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Rent a Mac in the cloud for development

macincloud.com

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Re: Rent a Mac in the cloud for development

#121

Post by nandemo »

ay wrote: post #69
nandemo wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That analogy is utter nonsense. With a Linux or Windows desktop equipped with a good toolbox we can cross-compile to a wide range of architectures. That this range doesn't currently include the iPhone is completely accidental; it's merely a consequence of a business decision by Apple (and it might even be a good business decision for all I know). It doesn't tell us anything about the adequacy of a Linux/Windows deskt…

I think there is a difference between "effectiveness of the tool in general" vs. "effectiveness of a tool for the particular purpose". Pliers are a fantastic tool. You can even put the screws in with it. But it is a very poor tool for putting in the nails. Arguably it is merely a consequence of a business decision to have nails the way they are. For that you need a hammer. Therefore I believe the parent analogy makes…

I don't get your point. OK, a Linux desktop is normally useless to make iPhone apps. But this thread is about a tool that allows you to you use your Linux desktop to make iPhone apps. I was disagreeing with a comment implying that somehow you must have a physical Mac to make iPhone apps.

Re: Rent a Mac in the cloud for development

#126

Post by danmaz74 »

vtail wrote: post #87

So let's see who your potential customer is: - Someone who owns a computer, with a monitor, a keyboard and a mouse (of course) - Someone with a decent internet access - Someone who has either invested or going to invested 100's of hours to properly learn the iOS/Mac frameworks - Someone who is hoping to either make a living off his Mac development or threats this as in important hobby - Someone who will be able to af…

You're forgetting multi-platform development. I'm creating an Android app (still unfinished) using appcelerator titanium, and was thinking about porting it to iOS later - it should be pretty easy. This kind of solution looks very interesting for me. Not a big market, but there is a market.

Re: Rent a Mac in the cloud for development

#127

Post by gardentheory »

vtail wrote: post #87

So let's see who your potential customer is: - Someone who owns a computer, with a monitor, a keyboard and a mouse (of course) - Someone with a decent internet access - Someone who has either invested or going to invested 100's of hours to properly learn the iOS/Mac frameworks - Someone who is hoping to either make a living off his Mac development or threats this as in important hobby - Someone who will be able to af…

This is a good devil's advocate summary, except feasibility of remote development with a GUI. I don't agree with a few of these points though.

"Someone who has either invested or going to invested 100's of hours to properly learn the iOS/Mac frameworks"

I think a lot of people will just want to experiment with something, or see some app, in my case I need to fix a bug in a desktop app I use. The kind of bug that I think just requires running a build and then searching forums, etc. for the error. I think the 100s of hours would have been wasted setting up virtualization and the toolchain but I can pay 20-50 a month to have that done for me.

"someone who is either unable to afford an older mac mini ($200-300 as noted in other comments) OR someone who has no cheap way to deliver older mac hardware to his home country."

A lot of people will want to try things out. There is a huge convenience value to just paying a monthly fee and logging in to a virtual system that is already setup versus the hassle of buying a mac mini, connecting it all up, setting up a virtualization, installing all the junk you need for development, etc. Not to mention the upfront cost of buying a mac mini will most likely be more than experimenting for 2-3 months. I'll need to update the software on it regularly, etc. And lastly, it is just another thing to take up space on my desk that I don't use that often that: collecting dust, taking up plug space, needing to not spill coffee on, etc.

The real question I have is developing in a GUI over remote access even feasible? How good does your inet connection really have to be? How much can be done via non-GUI ?

Re: Rent a Mac in the cloud for development

#128

Post by dotBen »

dpcan wrote: post #112

I saw this service before I purchased my Mac Mini for iOS development. I opted out because tho it was more affordable and would probably fit my needs, I just didn't want my code on someone else's mac somewhere in the world. So, tho this seems pretty suitable for development, there are probably a lot of developers like me who like to keep their code in their own hands.

I appreciate the notion, but the massive success of github's private repositories (which of course are stored on their servers) would suggest otherwise.

Re: Rent a Mac in the cloud for development

#129

Post by brador »

dxbydt wrote: post #114
vtail wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So let's assume you wills spend couple of months learning iOS, and will decide that you're into it. Will you buy yourself a Mac at that point? Assuming yes, you've maybe generated them $100 in revenue. They would need 10,000 people like you to generate their first million in revenue, and they have obviously many costs. Do you think the world has at least 10,000 people interested in iOS development who don't have a ma…

You are trying to count your chickens before they hatch.Before Netflix came along, the thinking was - if you like a movie you will just buy the DVD so you can watch it any number of times. Its just $10, why not just buy it ? Guess what, I watch tons of movies, don't buy a single DVD. If I like the movie I put it on my netflix queue & then watch it right there. If its not available, no skin off my back - there's plent…

Wait. You are a professional programmer at a bank and you don't own a PC or mac at home? Is this common? How do you keep your skills up to speed?

Re: Rent a Mac in the cloud for development

#130

Post by bond »

vshade wrote: post #120
dxbydt wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are trying to count your chickens before they hatch.Before Netflix came along, the thinking was - if you like a movie you will just buy the DVD so you can watch it any number of times. Its just $10, why not just buy it ? Guess what, I watch tons of movies, don't buy a single DVD. If I like the movie I put it on my netflix queue & then watch it right there. If its not available, no skin off my back - there's plent…

I just did some quick calculations and you can buy an used mac for the price you would pay for a year of this service. And your analogy is completely wrong, at least for me, I don't watch a movie much more than on time, unless it is already playing for one motive or other. But you will use the same computer for a time.

So he has to wait a year to be able to buy the mac or he can start coding right now...
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