, but that's no reason for me personally not to. I'd rather embrace a platform which is open and embraces all innovation, even that of third parties."
Agreed. We all have differing views and values, and you may not agree with mine. You want a more open platform, so then the iPhone nor the iPad are for you. However, this is a value judgement, and Apple is not forcing you nor anyone to make it.
-dZ.