Appsterdam: A Haven for Indie App Makers?

Instead of promoting Appsterdam with vague stories about how awesome Amsterdam is, I like to see more concrete and specific information. I understand that its just starting up, but this would be nice to have in the (near) future.

Like:

- Average cost of living is X

- Developers can earn X-Z salary

- Tax burden for companies is X

- You can find apartments in the range of X-Y at site Z

- X companies joined this initiative and are hiring

- There are weekly meetups at Bar X,Y,Z at time A

- Successful companies in Amsterdam include X,Y,Z they are all hanging out at location A

Re: Appsterdam: A Haven for Indie App Makers?

#5

Post by vesto » Mon, Jun 27, 2011, 2:05 PM UTC

What about the language barrier? Is English prominent enough in Amsterdam to easily get through everyday interactions or would you need to learn an entirely new language in order to truly enjoy the city?

Re: Appsterdam: A Haven for Indie App Makers?

#6

Post by tomh- » Mon, Jun 27, 2011, 2:07 PM UTC

vesto wrote: post #5

What about the language barrier? Is English prominent enough in Amsterdam to easily get through everyday interactions or would you need to learn an entirely new language in order to truly enjoy the city?

You can survive with English in Amsterdam and the Netherlands as well. Children learn english from the age of 9-10, TV programs are typically not dubbed so the odds are that you can have conversations in English with everyone you encounter.

Re: Appsterdam: A Haven for Indie App Makers?

#7

Post by sunchild » Mon, Jun 27, 2011, 2:09 PM UTC

vesto wrote: post #5

What about the language barrier? Is English prominent enough in Amsterdam to easily get through everyday interactions or would you need to learn an entirely new language in order to truly enjoy the city?

Yes, to the point that learning Dutch on the fly is hard because nobody will try to speak it with you when they are so good with English.

Re: Appsterdam: A Haven for Indie App Makers?

#8

Post by bxc » Mon, Jun 27, 2011, 2:09 PM UTC

vesto wrote: post #5

What about the language barrier? Is English prominent enough in Amsterdam to easily get through everyday interactions or would you need to learn an entirely new language in order to truly enjoy the city?

Even if you try to learn dutch, you won't easily find people who want to speak it too you, tbh. (at least that's my experience after a few years)

Re: Appsterdam: A Haven for Indie App Makers?

#9

Post by DeusExMachina » Mon, Jun 27, 2011, 2:11 PM UTC

vesto wrote: post #5

What about the language barrier? Is English prominent enough in Amsterdam to easily get through everyday interactions or would you need to learn an entirely new language in order to truly enjoy the city?

Amsterdam is absolutely english friendly. I have been living here for more than one year and I still don't know dutch. I know people who have been living here for years without learning the local language.

Everybody everywhere speaks english: shops, public transport, you name it. Even children, since the TV shows are in english with subtitles. Movies at the cinema are not dubbed and have subtitles as well.

Re: Appsterdam: A Haven for Indie App Makers?

#10

Post by mshron » Mon, Jun 27, 2011, 2:11 PM UTC

vesto wrote: post #5

What about the language barrier? Is English prominent enough in Amsterdam to easily get through everyday interactions or would you need to learn an entirely new language in order to truly enjoy the city?

I've never lived in Amsterdam, but I have spent time there as a tourist (and not in the Center, where you expect people to interact with tourists all day long). Everyone spoke excellent English, even older and crustier looking Dutch whose English was obviously rusty.

The only time I needed to use any of the Dutch I had learned before coming was with some immigrants for whom English would be their third language.