When I discovered that there was an app for the iPhone in the AppStore that allows snipers to work out bullet trajectories based on the round used, distance, environmental conditions and so on, I was frankly amazed.
Given all the spurious reasons that Apple give for denying software developers entry into the AppStore, you’d have thought that killing someone or something might have been a criteria that made some sense.
I’m not anti-gun per se. I’ve been to the range with rifles, pistols and semis but it’s just the contrast between what Apple allows and doesn’t that got me in this instance.
By the way, it’s called BulletFlight if you want to have a look.
This app also looked fun but it’s only a training system and it isn’t in the AppStore – Patriot Crew Drill by Raytheon.
You find it strange?
Perhaps you might find it even stranger that just such an application is what caused me to go to the iPhone platform.
The fact that I can have a ballistics calculator and a shot timer on my phone, without purchasing or lugging around additional junk really appealed to me.
Andrew:
Gosh, isn’t it odd how companies decide what products THEY want to have attached to THEIR product?
You are easily amazed, I am guessing. They (Apple) are trying to make their product appeal to more people. Since they know that there are an estimated 283 million (283,000,000) firearms in the United States, wouldn’t it be prudent to build an app for those (40%?) who have them?
(By the way, Gun Control means hitting your target. This app helps do that, therefore this app is a gun control measure!)
Bullet flight trajectory calculations are important to long range marksman, whether they are shooting at paper or steel targets on a range, prairie dogs tearing up a rancher’s pasture, coyotes stalking sheep, or pirates getting ready to execute innocent seamen. Considering the types of egregiously violent and even vicious criminal behavior that has been carefully simulated in various video games over the past 30 years, your “amazement” at a simple ballistics computational application is mind boggling in both its hypocrisy and naiveté.
Probably more for police snipers than military.
Considering it’s more of a pure engineering product than a political statement I can see Apple’s point. If it were called “Waste a(n) (insert name of group here), Not a Shot” it would probably not have passed review.
So what?