Originally Posted by DaveF
Really? You get uneasy over the thought that you might buy software from someone who has sent a Notary-Public authorized form of their identity to someone? I take it you've never downloaded software or shopped on eBay.
That aside, did you read the essay? The entire process of getting setup to develop for RIM was described as almost Byzantine; completely off-putting for a small shop.
Ebay is a pretty good example. despite numerous attempts, a large slice of the software sold their is pirated, non-for resale. I can't tell you how many people I've run into who have been completely screwed buying server software on Ebay only to get CDRs or Not For Resale or Non-Profit VLK copies of Microsoft software. Which is why I pretty well gave up ebay. Between that and being scammed as a seller, I'd never have anything to do with Ebay again.. (worst experience ever: I shipped a Denon 3808CI receiver to someone, had them receive it, claim it was damage, file a claim with Paypal, then ship me back a box of papertowels, provide the return notice to Paypal, and I ended up out a receiver and $800, where Paypal's only answer was "well, you have to take it up between you two, outside of here, and file a claim.." yeah, like I'm flying to Michigan to file a small court case claim )
RIM sells software by a means where people can pay as part of their phone bill. This means they have a higher requirement to fulfill then most, as bills that appear on your phone statement are handled totally differently. Having someone send in paperwork to prove they are who they say they are doesn't seem like such a bad thing