Decent app, sleazy marketing

Leaf does what it’s meant to well enough, and is fairly well designed. But for a paid app, I take issue with the multiple instances of sleazy marketing tactics integrated into it.

First of all, on the initial launch the first thing you see is a dialog steering you to all the developer’s other apps. This can be turned off for future launches, but it really gives the wrong first impression.

Second, and much more annoying: when you add your RSS sync service, Leaf automatically subscribes you to the developer’s own news feed without asking permission or even telling you they’re doing it. I couldn’t figure out why I was suddenly seeing posts from Rocky Sand when I’d never subscribed. I only worked out what it was by visiting their website and seeing that they were the makers of Leaf.

My feed list is my own, I manage it carefully, and it’s not reasonable for the maker of a feed reader app to make changes to it without my permission.

peterlanders about Leaf - RSS News Reader, v4.1