Apple: The Obstacle to America's Future?

#1

Post by canweriotnow » Tue, Dec 10, 2013, 4:05 AM UTC

Apple: The Obstacle to America's Future?
decomplecting.org

Re: Apple: The Obstacle to America's Future?

#2

Post by bsirkia » Tue, Dec 10, 2013, 4:33 AM UTC

Interesting take. I'm curious how you respond to the counterpoints I usually hear to this argument:

1) Apple is creating a quality filter for $99, one that seems to be successful comparing the aggregate quality of apps on iOS vs. Android.

2) Yes, to test on your own device it's $99, but XCode is free and has all the simulators you need. If you're willing to build an entire app from scratch and invest that much time, $99 doesn't seem like a terrible investment to publish all the apps you want for a year.

3) In terms of their nitpicking your apps, again, that seems to just be basic quality filtering that isn't in the Android space.

Re: Apple: The Obstacle to America's Future?

#3

Post by bobbles » Tue, Dec 10, 2013, 4:51 AM UTC

bsirkia wrote: post #2

Interesting take. I'm curious how you respond to the counterpoints I usually hear to this argument: 1) Apple is creating a quality filter for $99, one that seems to be successful comparing the aggregate quality of apps on iOS vs. Android. 2) Yes, to test on your own device it's $99, but XCode is free and has all the simulators you need. If you're willing to build an entire app from scratch and invest that much time,…

They also provide extensive WWDC documentation and videos https://developer.apple.com/wwdc/videos/

Re: Apple: The Obstacle to America's Future?

#4

Post by hammerandtongs » Tue, Dec 10, 2013, 4:59 AM UTC

bsirkia wrote: post #2

Interesting take. I'm curious how you respond to the counterpoints I usually hear to this argument: 1) Apple is creating a quality filter for $99, one that seems to be successful comparing the aggregate quality of apps on iOS vs. Android. 2) Yes, to test on your own device it's $99, but XCode is free and has all the simulators you need. If you're willing to build an entire app from scratch and invest that much time,…

1 - That's the guy's entire point. That "quality" tier is filtering out your 12 year old kid's coding efforts?

2 - So "free" XCode runs on Windows, Linux and commodity PC hardware or perhaps it only runs on expensive Apple hardware (3-6x the price usually)?

3 - I think "quality" filtering is very much in the eye of the beholder.

Re: Apple: The Obstacle to America's Future?

#5

Post by BadassFractal » Tue, Dec 10, 2013, 5:01 AM UTC

The App store is a big step back for developers as far as healthy rapid iteration practices go. Week-long byzantine review cycles, expensive closed-source tools segregated to one platform, a single source for all downloads, inability to beta your product etc. This all set us back considerably with regards to where we are now on the web. For now Apple can get away with this, their lead is massive and the customers are very passionate about their products, but they won't be at the top forever.

It "may" be for the better of the consumer, but that's also not clear. The only effect is likely that Apple doesn't offer half-baked apps, which affects only the perception of their store, and doesn't add much value to either consumers or developers.

Re: Apple: The Obstacle to America's Future?

#6

Post by insaneirish » Tue, Dec 10, 2013, 5:03 AM UTC

Why is "learning to code" equated with "writing an app for iOS"?

Walk before you run. There is more opportunity than ever for someone to get access to free software (BSD, illumos, Linux) and cheap hardware (Raspberry Pi, BeagleBoard) and do whatever the heck they want. "Coding" needn't be synonymous with an iPhone or iPad.

Re: Apple: The Obstacle to America's Future?

#7

Post by xdissent » Tue, Dec 10, 2013, 5:03 AM UTC

Article was poorly written lament from current android developer that wishes he was an iPhone dev but on principle doesn't have $100 to take his developed app to market. Overall, proud of Obama and I hope youth hears his call.

Re: Apple: The Obstacle to America's Future?

#8

Post by brudgers » Tue, Dec 10, 2013, 5:09 AM UTC

bsirkia wrote: post #2

Interesting take. I'm curious how you respond to the counterpoints I usually hear to this argument: 1) Apple is creating a quality filter for $99, one that seems to be successful comparing the aggregate quality of apps on iOS vs. Android. 2) Yes, to test on your own device it's $99, but XCode is free and has all the simulators you need. If you're willing to build an entire app from scratch and invest that much time,…

The quality filter argument is bullshit.

The criticism isn't that Apple should allow Mom's recipe database written in GwBasic into the app store. It's that Apple prohibits GwBasic on the phone.

Irrespective of robustness or user experience quality, Apple doesn't allow end users access to scripting languages, even though the only person who would suffer for bad code is the person who wrote it.

Re: Apple: The Obstacle to America's Future?

#9

Post by davidedicillo » Tue, Dec 10, 2013, 5:17 AM UTC

I completely disagree for several reasons: 1- 99% of the people who learn how to program nowadays starts from web development, not Java or Obj-C 2- I decided to learn Ruby on Rails because I like to build things, being an extensive Apple user didn't slow me down a bit (actually made it easier in some ways). 3- Only because I know how to develop doesn't mean I want any type of crap on my phone or something I'd enjoy less to use.

Re: Apple: The Obstacle to America's Future?

#10

Post by w1ntermute » Tue, Dec 10, 2013, 5:19 AM UTC

This is absurd. I've done a lot of PC, web, and mobile programming in a variety of contexts, yet I've never owned or extensively used an iOS device. You can absolutely ignore Apple and their ecosystem and still learn how to code.