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What does download.com have to do with this? Anyone in their right mind will figure out that it's terrible. I don't think the App Store really competes with download.com. It competes with independent websites that use PayPal downloads and license keys. Download.com, macUpdate, softpedia, download.cnet.com, and the like don't give anyone an excuse to lock down their platform this tight. The cure is worse than the disease. If there are fifty green download buttons on a site, which button are you going to click? Hopefully the red X in the top corner.


independent websites that use PayPal downloads and license keys

As of 1 Jan this is now economically infeasible in the EU (see "VATMOSS").


Using the number given in the Pinegrow thread today: It is economically infeasible to pay your payment processor 5 percent instead of 3? It's annoying, sure, but infeasible?


Specifically you can't use paypal. As they say on the BBC, other payment processors are available and you have to get one that will handle the VAT for you.


You can still offer Paypal via another payment processor.


How about using a provider like Fastspring? Or are their fees too high?


They certainly claim to handle it; I can't really speak as to whether their fees are too high, but it's higher than paypal.


I think the reason this really is a surprise* is because they claim these are the top downloaded apps.

*edit: Wish it were a surprise.




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