&#62; <i>What does security have to do with a tightly closed environment?</i><p>It's the (false) assumption that because someone controls what software goes onto the machine that it's impossible for 'unapproved code' to run on the machine (or that 'approved code' has been thoroughly vetted against all possible inadvertent or malicious security risks).<p>&#62; <i>The can do the right thing, and not act as gatekeepers.</i><p>I wonder what people will think once the first AppStore app gets approved by Apple but turns out to be a piece of malware. I'm sure Apple has indemnified themselves against liability in such a case, but there are plenty of people who feel it is an impossible scenario.