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

[Carniphage]

That's fine; I don't have an issue.

1. The software release was very buggy (understandable) and slow.
2. Nothing exceptionally different. Not the features I was looking for.

I have been using it exclusively since GM1.
I found GM1 crashed a few times. More than I would have expected.
GM2 seems more stable.
Not had any performance issues at all. Compilation seems virtually instantaneous.

I find my productivity has improved over XCode3.

The workflow makes more sense to me. As if someone has actually designed it, rather than left it to a bunch of engineers.

I found I drowned under a heap of windows in 3. In 4, the multi-pane editor helps makes it easy to keep the stuff I am working on - visible without clutter.

The inline syntax checking is effectively running a compile in the background, so I don't have to press build to see syntax errors.

The smart editing suggestions speed up code entry. I like how code warnings are slightly more annoying, which encourages me to tidy-up.

The tabbed navigation sidebar is a really fast way to find stuff.

In short it just makes more sense.

Obviously you don't need *any* of this stuff. But for me, it saves time.

C.

 

[Benjamins]

We are not complaining about the $5. We are complaining that there is no free version, and that it WAS free and became not free. Teaching someone how to develop an app for their first time on Windows, you'd use VSE, and if they get serious about it later, then you'd go for the more expensive versions.

It's pretty darn hard to get serious when the next version upgrade is over $400...

 

[joephish]

The thing I DID notice by downloading XCode 4 through the App Store was the fact that there seems to be no Time Remaining indicator when downloading over 3GB?! I just have a faded icon in my dock with a tiny progress indicator beneath it.

Does anyone know if there's a way to get a better indication of download progress through the Mac App store?

Not bothered about the $5 (£2.99)

 

[lucasgladding]

There is no Kool-Aid. Apple decided to charge for tools they develop. If you don't think these are worth $5, don't buy them. Apple decided Xcode was worth the money, and the App Store is their new means for distributing software. If you think this is simply Apple being greedy, there may be an argument for App Store-only distribution, but I would not make that argument without understanding development costs, investor's acceptable rate of return, etc...

I don't see the Mac App Store being the exclusive means for distributing applications anytime soon. I suspect you'll be able to run unsigned apps 5 years from now without any trouble. When the Finder disappears, then there will be an argument for App Store-only distribution.

Bottom line: Apple is making more money now because of the power they have, the opportunities their distribution channels provide, the talent they employ, etc. Personally, I see the value proposition increasing, not decreasing. If I need to shell out $5 here and there, so be it. I'm certainly not following the company blindly; there are plenty of Apple products (and updates) I do not purchase.

Put down the Kool-Aid glass for a second and think about it. That $99 gets you access to distribution on the App Store. As an independent developer that makes freeware for the fun of it, guess how much the Mac App Store means to me? If you guessed "nothing at all", you win a cookie.

The Mac App Store was the first step is taking away user freedoms, but it seemed OK on the surface since those of us that prefer not to use it can still distribute our apps outside of the marketplace. However, when you now have to pay for developer tools that were once free, joining the Mac developer program suddenly because a $94 total cost. Yes it's a negligible change, but I don't see how anyone can argue that this ISN'T one step closer to the App Store being the only allowed distribution point for new software.

Oh and by the way, for those of us that came from the UNIX world, we sort of expect to have compilers in our OS provided by our distribution manufacturer. When we already pay for OS X, that is even more so the case.

 

[KnightWRX]

Wouldn't the $5 be a way to track and enforce a licence agreement. By making someone go through this process the licensed copy would be associated with a credit card and a person/organization. Apple doesn't want your $5; they want to know who's got the software.

You need to be signed in to your free ADC account to download Xcode 3 for free. They know who got the software by virtue of that.

 

[iBug2]

Who cares about the 5$, the problem is it used to be 100% free, 0$. Why the sudden greed ?



I'm an ADC member. I still have to pay. You can to be registered with the 99$ program. Hobby developers ? Professional Mac software doesn't require the 99$ fee because you're not forced to go through the App Store to sell it.

Any serious developer out there would pay Apple the ADC fee and has paid 500$ until last year, to get the pre releases to test their apps. And for those people, this is free. And I'm pretty sure at the moment they are the majority of developers.

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

Much needed update. Enjoying it thus far. Luckily I am a developer so its free. Sad to see this not free anymore though. I don't understand the rational of Apple forcing people to pay $5 on something they will end up getting a 30% cut of anyways.

 

[Thadon]

Is any PAID iOS developer having problems downloading xcode 4? I'm logged in and says access denied when I try to download. I've even tried using a different browser.

 

[iBug2]

You need to be signed in to your free ADC account to download Xcode 3 for free. They know who got the software by virtue of that.

That's not really the same as credit card information. You can create a free ADC account by an email.

 

[nick9191]

Agreed, we need to stop patting Apple on the back for something you could get for free from your install CD.

Lion better only be $124 for the upgrade now.

Fixed.

 

[bbeagle]

No personally-owned software is allowed on my work machines. $5 or $5000, either way I have to submit paperwork to make it happen.

So, why is this YOUR problem?

If you need XCode 4 for your job, or to make you more productive, and your company is not willing to provide it without you jumping through hoops, I think your company is a joke.

And note that I have worked for companies like this in the past. Leave that job as quickly as you can, and find a job that actually looks out for their developers.

Edit: Even if it was $0, No personally-owned software is allowed on my work machines, so you couldn't install it either, right?

 

[Benjamins]

Again, not the point. The point is Xcode 3 is still free and always was free. Why this sudden urge to gouge 5$ out of developers that bring content to your platform and thus make it relevent to your users ?

Mac software = Mac users.
iOS software = iOS users.

Like you said you can build apps with just vi and gcc compiler?
just stick with that.

Or you think you are the only one who can do that?

 

[AnonMac50]

It's pretty darn hard to get serious when the next version upgrade is over $400...

Maybe they'll switch to Mac

 

[Carniphage]

Again, not the point. The point is Xcode 3 is still free and always was free. Why this sudden urge to gouge 5$ out of developers that bring content to your platform and thus make it relevent to your users ?

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.

 

[lucasgladding]

For those who seem to be keeping score, don't forget that iPod touch update were $10, but are now free. If Lion does include Server as the site suggests, that another case of costs dropping. I'm sure there are more examples.

 

[KnightWRX]

Any serious developer out there would pay Apple the ADC fee and has paid 500$ until last year, to get the pre releases to test their apps. And for those people, this is free. And I'm pretty sure at the moment they are the majority of developers.

Seriously, who are you to decide who's serious or not ? Again, this used to be free, the ADC paid program was never a requirement to write software, and now it's suddenly 5$.

Greed. The only reason.

 

[elppa]

Cyberduck is also free on their web page, but 19 EU on App Store. Devs pay 99 a year to get it and all aother things. When you buy a Mac or Retail disk you pay for it too.

Cyberduck.
How the hell did that get accepted!?!?!

It makes quite extensive use of the (now deprecated) JavaBridge. Unless the devs pulled all that out for the App Store version. I doubt it though.

I'm pretty sure the rules were Cocoa/Objective-C or else.

2.24 Apps that use deprecated or optionally installed technologies (e.g., Java, Rosetta) will be rejected

I think I mentioned at the time on this (or another site) that it is a shame for this reason that Cyberduck wouldn't be included.

Which makes me think the review team asleep at the wheel for that one.

 

[iBug2]

For those who seem to be keeping score, don't forget that iPod touch update were $10, but are now free. If Lion does include Server as the site suggests, that another case of costs dropping. I'm sure there are more examples.

Lion will include server for free.

 

[AnonMac50]

Fixed.

Which reminds me, since the dev thing is $99, how much will Lion be, it has to be less. If it's less, will there be missing things that you have to buy?

 

[cyberfunk]

Wtf ?

This is ******** ...

I wonder how many really cool free apps have been developed, or how many students have been incentivized to learn about Apple's tools, or how many geeks have found bugs in XCode and the accompanying tools because they were free.

As a non-developer but someone who likes to be able to compile their own stuff from time to time, this is infuriating, not because i'm not willing to pay 5$, but because I see the deadening effect this can have on others.

What the heck is Apple thinking here ??

 

[lucasgladding]

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.

+1

I can't count how many non-developers I know that have Xcode 3 because they think they are "in the know" because they have Xcode on their system. As far as I can tell, that is the only reason they have it on their system.

 

[xStep]

Get ready for the explosion of absolutely crap apps.

Why, because people can now install the IDE via the easy to use Mac App store process. Not bloody likely. Any development takes personal investment of time and that has not changed.

 

[iBug2]

Seriously, who are you to decide who's serious or not ? Again, this used to be free, the ADC paid program was never a requirement to write software, and now it's suddenly 5$.

Greed. The only reason.

Serious developer: People who actually care that their apps work without any issues once Apple updates their OS. You can't do that without having access to pre-release builds.

And ADC paid program still is no requirement to write software. You can write software with free tools and compile using free compilers. Or you can use XCode 3.

 

[iBug2]

This is ******** ...

I wonder how many really cool free apps have been developed, or how many students have been incentivized to learn about Apple's tools, or how many geeks have found bugs in XCode and the accompanying tools because they were free.

As a non-developer but someone who likes to be able to compile their own stuff from time to time, this is infuriating, not because i'm not willing to pay 5$, but because I see the deadening effect this can have on others.

What the heck is Apple thinking here ??

You don't need XCode to do any of that. Just install any version of gcc for free if you want to keep compiling your apps.

 

[bbeagle]

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.

Completely agree.

There are probably people out there who download virtually EVERY free application they see. This cuts down the downloads to just those people who really want XCode 4, and not just scanning the library for 'free things' (thus increasing Apple's costs for server bandwidth).

Yes, $5 is an odd move. Maybe it should have been priced at $99 with a free 1 year developer subscription.