App Eat App

Title: WeatherX
Category: Weather

Apparently WeatherX developer, Karim Dhanani, has bone to pick with customers who leave negative reviews in the App Store. You see, Karim has declared himself the “App Store Review Police” and threatens to report aggressors to Apple demanding the individual be banished. OUCH! … harsh KRAPPS!

WeatherX-Desc

nospam Karim uses the term “spam” – which we find strange. We’ve seen negative reviews where users compare the offending KRAPPS to an app which they prefer – but to claim this is “spam” (a developer pimping their own app while unfairly slamming another) is a bit paranoid. Not exactly sure why the paranoia. He’s released 5 apps (WeatherX, WeatherLive, CDCAlert, MedicalAlert and Quicklink) and the only customer review remotely looking like spam appears in the WeatherLive review:

WeatherX-Review2

So does Karim think customer Gold Prime is really My Weather Mobile since Gold Prime gives his opinion as “My Weather Mobile is still the best weather app”. Wow – Da Horror! Karim might be on to some dark evil scheme by My Weather Mobile to destroy all other iPhone weather apps. Guess it’s an App Eat App World out there in Developer Geekland.

madgeek LOL … dude needs to chill. I mean come on – how can you be so pissed that the opening line in your WeatherX description is about this spamming nonsense. Is this really the first impression you want to give your potential customers … that you are Mr. Pissed Off Paranoid App Developer Dude? Seriously, got a beef … blog it … twitter it … hell, start a “My Weather Mobile App Sucks” Facebook group … but putting it in your WeatherX description is freaking madness. Makes me want to buy the app and leave a KRAPPS/spam review just to mess with good old Karim. And for the record, WeatherX looks promising and has some cool features, but it’s tough download this angry app when I can install more peaceful, loving and kind apps like Koi Pond or Zen Garden … hint, hint Karim … you might want to do the same.

January 23, 2009 | Filed Under Weather 

Comments

  • No one messes with WeatherX. Not more than once, anyway. Beware.

  • Appy_Entertainment

    No one messes with WeatherX. Not more than once, anyway. Beware.

  • sebrock

    Well, while “the only customer review remotely looking like spam appears in the WeatherLive review” we don´t know how many negative reviews he has “dealt with accordingly”, i.e. asked apple to remove them.
    I don´t know if Apple would do this but it wouldn´t surprise me.

  • sebrock

    Well, while “the only customer review remotely looking like spam appears in the WeatherLive review” we don´t know how many negative reviews he has “dealt with accordingly”, i.e. asked apple to remove them.
    I don´t know if Apple would do this but it wouldn´t surprise me.

  • Good point ,,, what is Apple's policy to removing “spam” or offensive reviews? Tell you what, I've seen some pretty shocking and vulgar user reviews that made me question if Apple really is monitoring comments before they go live (perhaps a good subject for a future article – I'll need to start taking screenshots of offensive comments). Or does the responsibility lay with the developer, like Karim, to constantly monitor incoming comments and notify Apple of offenders … but even if this scenario is true, anything other than a review, description, instructions or updates, do not belong in the app's description area.

  • Good point ,,, what is Apple's policy to removing “spam” or offensive reviews? Tell you what, I've seen some pretty shocking and vulgar user reviews that made me question if Apple really is monitoring comments before they go live (perhaps a good subject for a future article – I'll need to start taking screenshots of offensive comments). Or does the responsibility lay with the developer, like Karim, to constantly monitor incoming comments and notify Apple of offenders … but even if this scenario is true, anything other than a review, description, instructions or updates, do not belong in the app's description area.

  • Hale

    Check out the reviews for Jabeh Lite. I guess someone thought it was appropriate to tell the developer that he “shud” slit his throat. Classy!

  • Hale

    Check out the reviews for Jabeh Lite. I guess someone thought it was appropriate to tell the developer that he “shud” slit his throat. Classy!

  • Wow! Thank you Hale. I just took a look (and a screenshot) … that is absolutely disgusting! And we are supposed to believe the Apple is “moderating” these comments before they go live? WTF Apple … come on … this one totally crossed the line. I wonder how long this comment has been “live” and why Apple as chose to ignore it. I wonder if any developer has been successful at removing offensive/crude/vulgar users comments. What a shame! Hmmm … maybe I should write that article.

  • Wow! Thank you Hale. I just took a look (and a screenshot) … that is absolutely disgusting! And we are supposed to believe the Apple is “moderating” these comments before they go live? WTF Apple … come on … this one totally crossed the line. I wonder how long this comment has been “live” and why Apple as chose to ignore it. I wonder if any developer has been successful at removing offensive/crude/vulgar users comments. What a shame! Hmmm … maybe I should write that article.

  • oinetoinet

    thanks!

  • thanks!

  • Karim Dhanani

    Hi.

    This might be a bit late, but this is the developer, Karim Dhanani, speaking. I admit I got a little over-the-top with that message; I was just a little angry at that review from My Weather Mobile. I moved the notice to the bottom, and well, I guess I haven't really been bothered by spam lately.

    Nicely written article, albeit critical. Anyways, I apologize if I acted a bit harshly over things. No hard feelings.

    Dhanani

  • Karim Dhanani

    Hi.

    This might be a bit late, but this is the developer, Karim Dhanani, speaking. I admit I got a little over-the-top with that message; I was just a little angry at that review from My Weather Mobile. I moved the notice to the bottom, and well, I guess I haven't really been bothered by spam lately.

    Nicely written article, albeit critical. Anyways, I apologize if I acted a bit harshly over things. No hard feelings.

    Dhanani

  • Hi Karim!

    Welcome to KRAPPS. Thank you for your visit and really appreciate you taking the time to comment on the WeatherX article.

    In all fairness and as indicated in the above comments, we do agree that iPhone user reviews and ratings in its current state are flawed. As you previously indicated, competing developers do leave derogatory, developers have bribed users to leave positive comments on their apps (mechanical turk incident), rate upon delete system is horrid and some users simply leave uninformed or simply disgusting remarks.

    So totally understand the frustration … granted, we would go about communicating this a different way … but certainly can understand your passion.

    Great to hear the spam has died down. This is toally new grounds for Apple – App Store, reviews, ratings, approving apps, etc. – and currently has some serious wrinkles, so hoping Apple can smooth things out in the future once more experience is under their belt.

    Thank you again the comment and good luck to you!

  • Hi Karim!

    Welcome to KRAPPS. Thank you for your visit and really appreciate you taking the time to comment on the WeatherX article.

    In all fairness and as indicated in the above comments, we do agree that iPhone user reviews and ratings in its current state are flawed. As you previously indicated, competing developers do leave derogatory, developers have bribed users to leave positive comments on their apps (mechanical turk incident), rate upon delete system is horrid and some users simply leave uninformed or simply disgusting remarks.

    So totally understand the frustration … granted, we would go about communicating this a different way … but certainly can understand your passion.

    Great to hear the spam has died down. This is toally new grounds for Apple – App Store, reviews, ratings, approving apps, etc. – and currently has some serious wrinkles, so hoping Apple can smooth things out in the future once more experience is under their belt.

    Take care and good luck to you!

  • Hi Karim!

    Welcome to KRAPPS. Thank you for your visit and really appreciate you taking the time to comment on the WeatherX article.

    In all fairness and as indicated in the above comments, we do agree that iPhone user reviews and ratings in its current state are flawed. As you previously indicated, competing developers do leave derogatory, developers have bribed users to leave positive comments on their apps (mechanical turk incident), rate upon delete system is horrid and some users simply leave uninformed or simply disgusting remarks.

    So totally understand the frustration … granted, we would go about communicating this a different way … but certainly can understand your passion.

    Great to hear the spam has died down. This is toally new grounds for Apple – App Store, reviews, ratings, approving apps, etc. – and currently has some serious wrinkles, so hoping Apple can smooth things out in the future once more experience is under their belt.

    Take care and good luck to you!

  • Hi Karim!

    Welcome to KRAPPS. Thank you for your visit and really appreciate you taking the time to comment on the WeatherX article.

    In all fairness and as indicated in the above comments, we do agree that iPhone user reviews and ratings in its current state are flawed. As you previously indicated, competing developers do leave derogatory, developers have bribed users to leave positive comments on their apps (mechanical turk incident), rate upon delete system is horrid and some users simply leave uninformed or simply disgusting remarks.

    So totally understand the frustration … granted, we would go about communicating this a different way … but certainly can understand your passion.

    Great to hear the spam has died down. This is toally new grounds for Apple – App Store, reviews, ratings, approving apps, etc. – and currently has some serious wrinkles, so hoping Apple can smooth things out in the future once more experience is under their belt.

    Take care and good luck to you!