Filed under: Developer, iPhone, iPod touch
An iPhone developer's story
If you're curious about developing for the iPhone, but haven't made the plunge yet, you might want to read Rogue Amoeba programmer Mike Ash's 22-step tale of developing NetAwake, which is available in the App Store.
It's a fascinating story, with a lot of waiting, a lot of rejection, and a lot of "screwing about in Xcode."
"The errors are essentially worthless. I believe I only ever saw Xcode generate one error, over and over and over again, as it encountered a whole bunch of different problems," he wrote.
The app took a month to approve, once it was submitted. Ash says that the people he corresponded with at Apple were "nice about responding to my query" but "spending a month in limbo for a single bug is a very poor tradeoff."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
CaptSaltyJack said 3:37PM on 9-18-2008
Everyone needs to read this, and pass this along to others. Yes, even non-programmers. This will help educate people on why even the simplest programs cost money. I'm tired of hearing people whine about programs not being free. Developing for the iPhone is NOT easy at all, it's a ton of headaches. The developers deserve every dollar.
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TJ said 7:37AM on 9-19-2008
Yes developing for the iPhone is NOT easy and Apple is making it MORE difficult and time consuming lol.
operator said 4:09PM on 9-18-2008
Yes this is very hard. Please stay away from developing for the iPhone.
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Kai Cherry said 9:02PM on 9-18-2008
You are ignorant. Someone actually takes the time to write something to help you with this problem, and you respond..with ignorance.
Like ya' do.
Here is a challenge for YOU...write something for the iPhone via the Apple process and Apple's tools *for yourself* (forget the app store at this point) and get back to us.
Ass.
-K
operator said 12:06AM on 9-19-2008
Cherry,
What is your problem? Did you have a bad day?
I have indeed published 2 Apps in the App store and know how hard it is. And I still want people to NOT develop for the iPhone. If you get my drift. It might be too difficult for you to understand, but let me give you a hint. Less is more.
chefgon_ign said 4:50PM on 9-18-2008
I was thiiiiiiiis close to buying an iPod touch to try developing a game for it. Thank god I hesitated. I think I'll make my game for Android instead.
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Sam said 7:37PM on 9-18-2008
From everything I've read, Android is a lot harder to develop for than the iPhone despite all the issues.
For what it's worth my app ChessClock took 3 days to approve, and generally takes 6-7 days to approve each patch. I suspect the more complex the app and the more it communicates over the network the longer it takes to get approved.
Phil Bridges said 5:09PM on 9-18-2008
I have my fingers crossed that Rogue Amoeba will develop and be allowed to add Touch/iPhone airfoil speakers to the store soon. Although these are free for other platforms I'd happily pay good money for a product like this even i had jailbreak my Touch.
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Kai Cherry said 9:14PM on 9-18-2008
"and be allowed to add"...
There is so much wrong with that it isn't funny.
Phil Bridges said 6:36AM on 9-19-2008
Kai, I haven't got the foggiest what you are taking about, please enlighten me. I'm just some dumb old Englishman who uses an iPod Touch and Airfoil on a Mac. Have I overlooked something?
Thanks
timeshifter said 6:50PM on 9-18-2008
I've often thought about writing an app for the app store, but wondered: what if I spend weeks or month coding some app and then Apple decides that they don't want it (for whatever arbitrary reason). All that time and money gone!
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Kai Cherry said 9:14PM on 9-18-2008
Well see, this isn't fair. You can write a sudoku, or a To Do or a flashlight.
Stop blaming Apple for YOUR bad business decisions!
;)
-K
iDev said 8:30PM on 9-18-2008
Worst thing is that after going through all this, some random noob who didn't even buy your app will leave some junk comment about the price of the app or why he doesn't like the logo. And apple will allow every such noob to comment without asking them to sign their comment!
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Kai Cherry said 9:14PM on 9-18-2008
No, no you've got it all wrong iDev :)
Devs are just whiny. The fact is that Apple has the back of the devs! Apple made the AppStore...and it is peferct! If everyone made *perfect* apps like MobileSafari and MobileContacts that never crashed, then gave them away for free like Apple does, then they'd not have to worry about their well-deserved 1-star ratings!
You know that was sarcasm, yes?
-K
iDev said 8:31PM on 9-18-2008
Worst thing is that after going through all this, some random noob (who didn't even buy your app) will leave some junk comment about the price of the app or why he doesn't like the logo. And apple will
allow every such noob to comment without asking them to sign their comment!
Reply
Buck Weinstein said 6:49PM on 9-24-2008
Phil, don't worry about Kai dumb comments, he is what you Brits refer to as a 'complete and utter twat'!
Yes, we have them in America too. zzzzz
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