Let’s assume that you are correct and that MacHeist is a profit driven enterprise. In order to suspect MacHeist of exploitation we would also have to assume that VectorDesigner, Snapz Pro X, Pixelmator, CSSEdit et. al., are developed by non-profit software developers who are charging customers only what is necessary for them to break even on development costs.

I have no problem with MacHeist acting as an game/advertising agency/promoter/distributor provided they have not coerced, deceived or defrauded the participants. If this were the case, then we could draw an analogy between Wal Mart and MacHeist. The problem with Wal Mart is that they are able to demand lower prices from American factories in virtue of the volume of their buys along with the explicit or implicit threat to go overseas and exploit third world factories (and indirectly third world workers).

Given what was stated in episode 75, the developers entered into voluntary contracts, were paid a substantial sum of money, and raised money for charity. The fact that MacHeist received a share of the profits for their effort doesn’t appear to me to be unseemly, unless again you believe that this whole endeavor was somehow a non-profit enterprise on the part of all the parties involved.