View Poll Results: If RIM ever blocks side-loading: what will you do?

Voters
94. You may not vote on this poll
  • I won't update until side-loading gets re-enabled (if ever)

    14 14.89%
  • I won't update until I start seeing all the good apps in AppWorld

    17 18.09%
  • I will update right-away, the pros outweigh the cons / I don't care about sideloading...

    54 57.45%
  • I won't update and will look into jailbreaking/rooting options

    8 8.51%
  • I will move to another platform that gives me the freedom I want

    16 17.02%
  • I don't know what you're talking about...

    2 2.13%
Multiple Choice Poll.
  1. paolap's Avatar
    Wow, so much being said on the subject... it seems that side-loading is quite important after all, but to what extent? What would you do if side-loading gets blocked? I say it's time for a follow-up poll!

    Now RIM seems to have provided a bit of clarification on the issue... however, I'm not really sure they understand the magnitude of this... they seem to me pretty clueless when it comes to consumer markets...

    Well, here is my point of view:

    I appreciate FREEDOM. It makes me feel good just to have it.
    I don't even use my side-loaded Skype (beta) and I don't even have a Kindle account, but it makes me feel good just to see those icons on my screen...

    Alec Saunders said the piracy issue is real... wow shocking news... weather or not it is piracy, I do know for sure that 100% of my friends own jail-broken iPads or Android tablets and phones, they may or may not pay for the apps they consume,
    it's not the point, the point is that they have the freedom to choose...
    I for one have something on them with my awesome PB... I have that same freedom without having to go head first to the dark side, jail-breaking and seriously compromising my device's integrity and security, I LOVE THAT.

    It was a clear advantage and people in my circle of friends wouldn't stand a chance in an argument...

    Now without that, I'm left with absolutely nothing on them... jail-braking is not even an available option for the PB at the moment AFAIK...
    In that scenario, I loose control of MY PlayBook and it becomes a closed proprietary black box 100% controlled by RIM and their interests... that may be fine today but what if I don't like it in the future...

    I probably represent a small population, but who knows... I know outside North America and Europe (read 3rd world countries, etc), this is probably a deal breaker as well (good luck trying to get my bro to pay $8 for IM+ pfff)...

    So, in my opinion, yes, the piracy issue is real, but is it relevant at this time for RIM?
    I don't know what RIM has in the pipeline, but in my opinion, we are so much behind when it comes to mainstream developers' support, that they will find any excuse not to develop for the PB, today they say they don't like side-loading, you get rid of it and they'll find something else to complain about...

    My advice to big publishers (if I may):
    1) Please be honest with RIM... your issue is neither side-loading nor piracy, otherwise you wouldn't be developing for any platform... you either want money from RIM, or you have strategic plans against RIM or are part of other alliances, or who knows what, but don't tell there's a relevant concern about side-loading, not buying that...
    2) Get real. Bad people will always find a way to avoid paying for your apps... if they can't do it with a PlayBook, they'll go get another tablet, will jail-break it and will install your apps for free anyway...

    My advice to RIM (if I may):
    1) Grow some balls and accept the fact we are late and now we have to pay for it (with MONEY of course)... approach mainstream developers and offer them a TON OF CASH. We need their apps, without them we are nothing... doesn't matter how awesome our OS is... WE NEED THE APPS (been said a million times I know)
    2) Also, make it mandatory that publishers provide free trial versions of their products... that may reduce a great deal of side-loading.
    3) Also, make sure they have the best tools to monetize their apps through ads... this is key for people who don't like to pay for things they can't touch (e.g. software), there's many of that kind believe me...
    4) If you want to prevent side-loading for security reasons in a business environment, give IT admins the option to block it... actually give that option to the OWNER of the device, be it business or normal consumer...
    5) Please, for the love of God, SHUT-UP until BB10 is out in the wild... suspend all of your employees twitter accounts NOW. The poorly crafted, informal and badly timed announcements have to stop now PLEASE.

    Get all the larger devs on-board, the smaller ones will come on-board by themselves when/if the device gains traction in the market...

    If you play your cards right, you'll get your money back and more... the BB crowed is dormant waiting to see what happens with BB10 and all that, I'm confident the right decisions will trigger a huge come-back.

    Side-loading is a tool of freedom. It raises the value of my PB to an extraordinary level these days. Do not take this away from me. It is not relevant to your business at this point in history (as somebody said, if it ain't broken, don't fix it)...

    You RIM probably know all this way better than me, but I feel I have to give my opinion anyway, no offense, just my opinion here...

    Well, there you have it... it's out of my system now...

    Let's get to the Poll shall we... happy voting folks!

    PS: I'm still quite pissed about all this RIM, just letting you know in case is not clear enough...
    thezooca likes this.
    04-09-12 11:04 PM
  2. irsan's Avatar
    Easy, just sell my playbook and change it others tablet
    Morten likes this.
    04-09-12 11:08 PM
  3. ffejrobins30's Avatar
    Well, according to the poll on the main blog page a couple hours ago, about 60% of the people who voted will not miss it. The thing is that everyone wants security, which is something that we, as a community, bash iOS and Android for. Now that they are cracking down, not only for the user end security, but also for the security of the developers against piracy, people are all up in arms.

    This is not directed at you personally, but people, please choose what you want, stick with it, and quit b!tching when you don't get your way. You can't have it both ways.
    narci, polytope, joski and 4 others like this.
    04-09-12 11:13 PM
  4. mikeplus1's Avatar
    04-09-12 11:23 PM
  5. pcguy514's Avatar
    Your poll is way off where is the "I don't sideload so don't care." Are you wishing people either won't upgrade or we don't know what you're speaking off?

    Lol, I agree its my pb and I Should be able to do as I please. Even tho I don't sideload.
    04-09-12 11:26 PM
  6. EricB1968's Avatar
    Depending on what the update is for will determine if I take the update or not. I'll wait for others to update first. Has the OP reached his limit yet for daily poll allowance ?
    Toodeurep likes this.
    04-09-12 11:27 PM
  7. phoreoneone's Avatar
    if they cannot find an alternative to side loading then I will let everyone else update their playbook and stick with my version, which will still allow sideloading.

    Sent from my BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps using Tapatalk
    04-09-12 11:27 PM
  8. dfb8085's Avatar
    not sideload i guess

    Sent from my BlackBerry 9800 using Crackberry Forum app by Tapatalk
    04-09-12 11:34 PM
  9. Bla1ze's Avatar
    Side-loading is cool but RIM never once promised it as a included it feature. It just so happens that it is a byproduct of the Android App Player.. take it away, I don't care. It's not really hurting me any.. It'll hurt RIM in the long run seemingly.. not me.

    That said, I'm confused why so many people are up in arms over a feature that they were never sold on by RIM in the first place. RIM never said "Go buy a PlayBook, you can side-load whatever you want onto it!!"

    All they ever stated was that it would support Android apps that were converted for the PlayBook, again.. side-loading is byproduct of that.

    If you bought the PlayBook under that notion then you bought the wrong product, you should have been shopping for an Android tablet.

    Do I dare even mention the fact that they never said what sort of apps this was referring to? ie: Side-loading of PlayBook apps or Side-Loading of Android apps?
    lol.
    04-09-12 11:36 PM
  10. paolap's Avatar
    @Bla1ze: I bought the PB because of its amazing price, the hardware and the awesome QNX OS which I know very well... I started exploring it and really got hooked up... when I discovered side-loading I was blown-away... didn't know anything about it... I can even get apps that are not in AppWorld (emulators and so on), that to me was fantastic... now seeing it being taken away from me upsets the living h**l out of me... I probably shouldn't write stuff when I'm in a bad mood... like RIM, I should probably learn to shut up...
    Last edited by paolap; 04-10-12 at 12:07 AM. Reason: typos and stuff
    04-09-12 11:59 PM
  11. Bla1ze's Avatar
    @Bla1ze: I bought the PB because of its amazing price, the hardware and the awesome QNX OS which I know very well... I started exploring it and really got hooked up... when I discovered side-loading I was blown-away... didn't know anything about it... I can even get apps that are not in AppWorld (emulators and so on), that to me was fantastic... now seeing it being taken away from me upsets the living h**l out of me... I probably shouldn't write stuff when I'm in a bad mood... like RIM, I should probably learn to shut up...
    Nahh, you're type of response is the response I can appreciate really because you never felt "owed" it by RIM, cause you never knew it existed to begin with. It's the people who have been coming out and saying:

    "Stupid RIM, never would have bought this POS if I knew they were gonna take away side loading"

    That kind of attitude is just bunk and weak.
    Toodeurep, kbz1960 and Mystic205 like this.
    04-10-12 12:36 AM
  12. paolap's Avatar
    @pcguy514: I guess option #3 would be the closest one for you... I thought of many options and picked up the ones I considered most relevant... of course anybody can go and set-up their own poll if they don't like mine... I'm not trying to push anything on anybody, I'm genuinely interested in knowing what other folks would do if this ever becomes a reality... I believe this stuff really matters...
    04-10-12 01:06 AM
  13. loth's Avatar
    Well, i really don't care, after the update I've side load a recommended news reader from android user friend, after that iwent tl the playbook android apps page and tried some apps, those really dont wonder me, if I want to read kindle there's a native reader app "book reader" my favorite app is groovynotes and there's a native version on the appworld, I think this, RIM as bla1ze said never soldme a playbook with side load, I bought mine cuz I like rim devices, cuz awesome pb hardware, multitasking o's, great hd videos, awesome pictures, stereo high quality voice notes and mics, and more stuff.
    04-10-12 01:33 AM
  14. thezooca's Avatar
    In a way, it was RIM itself that pushed me into the world of sideloading due to their inability to secure and attract a good diversity of apps natively. They are trying to close the door on a phenomenon they themselves created and that is what I think annoys me the most about all this. Fix the source of the problem (lack of native apps), not the resulting behavior us consumers used to get around it (sideloading).

    They even went as far as to provide tools to convert APK files to BAR format. They led us down the path of sideloading so it's a bit late to cry foul now and try backtracking. I would love to be able to use native apps exclusively but App World is sorely lacking on many categories of apps and that is not changing fast enough to keep this platform competitive.
    04-10-12 02:15 AM
  15. BuzzStarField's Avatar
    They even went as far as to provide tools to convert APK files to BAR format.
    The conversion and signing tools are distributed as part of RIM's SDKs. They are meant for developers only. When you download the tools you must tick a box that indicates that you have read, and will abide by, the terms and conditions of the SDK Licensing Agreement. It is about time that people finally get around to reading this document.

    BlackBerry - SDK License Agreement
    04-10-12 07:00 AM
  16. kbz1960's Avatar
    I'm going to take my ball and go home.

    I can see both sides but as bla1ze said it was never promoted as a feature. Will it really bring more apps? Another will have to wait and see.
    04-10-12 07:34 AM
  17. Barljo's Avatar
    I'll keep my PB, as it fits my world perfectly.

    But, I'll be getting something like an iTouch so that I can beat my girlfriend at the likes of Draw Sthg and Words with friends until such time as they are available natively.

    It sounds like the moral high ground, but I wouldn't knowingly sideload a paid app - I currently have Sky+ [free from Sky], WWF [free version - I get ads, and I am happy that I do], LoveFilm [free from LoveFilm], and DRisk [restricted functionality, and called "free version"], and that's all.

    The only reason I've done that is because they're simply not available from the app store. If they are not available on the platform in the future, I'll find the proper way to get them (i.e. a device on which I can run them properly). No point in throwing some tantrum like I'm 4 years old...
    kbz1960 likes this.
    04-10-12 08:20 AM
  18. Mercury's Avatar
    Side-loading is cool but RIM never once promised it as a included it feature. It just so happens that it is a byproduct of the Android App Player.. take it away, I don't care. It's not really hurting me any.. It'll hurt RIM in the long run seemingly.. not me.

    That said, I'm confused why so many people are up in arms over a feature that they were never sold on by RIM in the first place. RIM never said "Go buy a PlayBook, you can side-load whatever you want onto it!!"

    All they ever stated was that it would support Android apps that were converted for the PlayBook, again.. side-loading is byproduct of that.

    If you bought the PlayBook under that notion then you bought the wrong product, you should have been shopping for an Android tablet.

    Do I dare even mention the fact that they never said what sort of apps this was referring to? ie: Side-loading of PlayBook apps or Side-Loading of Android apps?
    lol.
    OMG Bla1ze, this is bang on!!! I couldn't have said it better. And I'm glad it was you that said it too!
    04-10-12 08:40 AM
  19. Stuckmojo's Avatar
    The no-Kindle situation actually annoys me. The other apps, maybe I can live without ( and I have a feeling they'll never come to the PB through AppWorld), but Kindle is vital to how I use the PB as a one stop shop for media on the go.

    No Kindle (and the books I want are not on Kobo), no point in the PB for me, as it is. might as well buy a Kindle fire and sell the PB at a loss.
    04-10-12 08:45 AM
  20. gwinegarden's Avatar
    I'd be willing to bet that the vast majority of PlayBook owners:

    A. Do not come on Crackberry and
    B. Do not sideload

    For most this is, probably, a "tempest in a teapot".
    04-10-12 09:32 AM
  21. barkomatic's Avatar
    For a consumer sideloading is a tedious process. None of the apps I've sideloaded seem to work properly and who knows where they actually came from. A link here on crackberry is hardly secure. For all I know the sideloaded apps could be stealing personal data.

    Until Kindle, a decent mapping application (like Google maps) and other core apps like Netflix are officially released my PB will continue to be unused. It served its purpose as a cool diversion during my holiday travels, but I've really got no reason to use it at home where i have a full computer and entertainment system available.
    04-10-12 09:49 AM
  22. SumthinNew's Avatar
    The way I look at it, a feature is a "feature".
    Regardless if it was promoted (no company can promote every single feature/function of a product anyways.)
    You can't simply take away a "feature" in it's entirety!
    Change the process of how it works...yes, but to take it completely away...no.
    04-10-12 01:53 PM
  23. Mercury's Avatar
    The way I look at it, a feature is a "feature".
    Regardless if it was promoted (no company can promote every single feature/function of a product anyways.)
    You can't simply take away a "feature" in it's entirety!
    Change the process of how it works...yes, but to take it completely away...no.
    It's not a feature for the consumers anyways... it was for the App developers.... GOD!!!
    04-10-12 01:55 PM
  24. ubizmo's Avatar
    No Kindle (and the books I want are not on Kobo), no point in the PB for me, as it is. might as well buy a Kindle fire and sell the PB at a loss.

    Same here, pretty much. My PB was a gift. I wouldn't have bought it for myself, because I knew there was no Kindle app. But sideloading became available so I stayed with the PB. If I lose Kindle, I'll have little reason to keep the PB, since reading Kindle books is 75% of what I do with it.

    And given the history of this, I won't be willing to wait for a vague "it's coming" date.
    04-10-12 02:12 PM
  25. SumthinNew's Avatar
    It's not a feature for the consumers anyways... it was for the App developers.... GOD!!!
    So whats your point?
    I'm speaking for myself!
    I like this feature and will accept changes on how it is used, but not completely taken away!
    04-10-12 02:20 PM
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