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Xcode now costs US$ 4.99

itunes.apple.com

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Re: Xcode now costs US$ 4.99

#112

Seeing this reminded me of a Microsoft focus group I was invited to be a part of a few years ago. As a CTO who had decided to build everyone on top of free software, they wanted to know what it take to make me to switch to a Microsoft stack. I told them they were 10 years too late. You see, I made the decision to use LAMP stack not because it was cheaper, but because it's what I knew. And the reason I knew LAMP stack…

if someone can afford an apple pc, he for sure can also afford 5$ for a good software! if anything, this should teach the teens that good software can also have a price.

Re: Xcode now costs US$ 4.99

#116
post #85

I think Apple should by Text Mate and charge $4.99 then it would make sense. I like TextMate is much better especially for writing Ruby on Rails

If Xcode isn't worth $4.99, then how outrageous is Textmate's $56 license? I use neither, since free tools are available for what I do, and they get the job done quite well.

Re: Xcode now costs US$ 4.99

#117

I suspect Apple is trying to build up the Mac App Store. I doubt they care about the money they get from Xcode or Facetime ($0.99). Perhaps it sets up an expectation for the consumer - a small utility should cost about $0.99 and that a larger application should be about $4.99. This gets consumers in the habit of paying for software they might expect to be free, motivating developers to use the Mac App store and build…

I agree: They are charging to set an expectation for consumers and app developers that quality mac apps should not be free.

Re: Xcode now costs US$ 4.99

#118
post #21

I'm guessing that this is a regulatory compliance thing :/

I'm with you. When you give software away instead of charging for it, while simultaneously making your money off an associated product, you are required to do all sorts of backflips over how you account for revenue. This is why certain updates for the iPod Touch cost money while they are free for iPhones: It is entirely driven by how Apple writes up iPod Touch vs. iPhone revenue.

Except that's not true anymore:

"Apple has for the first time made this full iOS upgrade free to all of its iPod touch customers, rather than charging the customary $10 fee that provoked groans in the past."

(http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/reviews/entry/apple-ios-4.0...)

This leads me to believe that the whole accounting rules canard was just a way to make more money. Why did they start charging for XCode? Because you'll pay it.

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