Xcode 4 - No Longer Free?

Fr0z3n wrote:
I recently 'forked over' thousands for two Macbooks (Air&Pro) only to discover the pro to show up last week with FaceTime preinstalled and when I bought the new Air '13 around Christmas, I had to pay my .99 for FaceTime from the app store (makes you feel hustled).

I just checked the install disk of the pro and it dosent contain Xcode at all yet, checking an older install disk, it's there.

Fr0z3n wrote:
Actually, I would be ok if it didn't come preinstalled because that would be consistant (original complaint, RTFP!)

Also, try downloading xcode from apple. I hope you have 2hrs. to idle while it downloads (26mb down on FIOS), winning!

I personally think this is a really cheap stunt by Apple. As an iPhone developer I have so far forked out £60 for a developer licence and £1000 for a new MacBook as Apple deemed my iBook too old to develop on (even though it could be forced to run the tools through a one line config change).

Now urgently trying to update to version 4 as I've been asked to put something together for a senior stakeholder tomorrow only to find that the free version isn't available on the registered developer site but, conveniently, the paid version is ready to download. I'll be asking for my money back from Apple...

Devs don't work in a vacuum. The fee for the dev program includes two paid incidents. DTS doesn't get involved just to chat about the weather, tho, so have specifics ready when attempting to use a ticket. If you burn thru the two that come with the account each year you sign up, you can always buy more.

Hello here,

I have to agree with the OP. This change isn't very developer friendly imo and is going to hurt the iOS platform in the long run. Last year i build my first mobile application (apart from some j2me stuff) as an assignement in college. And i choose iOS because of it's popularity and it's easy access (installing xcode and go). Now about one year later i strongly consider switching to android. After having to upgrade to snow leopard, to be able to update xcode, now i have to spent money every x months to keep xcode on a stable version and to be able to access things like the apple sample library. And there is no logical reasoning behind it, other then apple want to earn an extra buck.

I mean, whenever i sell a good piece of software on the app store, apple benefits in multiple ways. Now i can try to cirumvent the difficulties by writing worse code and therefore worse software or i change to android(insert any other os here).

I don't have a problem spending money for a good product, like this nice macbook i'm writing on. But I want to be able to churn out new ideas and play around with old ones without having to worry when they get outdated because of someones policies.

Going to finish this project on iOS and then I will check the alternatives.

If you ask me, the barrier to entry into the app stores is far too low. Apple says they don't want it to be "amateur hour", but for 90% of it, that is exactly what it is. I think it would be a great idea if all the developers who didn't want to spend $5 or even $99 dumped Apple and went to Android.

I agree. These wanna-be developers don't remember when the ADC entry fee was a minimum of $499.

The current program is a sweet deal.

Apple is slowly raising the bar, at least during the review cycle. Apple seems to have stopped chasing quantity and now/finally quality moves up the priority list.

And while I doubt that charging for Xcode will make much of a difference, anything to lower the noise in that space is welcome.

Don't see myself as a wanna-be developer and my major concern is that the xcode strategy of apple doesnt benefit the software you produce. If you want to reduce the amount of bad software in the app store then put a price tag on the access to it. Make it 100+ $ to be tested. And if you have developed good apps in the past then lower it. That way a developer can calculate if his software is "pro" enough that he wants to invest in it.

But don't raise the bar for those who make first contact with your OS and those who play around with ideas.

Don't make the mistake of thinking Apple has any warm/fuzzy for bringing in devs. Last I heard, 1,000 a week sign up. What motive is there to encourage anyone at that level?

All those toe-dippers hit the bottom line with the same basic questions, over and over. Even if Apple doesn't field those questions directly, they still tie up resources that cost money.

Consider an Xcode fee as yet another test of (up front) sincerity.

And remember, Apple does for Apple. Devs are just fodder in the mix and there is no shortage.

martind wrote:

Don't see myself as a wanna-be developer and my major concern is that the xcode strategy of apple doesnt benefit the software you produce. If you want to reduce the amount of bad software in the app store then put a price tag on the access to it. Make it 100+ $ to be tested. And if you have developed good apps in the past then lower it. That way a developer can calculate if his software is "pro" enough that he wants to invest in it.

Isn't that exactly what Apple has done? If you want to have your software in an App Store it will cost $99.

But don't raise the bar for those who make first contact with your OS and those who play around with ideas.

The bar for first contact and playing around has been raised, but only to $5.