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CS193p: Developing Apps for iOS

cs193p.sites.stanford.edu

91–100 of 174 posts

Re: CS193p: Developing Apps for iOS

#92
post #72

I'm assuming you need a Mac computer to develop ios applications? I have an iphone and ipad but I won't purchase their computers.

A side point but as you're OK with the i* devices I'm curious what it is about the macs that lead you to "won't". (Not trying to start a flame war here)

My work provides me with an iphone (which i only use for work). I like the hardware but the OS is super limiting.

I bought an ipad pro for art - mostly Procreate (is that sad?) but I also use a 16" wacom display tablet attached to my desktop when I'm not mobile. I also use it to play with music recording on mobile with a small midi keyboard and some synth apps. The ipad hardware is really nice. The OS is super limiting to the point of frustration. If there were alternate non-apple hardware of similar quality for what I do on ipad, I would likely switch. As it is the device is just for 'playing' creatively.

For a computer, I regularly run software with no mac ports and I'm not a big fan of the way apple is fundamentally anti consumer in its approach to product repair, OS design and controlling what software can be run on devices. I don't want to invite that sort of intrusive tech control over my life in the future by buying into now as a principle computing device when its more 'open' (even though apple is fundamentally not open) I've seen this kind of thing coming as apple gets more and more aggressive with its policies.

Apple's move to their own silicon only makes me think they walled garden will get an even more impenetrable wall, and I'm just not interested. (The hardware is good but the OS is limiting, and it seems likely to me that the longer apple makes their own silicon the less likely it will play nicely with anyone else. Apple wants you to buy their shit and they don't care if it doesn't work with anyone else's).

Re: CS193p: Developing Apps for iOS

#93

I don't have a mac, why is it to be so hard for someone like me to learn ios development :(

It is quite a hassle indeed. As far as I know, you need: - a Mac (with a recent enough version of Mac OS) - an iPhone with a recent enough iOS - a 99$/year (iirc) Apple developer account These things might be a given for people in SV but it’s quite a big upfront cost for most people outside of HCOL areas. Unless I’m mistaken and you can do without a Mac? But I seem to recall you need to use iCode (or whatever apple’s…

The GP's question was about learning IOS dev. For that, you only need the Mac. There is a simulator built in to Mac dev tools so you don't have to have an iphone. The developer account also isn't needed to learn. You only need the $99/year account to publish apps to the app store.

Re: CS193p: Developing Apps for iOS

#96
post #76
post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's par for the course. When I was in university you had to submit papers in MS Word, Excel, or Powerpoint. Computational Math courses were either Mathematica or Matlab. Engineering courses were AutoCAD, Revit, and Solidworks. And programming migrated away from STL C++ to VS C++. The free, opensource equivalents weren't quite there yet. Using proprietary software/tools is not the worse thing universities have done (…

When I was in university, we had to submit working algorithms in C, Java or whatever the prof chose, but we didn't learn the language in class. The prof would show snippets of code, but never discuss the language itself. Same for Word/Excel. There were books at the university library if needed.

My CS experience was the same. We saw snippets of code in class. But I enjoyed CS193 much more. Just being able to follow along, as they debug and step through it was a much more cohesive experience to me than "here's a bit of code, to learn more go read the book after class." It was difficult for me to learn that way.

Re: CS193p: Developing Apps for iOS

#97

I don't have a mac, why is it to be so hard for someone like me to learn ios development :(

This is by design to gatekeep only rich people. For the rich, by the rich, of the rich.

This is a pretty dramatic take. You can get a brand new mac mini with an M1 for <$1000. The price drops significantly (<$500) if you get a refurb or pick up a used one on ebay. $500 may still be a lot of money, but it's not "rich" money.

Re: CS193p: Developing Apps for iOS

#98
post #68

I'm so glad that Paul Hegarty is teaching this. Not only does he know the material through experience (I think he was an early employee at NeXT and continued on at Apple), he also explains things really well and works through lots of examples. It's also clear that he enjoys teaching the course, which makes a big difference. I watched an earlier iteration of the course, and it's the reason I know iOS development today…

Minor nitpick, he was a VP at NeXT but not early on and didn’t go to Apple.

Re: CS193p: Developing Apps for iOS

#99

Does anyone know of a good course to get started on AppleTV development? I've tried getting started with a small hobby project multiple times, and I get something working, but the documentation I can find doesn't really help you get into more advanced stuff.

The course linked here is a good one. It teaches SwiftUI and Swift which are what you will use to develop on AppleTV.

Re: CS193p: Developing Apps for iOS

#100
post #29

Is it weird that a /university/ is offering this course on how to work with a specific commercial product? Shouldn't this be the domain of Apple itself or a company that specialises in training?

Apple has its own app class curriculum available, but this Stanford class predates it by quite a few years.

If you want to learn about mobile application development, you have to pick a specific platform to target, and anything other than mobile web is going to be commercial.

Ideally, the things students learn in the class aren't just various APIs, but instead how to build a product, work as a team, and solve problems.

FWIW, I teach a very practical class in mobile application development at a university.

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