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Xcode now costs US$ 4.99

itunes.apple.com

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Re: Xcode now costs US$ 4.99

#262
Everyone of course realizes that the $4.99 pricetag is only for non-ADC members. The whole thing is still available completely free on the Developer site for members. I don't really think we need to get all upset over them charging five dollars rather than requiring an ADC membership for $99/year.

Re: Xcode now costs US$ 4.99

#263
post #240
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fortunately Homebrew and MacPorts can just ship a gcc and get on with things.

You can compile, but you can't link with the standard GNU toolchain to get a usable library (at least last I heard), because binutils simply doesn't support the Mach-O format (see http://gcc.gnu.org/ml/gcc/2009-09/msg00121.html ).

I believe Apple's version of binutils is cctools, which is at http://www.opensource.apple.com/source/cctools/cctools-782/ . It includes ld and as. As you mention, the standard GNU source for binutils won't build, as it doesn't understand Mach-O, but MacPorts would seem to be free to use cctools for linking/assembling.

If this turns into a "real issue", such that XCode 3 was rescinded and XCode 4 remained paid only - as opposed to some stupid accounting problem which might mean it would be bundled free with Lion, with XC3 hanging around for (Snow) Leopard - then I suspect we'll soon see MacPorts or their kin come up with a downloadable toolchain based on this existing Apple open source work that would allow them to continue virtually unchanged.

Re: Xcode now costs US$ 4.99

#264
post #26

Once the old free Xcode 3 has vanished, this neatly puts an end to stuff like Homebrew or MacPorts. I really don't care about paying the $4, but for many people without credit cards or unwilling to use iTunes/the app store, OSX just has become a lot less useful.

I haven't seen any indication that they won't continue to include XCode in the install DVD that comes with every Mac.

But what about updates? Now handled by the mac app store, for apps bought by the mac app store. And the iPhone SDK may or may not be distributed with the mac, which may be out of date from the current iOS.

Re: Xcode now costs US$ 4.99

#265
post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can understand how the cost of a Happy Meal might deter someone who wants to try their hand at coding. I mean seriously, you're going to spend at least 10 times that amount on programming books, or thousands of times that amount on college classes.

The entire thing is built on open source. I certainly won't be paying and this shift in culture at apple is turning me off. I probably won't be buying another product from them for a while.

The whole IDE portion isn't open source, just the compilers. Thats like saying IntelliJ shouldn't charge for their IDE because the java compiler is free.

Re: Xcode now costs US$ 4.99

#266

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Citation? Sorry, doesn't ring true.

https://www.pcworld.com/article/142272/accounting_rules_behi... Apple reports iPhone revenues over a 24 month period, this is called subscription accounting. Since an iPhone is sold as a subscription, Apple can write off services associated with providing that subscription on an ongoing basis, i.e. give all upgrades away for free. http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/tag/subscription-accounting/ iPod Touch and Mac revenues do…

Thanks for the reply. I stand corrected.

Re: Xcode now costs US$ 4.99

#267

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And? Apple never said (as far as I know) that "Xcode will be forever free" and really, are people bitching about $5?

> are people bitching about $5? Yes. Because Xcode has been free for 10 years it's taken for granted that Xcode is free, and because OSX's base install does contain any C compilers, it's in the Xcode install .

> OSX's base install does contain any C compilers, it's in the Xcode install.

I think you ment to say "Doesn't" instead of does. This nullifies any argument that GCC and the Gnu Toolchain are free to download, if in a year from now the OS you buy doesn't contain GCC in the base install in order to download and compile GCC.

Re: Xcode now costs US$ 4.99

#268

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I bet they will, just like they're shipping Facetime with Lion.

It would offer a bit of an incentive for anyone thinking of upgrading to Lion. Why not throw in the IDE? I'm just not sure that they will.

They did with all previous versions of Xcode, I don't see why they'd stop now.

Re: Xcode now costs US$ 4.99

#269
post #231

I'm an academic who develops Free / Open Source software and distributes libraries and binaries for the Windows, x86 and x86_64 Linux and Mac platforms along with the source. One important library generates C code based on a domain specific language, links a shared object and uses that; on Windows and Linux, we ship a cut back gcc and libtools to do that; libtools doesn't work on the Mac (at least last time I looked…

The GCC toolchain can link Mach-O binaries without using any code from Apple. Building GCC cross-compilers like this is a pain, but crosstools takes a bit of that away:

http://www.kegel.com/crosstool/

Basically, you can generate your own binaries and ship them under the GPL. No Apple needed.

I'll ask for more info from someone I know who built an OSX cross-compiler under Linux.

Re: Xcode now costs US$ 4.99

#270
"Xcode 4 is a free download for all members of the iOS and Mac Developer Programs. Log in to your account to begin the download."

- from the Xcode download page.

Slightly annoying that it costs money now, but $4.99 for a full featured IDE (even one that used to be free) is still a pretty good deal.

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