iOS 7 to Ship 'On Time' as OS X Engineers Pitch In

[deconstruct60]

Cash and Manpower don't solve software problems.

LOL. Please. Got any example of a success software project that doesn't have either one and is powered by Oompa-Loompas and pixie dust ? .... crickets chirping.....

How cash and manpower are applied over time is a factor also, but if have no cash and no manpower there aren't going to be any solutions.

Apple isn't really trying to make money off you.

ROTFLMAO. That is completely untrue.

They are just making this years version for this years Mac.

I don't think their expectation is that everyone has to upgrade right away. They should also have some reasonable expectations that a small fraction will either skip this upgrade or drop out of upgrading. The former due to system stability/configuration issues and the latter because of older hardware. However, the majority of users of a new version of OS X are machines from previous years.

. Or just wait two more years until you get your next Mac.

There is only a much smaller fraction (relative to the Mac user base) of folks that cycle the Macs every 2-3 years.

 

[needfx]

Take it to 9gag!

I need to think up the artwork.

thanks for the prompt

 

[ctcampbell]

That photo is the epitomy of chalk and cheese. A rock legend who has lived 10 lives over stood next to a bearded nerd that writes about a tech company.

 

[irfaanfaki]

I'm sure he's a nice guy but he kinda comes across as a pompous douche.

You sir, deserve a medal for that

 

[Digitalclips]

It would sure be nice if in return iOS engineers pitched in getting OS X 10.9 out.

How late will 10.9 be now? Will we see it in 2013?

Agreed!

 

[NutsNGum]

The small guys are defining the future of mobile Internet and mobile computing - not Apple, not Microsoft, not Google.

This is categorically false. More money = more influence, more power to drive change. Google and Apple are constantly innovating, Mozilla are doing their bit for standards, but they do not have anywhere near the scope to effect change as the big 3.

 

[sash]

Looks like Guns N' Roses reunion. Sure it's not Axl on the right?

 

[RobNYC]

News Flash: For those of you wondering how it can be "late" when it hasn't been announced, companies do have internal timelines for completion on projects. Moving something back even a week or more can cause chaos in scheduling and create a domino effect for a number of other projects in the pipeline.

This!

 

[phillipduran]

Why is Slash working on iOS7?

 

[RobNYC]

This is 100% an argument of semantics. Nevertheless, the next iPhone also cannot yet be delayed as the consumers haven't yet been told a release date. We don't know Apple's internal schedule, nor should it matter to us consumers. If Apple promised that the next iPhone would come out by Aug 15th, and something caused it to come out on Sep 15th, then it would be a delay. However, right now, any date Apple gives us would be the first date we hear and is therefore perfectly on time. Same for iPhone shipping with iOS6. If Apple announces that the next iPhone ships with iOS6, we have no way of knowing that wasn't the plan for months now.

It can be delayed because they have their own internal deadlines. Just because the public doesn't know them doesn't mean it's not a delay. As was mentioned this stuff is highly coordinated.

 

[bbeagle]

LOL. Please. Got any example of a success software project that doesn't have either one and is powered by Oompa-Loompas and pixie dust ? .... crickets chirping.....

How cash and manpower are applied over time is a factor also, but if have no cash and no manpower there aren't going to be any solutions.

I think what RobertMartens was trying to say was that if you have a software project BEHIND SCHEDULE, it's been proven that pouring all the extra developers and extra cash you have won't speed up the schedule.

This is because you don't need just warm bodies, but people who understand the code, the algorithms, reasons behind the algorithms, reasons certain decisions were made with the code, etc. This stuff is not written down during the development process, rather it only exists in the brains of the current developers, and the current developers need to stop what they're doing and explain things to the new developers, thus slowing down the current developers.

If the reason something is behind schedule is because of something external, like 'we don't have all Jonny Ive's buttons made yet' - no problem, someone can make the buttons, but if the reason something is behind schedule is because 'we can't get this to work quite right', then the new developer needs to understand (a) what is needed, (b) how it is currently working, (c) all the iterations of things that they've tried already and (d) side-effects of doing things certain ways. If the new developer doesn't know (c), then the new developer, if of the same mindset, will spin his/her wheels repeating previous failures. If the new developer doesn't know (d), then the developer might think he/she solved the problem, but caused a side-effect that harms something else, causing MORE developer time needed.

And communication issues are compounded exponentially with more developers. With just a few developers (4 or less), people will 'know' what others are doing by overhearing talk through cubicle walls, and by their day to day chat. More than that, meetings are necessary. More than that, or with remote employees, other communications are necessary, thus decreasing the development time.

 

[Wicked1]

I for one do not want iOS 7 until it is ready, enough releasing a version of OS and then constant patch updates, get it ready, and then release, until then, I will survive with iOS6

 

[babyj]

I think what RobertMartens was trying to say was that if you have a software project BEHIND SCHEDULE, it's been proven that pouring all the extra developers and extra cash you have won't speed up the schedule.

Think the question and point is why it's got so far behind schedule they're having to pull developers from other teams and delay other projects.

This isn't an issue of scale either, Microsoft have released numerous major versions of major products over the last 12 months or so all of which integrate with each other heavily and share code. Windows 8 was released 3 months after Mountain Lion and builds of the next version (8.1 or "Blue") are already doing the rounds. Likely we'll see it released before the next OS X.

It's an issue Apple should have been addressing a long time back. Building up their development teams, having some slack, speeding up development on other projects which can be more easily delayed. Add on all the other issues around Apple software and it's pretty obviously they have some major issues they really need to sort out.

 

[mono1980]

It's not always about money. You can not just hire 100 people off the street, even if they have an engineering degree. Even if enough qualified people were available (maybe there are, maybe not), it takes a while to fit them in and get them to do what you want to do. In addition there is often a Visa problem when the most qualified candidates are not american citizens.

The point is that in the last six years they should have corrected this issue and had larger engineering staffs. The might not be able to just hire people to immediately help out, but they could have been hiring more people over a longer period of time and not run into this problem... of course, I realize it's hard to keep talented people as well.

 

[bbeagle]

It's an issue Apple should have been addressing a long time back. Building up their development teams, having some slack, speeding up development on other projects which can be more easily delayed. Add on all the other issues around Apple software and it's pretty obviously they have some major issues they really need to sort out.

You really don't get software development.

 

[Mattstkc]

I for one do not want iOS 7 until it is ready, enough releasing a version of OS and then constant patch updates, get it ready, and then release, until then, I will survive with iOS6

There's no way to test every possible scenario with an OS, so even if they think it's ready, there's always a way to break it that is so random that only a few users out of millions will find.

 

[babyj]

You really don't get software development.

You're right, I don't.

Having spent 15 years working with and supporting software developers and the applications they write I still don't understand how they get it so wrong so much of the time. It's not rocket science, just pure incompetence.

 

[KdParker]

It's not always about money. You can not just hire 100 people off the street, even if they have an engineering degree. Even if enough qualified people were available (maybe there are, maybe not), it takes a while to fit them in and get them to do what you want to do. In addition there is often a Visa problem when the most qualified candidates are not american citizens.

I am just hoping that we get some new and fun updates with ios7

 

[printz]

Any possibility that the new iOS will be more open?

 

[bbeagle]

You're right, I don't.

Having spent 15 years working with and supporting software developers and the applications they write I still don't understand how they get it so wrong so much of the time. It's not rocket science, just pure incompetence.

Maybe I was too snarky with my last comment. Sorry.

If you've spent 15 years working with and supporting software developers, you know that MANY things fall through the cracks. Processes change, not everyone follows processes, almost every project has a time near the end where developers are all working overtime to get 'one last little thing or change or tweak' in. It's ALWAYS that way. There's blame to be passed around from developers cutting corners, managers allowing scope creep during the project, requirements constantly changing, developers quitting, HR requiring vacations during the wrong time of the project, poor structure of dev/test/production environments, bad SCM practices, Lawyers, P/R, etc. etc.

I've never seen ANY company perfect with everything. I've never seen ANY project in my 20+ years in the software development field go smoothly (at least from the developer or manager's perspective). The customer's perspective is different.

 

[hayesk]

That photo is the epitomy of chalk and cheese. A rock legend who has lived 10 lives over stood next to a bearded nerd that writes about a tech company.

Have you ever heard Jim play guitar? He's quite good.

 

[carlgo]

Contest: how many carefully chosen fashion statements can you find in the photo? My count is 22.

 

[SockRolid]

Now THAT's a rock star! Rock on, man!

Who's the guy in the hat?

 

[Sedrick]

Personally, I can see where iOS7 caught Apple off guard. It's not like they do this every year or anything.

 

[ctcampbell]

Have you ever heard Jim play guitar? He's quite good.

I'm sure he is, but he's still a nerd writing about a tech company.