Apple's App Store approval process is severely flawed, and it's causing significant damage to their reputation among programmers. This is a stark contrast to the past when Apple was admired, almost to a fault, by its fans and developers. Now, many programmers perceive Apple as 'evil' due to the App Store's policies.
The most effective startup ideas are often born out of your own needs—what do you wish existed for you? Apple and the iPhone are prime examples, stemming from personal desires of their creators. Our venture, Viaweb, contrasted this by targeting a broader user base we weren't part of. However, successful startups tend to align more with the personal-need origin.