Two months later, developers (mostly) positive about OS X's GateKeeper
Remember the wails about Apple turning OS X into a "walled garden" when news of GateKeeper emerged? The tool, which allows OS X users to restrict where their apps come from, was announced in February 2012 and was included with Mountain Lion when it was released in July. The controversy hinged on Apple's attempt to guide users toward installing only those apps downloaded from the Mac App Store, or at least settling for a middle ground wherein users could also install apps "signed" by the developer—an action that still costs the developer $99 per year and pads Apple's bank account.
The goal was to increase security on the Mac—especially in light of the recent Flashback scare—but power users bristled. GateKeeper does allow Mac users to install apps from any source they'd like, but it's not as easy as it used to be. The OS throws up flags that warn users about unsigned applications, which can easily discourage people from trying new software.
On the developer side, however, there was a cautious optimism that GateKeeper could mean good things for Mac users. Before GateKeeper was released to the public, Ars interviewed a number of developers who told us they generally felt comfortable with the tiers of control, even if things weren't perfect. Some acknowledged that Apple was indeed stepping up its level of control over users' computers, however, and expressed concern that Apple could change its default settings at any time to limit software distribution even further.
