Developing for the Mactel - A few questions
As someone who has only played with xcode a little bit, but always wanted to get my hands dirtier...
1. Why is there an option for coding for intel or PPC (or both), why didn't Apple just make Universal binaries mandatory? Wouldn't that have calmed people's concerns about obsolescence of PPC machines?
2. Can a developer use X-code to make windows aps (other than in java)?
3. Does microsoft provide free developer software like X-code?
And more speculative...
4. Will there be an X-code for windows to attract windows developers to the mac?
5. Who would it hurt more, Apple or microsoft, if microsoft provided a "redbox" for the mac to obliterate the need for most developers to optomize for the mac?
1. Why is there an option for coding for intel or PPC (or both), why didn't Apple just make Universal binaries mandatory? Wouldn't that have calmed people's concerns about obsolescence of PPC machines?
2. Can a developer use X-code to make windows aps (other than in java)?
3. Does microsoft provide free developer software like X-code?
And more speculative...
4. Will there be an X-code for windows to attract windows developers to the mac?
5. Who would it hurt more, Apple or microsoft, if microsoft provided a "redbox" for the mac to obliterate the need for most developers to optomize for the mac?
Comments
Originally posted by Nordstrodamus
As someone who has only played with xcode a little bit, but always wanted to get my hands dirtier...
1. Why is there an option for coding for intel or PPC (or both), why didn't Apple just make Universal binaries mandatory? Wouldn't that have calmed people's concerns about obsolescence of PPC machines?
Might also have pissed developers off that want to continue with straight PPC compiles for the short term-they need every dev possible happy right now.
Originally posted by Nordstrodamus
2. Can a developer use X-code to make windows aps (other than in java)?
If Apple released the cocoa APIs for Windows they could.
Originally posted by Nordstrodamus
3. Does microsoft provide free developer software like X-code?
Not really.
Originally posted by Nordstrodamus
And more speculative...
4. Will there be an X-code for windows to attract windows developers to the mac?
If Apple released the cocoa APIs for Windows they could.
Originally posted by Nordstrodamus
5. Who would it hurt more, Apple or microsoft, if microsoft provided a "redbox" for the mac to obliterate the need for most developers to optomize for the mac?
Apple. No down side for MS here, other than the cost of giving away VPC. Can't see MS releasing VPC for Mac for free.
Originally posted by Nordstrodamus
[B]As someone who has only played with xcode a little bit, but always wanted to get my hands dirtier...
1. Why is there an option for coding for intel or PPC (or both), why didn't Apple just make Universal binaries mandatory? Wouldn't that have calmed people's concerns about obsolescence of PPC machines?
Optimized software is likely going to be processor specific so you may not want to support both.
2. Can a developer use X-code to make windows aps (other than in java)?
Nope. They would need Microsoft's interface files and would have to support the Windows app runtime object format.
3. Does microsoft provide free developer software like X-code?
Nope.
4. Will there be an X-code for windows to attract windows developers to the mac?
I doubt it. I hope they provide a Cocoa for Windows though to encourage people to develop for Mac first.
5. Who would it hurt more, Apple or microsoft, if microsoft provided a "redbox" for the mac to obliterate the need for most developers to optomize for the mac?
Definitely Apple. I expect MS to sell an x86 VPC for about the same cost as their OS (i.e. pretty much give away the emulation environment).
6. Mono-Cocoa might become a more interesting project. Imagine .NET programs that run natively on the Mac and look pretty much like Mac applications.