Apple was graced this week by the euphemism of the year: “Curated Computing.” This is the idea that new technology, specifically applications for iPhones/iPods/iPads have been curated by intelligent, quality-aware judges that decide what we are able to see and use.

Curation is a positive term. It implies that there is an incredible amount of Rough in this world, and we trust certain experts to find and show us the Diamonds.

One of my favorite things in life is going to art museums. To me, they are an absolute thrill. Art Museums are some of the most curated places on Earth: many pieces are submitted, but only the best are displayed. As I posted earlier, I’m absolutely fine with curation, as long as I am not locked in the museum.

And that’s the key failing here. Check out or no, you can never leave. And there are many, many things in this world that are worth seeing, even if they weren’t accepted by the curators.

Steve: Your apps are incredible, and the app store is great (Yes, iTunes needs a major overhaul, but that’s like the museum in my metaphor being in bad need of renovation.. the art itself is second to none). But what if I want to leave the museum, hop on the internet, and look at that virtually unknown artist’s new collage projects? What if I want to view the art of that outsider who’s work is too subversive or shocking to be displayed in the museum? In this system, it’s impossible. Steve, you have built a great system here, and it should stand strong, based on marketing and business strategy alone, without you needing to lock your clientèle in the museum until death does them part.

If they go out and find apps that slow down their system, or cause it to crash, or drain the battery more quickly than you would like, so be it. Those outsider Apps aren’t Apple Quality Checked, and the user knows going in what could happen.

I would like to finish here by saying: “A user being able to install whatever they want on the hardware that they own is the way of the future.” But it isn’t.. It’s been that way for many, many years. Innovation is everywhere, but innovation is not oppression, shackling your devices with (golden) chains. The more you do it, the more strength you give to open platforms, like Android, which as of this quarter is more prevalent than your system. Worse than that, you’re gradually, one by one, losing the respect of people like myself that used to swear by your products but have now been driven away.