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       Bartender Developer Explains and Apologizes for Quiet Acquisition

   Adam Engst

   [1]Ben Surtees, developer of the popular Mac menu bar utility
   Bartender, writes:

     Three months ago, I sold Bartender to Applause, a company with the
     resources and expertise to take the app to new heights. Applause
     shares my vision for Bartender and is committed to maintaining its
     core values while bringing in new features and improvements. I truly
     believe they are the right team to continue the journey and ensure
     Bartender remains a valuable tool for all of you.

     I understand that the transition hasn't been entirely smooth.
     Recently, there was a change in the signing certificate for the app,
     and unfortunately, this change wasn't communicated properly to you,
     our loyal users. I apologize for any confusion or concern this may
     have caused. Please rest assured that Bartender is signed by a valid
     Apple ID developer and notarized by Apple, which verifies the app to
     ensure it is free from malware. You can read more about[2]Apple's
     notarization process here.

   The post from Surtees came in response to [3]online furor triggered by
   a change in the signing certificate for Bartender that caused
   MacUpdater to flag an update as dubious. The concern wasn't unwarranted
   because [4]Bartender needs Accessibility and Screen Recording
   permissions that would have been problematic if a malicious actor had
   taken over the app.

   Instead, this was merely a case of botched PR. As a friend with a
   decades-long career in the field once told me, the goal of PR is to
   tell the truth and tell it first. Had Surtees and [5]Applause announced
   the acquisition before making any technical changes, they could have
   avoided this online tempest and harm to Bartender's reputation and user
   base. Now it's up to Applause to mend the damage by focusing on
   transparency.

   [6]Read original article

References

   1. https://www.macbartender.com/b5blog/A-New-Chapter-for-Bartender/
   2. https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xcode/notarizing_macos_software_before_distribution
   3. https://www.reddit.com/r/macapps/comments/1d7zjv8/bartender_5_not_safe_anymore_warning_from/
   4. https://mastodon.social/@chockenberry/112565063298491414
   5. https://www.applause.dev/
   6. https://www.macbartender.com/b5blog/A-New-Chapter-for-Bartender/

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