Apple Releases Xcode 4 to Developers, Coming Soon to Mac App Store for $4.99

[mbprouser]

What I really want to know is, who here has actually used this release version of XCode 4?

I tried the preview version a while back and it was completely unusable due to numerous bugs; it couldn't even save a project correctly.

I haven't used it too much but I believe this build is the exact same as GM2. So if you have that and have the bugs, more than likely they aren't fixed. Unless somehow they updated other core files since the release.

 

[blackburn]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but couldn't you go buy a $15/$20 App Store gift card and then use that? Just throwing options out there if you don't have a credit/debit card.

That is a good option, if only apple sold those gift cards in my country. (Never saw them for sale, but it's a good choice if they exist )

Nevermind:
"iTunes Gift Cards are not available in Luxembourg, Portugal, or Greece."

 

[Stella]

I thought I'd get some food and come back and play with Xcode 4. Nope. Turns out that it's a whopping 2.5GB download and I'm lucky to get a few hundred KB per second on this connection X)

It took an age to download for me, and its taking an equal amount of time to install!!

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

We're a rather large organisation and we have 0 OS X Server in our datacenter (and we're not about to, with no hardware to run it on). But we do have plenty of Windows Server 2008 R2 boxes around, some even running front-end applications.

I think you haven't been in a large organisation in a while if you think you have more chances of seeing OS X there than Windows Server.

45,000+ users world-wide. Windows 2008R2 Servers (HP Blades running VM's.)

2 Xserves which are being replaced by 2 Windows 2008R2 VM's (for JAMF Casper.)

 

[Phil A.]

+1 Some people here just have a flair for the dramatic.

Too bad for him when he sees what a real version of Visual Studio costs

QFT

I develop in Windows and OS X, and the price of Visual Studio is shockingly high. The Express versions are no good for serious development (for example: no support for 64 bit, Unit tests, Team Foundation Server and a separate app for each development type). Once you're into paying territory you need some serious money!

AFAIK Visual Studio 2010 is only available Including MSDN subscription of varying levels (which means an annual payment) and the price of entry is $799 and it goes all the way up to an eye watering $11,899. That's just for the first year and after that you have to pay renewals of between $549 and $3799.


Visual Studio is a more mature and in many ways better product than xcode, but I really like xcode 4 and feel it is moving in the right direction (still too many bugs though!).
However, even allowing for the fact that Visual Studio is better, the cost of developing on Windows is far, far higher than on OS X

 

[michaelengel]

Free Xcode!

If - like me - you do not agree with Apple's move to provide Xcode as a paid option only, please support my FreeXcode petition at http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/FreeXcode!

Thanks,
Michael Engel
Unix developer since 1990, NeXT developer since 1994, OS X developer since 1999

 

[jowie]

After all, first it was Facetime, now it's Xcode. It's coming guys. It seems every Apple software that moved from HTTP downloads to the MAS gets a fee tacked on.

And yet, now I can actually buy iPhoto on its own for a decent price, as opposed to buying four apps that I don't want for $99 (or whatever it used to be).

 

[KnightWRX]

The Express versions are no good for serious development (for example: no support for 64 bit..

Wrong.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/9yb4317s(v=vs.80).aspx

64-bit tools are not available on Visual C++ Express Edition by default. To enable 64-bit tools on Visual C++ Express Edition, install the .NET Framework SDK in addition to Visual C++ Express Edition. Otherwise, an error occurs when you attempt to configure a project to target a 64-bit platform using Visual C++ Express Edition.

Some of you really need to learn about the Express editions before you comment on them. First it was "no commercial apps" which was wrong. Now it's no 64 bit support which is also wrong.

What next, "the syntax isn't colored" ? Well it is, let's save time on that one.

And yet, now I can actually buy iPhoto on its own for a decent price, as opposed to buying four apps that I don't want for $99 (or whatever it used to be).

No one said the MAS only brought negatives. I'm just thinking that we're now seeing a move away from free applications from Apple and that eventually will include all their other free apps. It's just the feeling these stories are giving me.

 

[blackburn]

QFT

I develop in Windows and OS X, and the price of Visual Studio is shockingly high. The Express versions are no good for serious development (for example: no support for 64 bit, Unit tests, Team Foundation Server and a separate app for each development type). Once you're into paying territory you need some serious money!

AFAIK Visual Studio 2010 is only available Including MSDN subscription of varying levels (which means an annual payment) and the price of entry is $799 and it goes all the way up to an eye watering $11,899. That's just for the first year and after that you have to pay renewals of between $549 and $3799.


Visual Studio is a more mature and in many ways better product than xcode, but I really like xcode 4 and feel it is moving in the right direction (still too many bugs though!).
However, even allowing for the fact that Visual Studio is better, the cost of developing on Windows is far, far higher than on OS X

That I knew, but apple has (at least here) no connection to students, we even get funny looks by walking with an macbook to a programming class. I really don't like m$ but they give us everything (except office) for free. I won't profit anything from it (and I can't according to the license, it's a full edition not an express one), so a free xcode for students wouldn't be a bad idea.

Now if only could find a way to bought the damn xcode.. I'm not worried about the 5$, just how to pay apple.

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

And yet, now I can actually buy iPhoto on its own for a decent price, as opposed to buying four apps that I don't want for $99 (or whatever it used to be).

If its in the right system A La Carte is fine by me. Someone else mentioned here the OS being free and paying for Apps. I wouldn't mind that as long as the OS wasn't crippled. I wouldn't want to have to buy a $1000 integration package that includes Samba, AD, and Kerberos for example.

 

[NebulaClash]

There is no disconnect. We only need the compiler, we don't need the IDE. So we are forced to pay for something we don't need to need, where is the logic in that? And if they indeed start charging for the compiler toolchain, it would be a punch in the face to all the scientific and open-source community.

Wow, $5 is a punch in the face. Glad to know where that line gets crossed. I used to think it was for serious offenses.

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

Wow, $5 is a punch in the face. Glad to know where that line gets crossed. I used to think it was for serious offenses.

I worked for a large company that used Xcode for one of there in house apps. This application is used by 500 people. Thats not a fun check to write if you are a medium business.

 

[shartypants]

Looks great, glad its out of beta.

 

[koruki]

Its for accounting purposes =)

 

[dejo]

I worked for a large company that used Xcode for one of there in house apps. This application is used by 500 people. Thats not a fun check to write if you are a medium business.

A company seeking multiple licenses of Xcode has other options than purchasing each copy individually via the Mac App Store and would be foolish to ignore them.

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

Its for accounting purposes =)

I would think but, why not make it a dollar or a penny?

A company seeking multiple licenses of Xcode has other options than purchasing each copy individually via the Mac App Store and would be foolish to ignore them.

Apples Enterprise Software agreements have some strange caveats to them that some businesses don't want to follow.

 

[Benjamins]

I worked for a large company that used Xcode for one of there in house apps. This application is used by 500 people. Thats not a fun check to write if you are a medium business.

if you have 500 developers, just get an iOS or Mac developer account, $99 for unlimited license.

Also I am pretty sure it will be bundled in the OS disc.

 

[0815]

I worked for a large company that used Xcode for one of there in house apps. This application is used by 500 people. Thats not a fun check to write if you are a medium business.

So you have 500 developers using xcode and don't have the Apple Developer Membership (which comes with free redistributable xcode installer) ????

Interesting ....

 

[dejo]

Apples Enterprise Software agreements have some strange caveats to them that some businesses don't want to follow.

Such as?

 

[jowie]

If its in the right system A La Carte is fine by me. Someone else mentioned here the OS being free and paying for Apps. I wouldn't mind that as long as the OS wasn't crippled. I wouldn't want to have to buy a $1000 integration package that includes Samba, AD, and Kerberos for example.

It just won't happen. People hate that Windows comes in a stupid number of different flavours (Professional, Enterprise, Home, Kitchen, Stairway etc). Apple like to keep things simple. The day they muddy everyone's heads by charging arbitrary amounts for small jigsaw pieces of an OS is the day they die.

Besides, how bad would it look when Jobs announces "Lion is available for download for FREE!" and then everyone downloads it only to discover that it's got nothing in it... You have to go to the App Store and spend $150 to make it into a workable OS...

Just not going to happen!

 

[Saladinos]

Yeah, just like Xcode was free. I'll stop using Safari 6 as an example the day it ships for free. Right now, I'm very concerned for the future of Apple free applications.

100% agree. Apple is nickel and diming, and I can't believe anyone would claim otherwise. This AppStore business has gone to their heads.

XCode 4 is a fantastic, huge update. On the other hand, raising the barrier to entry for software development is a step backwards. Apple are full of smart people, but this is just dumb.

Anyone who knows how much I love Apple products will know it's not easy for me, but Apple has been on a losing streak recently. I'll probably leave them soon. They've just become too greedy and lost their focus. They used to do things to add value to my experience as a Mac user. Now they're just putting up walls to me as a user, and trying to make me beg as a developer (e.g. with insane AppStore policies).

Tough, Apple. I'm seriously considering making my next phone an Android phone. Maybe Ill do the same when it comes to upgrade my iPad. Maybe HPs webOS will make a good replacement for my Mac, too.

 

[Benjamins]

I would think but, why not make it a dollar or a penny?

I believe it's partially for the bandwidth.
bear in mind it's a life time of almost 3Gig of data download.

 

[jowie]

I worked for a large company that used Xcode for one of there in house apps. This application is used by 500 people. Thats not a fun check to write if you are a medium business.

That check would be for $99.

 

[zymeth]

Sure charging $3000 for a mac pro for something I can build with my hands is hardly justifiable. Oh wait you can't compare the two because .... etc etc etc xCode just isn't as good yet. The gap between interface and code is still too big. For instance something really simple. Can I create an event by double clicking on a control?

I wish your comparison made sense, alas it does not. And yes you can actually, just drag the control in the code an it makes it for u /amazed

 

[MattInOz]

I think to call this gouging is a bit emotional.

Apple clearly are not going to profit from this at all. Even a million purchases won't cover the cost of development. And professional developers get this for free.

I think the charge is for one thing only. To disincentivise the casually interested from clicking on a free download in the App Store of a 4GB file.

C.

Yep...
Apple would know better than my guessing, but i'd suspect that in the AppStore a free app will get clicked on if it the icon looks good and it's high ranking, I'm sure they know what percentage of these downloads ever go used let alone used over a period of time.

At $2 people might read the description. I suspect the $5 is entirely about the behavior of shoppers in the appstore.

I have one question, does the $5 xCode let me use an app I'm developing on iDevice which is something the free program doesn't allow. Even if it's really restricted like only allowing the app to be on one or two devices and they have to be tethered to load.

Still for $5 I get access to Xcode4 months earlier than waiting for Lion.
Doesn't sound like a bad deal at all.

p.s. Or I could stay on Xcode3 for free (well the cost of the SL upgrade disk).