[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Subject: Why be afraid of Xcode (was RE: [OT] Real's offer to Delphi users) From: "Lynn
Fredricks" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2006 07:38:27 -0800
For many various and understandable reasons, RB will always
be behind the curve from Xcode. Apple develops it, and Apple
can put the new features into it the same day they are
needed. RS will always need to be playing catch-up to keep RB
"modern". Fact of life, and serious disadvantage.
Do you want to compete with Apple (or Microsoft) ?
I have a growing fear of xCode - about its serious disadvantage for
developers from a business perspective.
CodeWarrior was from a third party, and it behooved the third party to be as
backwards compatible as possible with older hardware configurations -- why?
It's what customers wanted, so they could continue to ship apps that work
with the old hardware out there. Metrowerks didn't sell the boxes to run the
software, so what did they care?
Apple has a very clear objective. It isnt to spread love of the Mac. It is
to make money. To make money, they have to sell as many new boxes as they
can. If software remains generally backwards compatible, then often a few
upgraded parts will add a year or few to the life of the use of your
computer.
Now here's xCode, which is a very nice environment. They don't make money
off of it directly. So how is it a profit center? By enhancing the sales of
other products Apple makes. Apple has access to its own technology before
anyone else does (much like MS has access to Windows features to benefit
their Office sales - or that MS can modify Windows to satisfy the Office
group), allowing it a certain out-of-the-gate benefit for its own software
titles it does charge for. But that isnt nearly the problem that is created
by being able to control your minimum system requirements if you want to
support new features, or even old features if they decide to do so. There's
very little money for Apple to make off of supporting an old G3 iMac, unless
it is to say "sorry, wont run -- by a new iMac!"
No company (or individual) likes to be at the mercy of another. Apple did
experience that when they turned to the PPC processor and Metrowerks saved
their bacon. What concerns me is that in taking care of this, as a business
owner I no longer have control over a very important aspect of products I
sell.
While I understand the concern, how can one be live without this ? In autarcia ?
(alone in his corner)
Understand me correctly: I do not feel good when I understand my computer is
obsolete and no one want to sale to me software, hardware, add ons, etc.
In the same time, I know that in 2006, I cannot buy anymore software or hardware
for my good 'old Apple //c from 1985 (or 1986, you know, the one with 1 MB of
built-in RAM, a 800KB/ 1.4MB floppy disk, and so on...)
I can talk about my MacWrite, MacTell (French software from the 80s thru 90s),
AppleWorks 1, MacDraw, HyperCard (the developer package), and so on (even Visual
Mac Basic or something like that)... Think C...
I will not talk about LC / LC II, PowerBook Duo 230, Quadra 700, Quadra 800,
Quadra 900, SCSI devices...
Now, there is no magic solution: so many companies have died in the Computer
industry since those last 26 years / so many products disappears...
At this stage, I feel that this is life _EVEN If I STRONGLY understand the
concern_ ...
Cheers,
Emile
PS: I just talked in the end user perspective where the product is used until it
cannot be repaired or the repair is far above the price of a new machine. In the
business, you have other point of view: a computer have a null price after two
years...
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