Philosophically, it is a bummer. Instead of a developer and customer having a direct relationship, there's now an Apple tax that needs to be paid every year or the relationship gets cut.
However, I can't think of any other way to gain the security benefits of app signing.
Ultimately, all security is a web of trust. If you're going to put an automated, self-service system at the root of that web (the Apple dev program), then you need reliable ways to establish identity and discourage high-volume fraud. A $100/year credit card charge does both pretty well.
However, I can't think of any other way to gain the security benefits of app signing.
Ultimately, all security is a web of trust. If you're going to put an automated, self-service system at the root of that web (the Apple dev program), then you need reliable ways to establish identity and discourage high-volume fraud. A $100/year credit card charge does both pretty well.