9 ms·

If $100 a year would allow me to develop iOS apps on my Linux laptop I'd be fine with that. But $100 a year + paying for overpriced apple hardware doesn't sound

If $100 a year would allow me to develop iOS apps on my Linux laptop I'd be fine with that. But $100 a year + paying for overpriced apple hardware doesn't sound appealing.

xutopia 13y ago
And that is where the line divides. Android users are like you... they don't want to pay for software and go for cheaper hardware when they can.
- BlackDeath3 13y ago
  To speak nothing of whether or not that is actually true, what is the problem with opting for cheaper hardware?
- kintamanimatt 13y ago
  I'm a Linux and Android user. My Android phone wasn't any cheaper than an iPhone and I can most certainly afford any Apple hardware I want. I also don't use Linux because I'm cheap, I use Linux because I love it. The hardware was exactly what I wanted too. I don't develop for iOS because I don't want to own a Mac. I (as a long-time Linux user) find OS X incredibly frustrating. There's also absolutely no reason to force developers to use a particular brand of hardware or a particular operating system to develop for a particular phone.
  - msie 13y ago
    There's also absolutely no reason to force developers to use a particular brand of hardware or a particular operating system to develop for a particular phone. Well, it costs money for Apple to support development on Windows and Linux platforms. Who's going to port Xcode and the simulator to run on those platforms? How many different types of Windows and Linux configurations are out there?
    - shitlord 13y ago
      > Well, it costs money for Apple to support development on Windows and Linux platforms The cost of doing that pales in comparison to what they are making off of iOS. If they can afford to keep developing iTunes for Windows, they can afford to port their other software. For some reason, I don't think Apple will go out of business if they give it a shot. > How many different types of Windows and Linux configurations are out there? So target the most prevalent ones. I don't know about all of the various configurations on linux, but it's really not so bad with Windows - just target Windows 7 or higher, and you should be good. Nobody is saying it needs to look nice or even look like a native program; we just want something we can work with, even if it looks like dog shit.
- shitlord 13y ago
  It doesn't make a lot of sense to buy something when you are only developing for it and not actually planning on using it. I sometimes develop software for Windows, and I hate running it, so I won't purchase a copy of it. But that shouldn't prevent me from developing for it.
  - pjmlp 13y ago
    So advocating piracy are we?
    - fpgeek 13y ago
      There are ways to develop for Windows on other OSes without piracy (e.g. WINE).
      - pjmlp 13y ago
        I really doubt the quality of WINE for such purposes.
    - shitlord 13y ago
      No, I'm saying that I cross compile and have others test things out. I develop mostly with C++ and rarely need to use OS-level APIs that aren't included in things like Qt or Boost.
superuser2 13y ago
Exercise for people who think Macs are overpriced: find a machine with a solid state drive, excellent battery life, well built case, and high quality keyboard and trackpad for substantially less than the price of a Macbook Air.
- nonchalance 13y ago
  (writing this from 15" early 2013 rMBP) You can build a hackintosh with comparable specs for much cheaper than the equivalent Mac Pro, but the laptop space is no-contest
  - superuser2 13y ago
    Sorry, should have specified laptop. The Mac Pro is a terrible way to purchase raw computing power - it's there mostly for OSX-based media professionals.
- simplexion 13y ago
  Just remove well-built case and high-quality keyboard from that list and I can buy a laptop with much, much more power for the same price as a Macbook Air.
- epsylon 13y ago
  Lenovo Thinkpad.
rsynnott 13y ago
XCode's requirements are pretty modest. Get a second-hand Mac Mini or something (you may want to add memory to it).

If $100 a year would allow me to develop iOS apps on my Linux laptop I'd be fine with that. But $100 a year + paying for overpriced apple hardware doesn't sound appealing.

xutopia 13y ago

And that is where the line divides. Android users are like you... they don't want to pay for software and go for cheaper hardware when they can.

BlackDeath3 13y ago
To speak nothing of whether or not that is actually true, what is the problem with opting for cheaper hardware?
kintamanimatt 13y ago
I'm a Linux and Android user. My Android phone wasn't any cheaper than an iPhone and I can most certainly afford any Apple hardware I want. I also don't use Linux because I'm cheap, I use Linux because I love it. The hardware was exactly what I wanted too. I don't develop for iOS because I don't want to own a Mac. I (as a long-time Linux user) find OS X incredibly frustrating. There's also absolutely no reason to force developers to use a particular brand of hardware or a particular operating system to develop for a particular phone.
- msie 13y ago
  There's also absolutely no reason to force developers to use a particular brand of hardware or a particular operating system to develop for a particular phone. Well, it costs money for Apple to support development on Windows and Linux platforms. Who's going to port Xcode and the simulator to run on those platforms? How many different types of Windows and Linux configurations are out there?
  - shitlord 13y ago
    > Well, it costs money for Apple to support development on Windows and Linux platforms The cost of doing that pales in comparison to what they are making off of iOS. If they can afford to keep developing iTunes for Windows, they can afford to port their other software. For some reason, I don't think Apple will go out of business if they give it a shot. > How many different types of Windows and Linux configurations are out there? So target the most prevalent ones. I don't know about all of the various configurations on linux, but it's really not so bad with Windows - just target Windows 7 or higher, and you should be good. Nobody is saying it needs to look nice or even look like a native program; we just want something we can work with, even if it looks like dog shit.
shitlord 13y ago
It doesn't make a lot of sense to buy something when you are only developing for it and not actually planning on using it. I sometimes develop software for Windows, and I hate running it, so I won't purchase a copy of it. But that shouldn't prevent me from developing for it.
- pjmlp 13y ago
  So advocating piracy are we?
  - fpgeek 13y ago
    There are ways to develop for Windows on other OSes without piracy (e.g. WINE).
    - pjmlp 13y ago
      I really doubt the quality of WINE for such purposes.
  - shitlord 13y ago
    No, I'm saying that I cross compile and have others test things out. I develop mostly with C++ and rarely need to use OS-level APIs that aren't included in things like Qt or Boost.

superuser2 13y ago

Exercise for people who think Macs are overpriced: find a machine with a solid state drive, excellent battery life, well built case, and high quality keyboard and trackpad for substantially less than the price of a Macbook Air.

nonchalance 13y ago
(writing this from 15" early 2013 rMBP) You can build a hackintosh with comparable specs for much cheaper than the equivalent Mac Pro, but the laptop space is no-contest
- superuser2 13y ago
  Sorry, should have specified laptop. The Mac Pro is a terrible way to purchase raw computing power - it's there mostly for OSX-based media professionals.
simplexion 13y ago
Just remove well-built case and high-quality keyboard from that list and I can buy a laptop with much, much more power for the same price as a Macbook Air.
epsylon 13y ago
Lenovo Thinkpad.

rsynnott 13y ago

XCode's requirements are pretty modest. Get a second-hand Mac Mini or something (you may want to add memory to it).