Apple clamps down on code tools

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13-04-2010, 10:35 AM
xxMATTGxx

Apple clamps down on code tools

Quote:

Apple has clamped down on the software tools that developers can use to write programs for the iPhone.

Before now developers have been free to use many different tools to create applications for the iPhone and iPad.

Imminent changes to the way the iPhone software development kit is used will restrict these tools to just three.

The move has brought protests from many software developers with some declaring they will no longer produce applications for Apple's handset.

Apple said the change was made to improve the quality of applications appearing on its hugely successful App Store.

But critics say the changed text in section 3.3.1 of the development licence move is unnecessarily restrictive and is aimed more at Apple's rivals than poor quality code.

Many developers use other tools that have specific utilities, such as physics models and 3D graphics engines, that are useful help when creating certain sorts of applications such as games.

Any application submitted to Apple that does not use the mandated tools will be rejected.

Many developers took to their blogs to complain about the change.

"Developers are not free to use any tools to help them," wrote Hank Williams, adding: "This is akin to telling people what kind of desk people sit at when they write software for the iPhone."

Pierre Lebeaupin said clause 3.3.1 was so widely drawn that it was "completely impossible to enforce" and urged developers to contact Apple to show how strongly they feel.

Many joined an "I'm with Adobe" Facebook group which now has almost 6,000 members. The new terms led one programmer, Dan Grigsby, to say he would now no longer develop for the iPhone.

Developer Greg Slepak wrote an e-mail to Apple boss Steve Jobs setting out his problems with the clause saying it "limited creativity".

Mr Jobs responded saying that the limits would improve the quality of the applications. Letting developers use other tools would produce "sub-standard apps" and hold back the progress of the iPhone.

Apple has not yet given any official comment on the criticism it faces over Section 3.3.1.

Industry experts said the restrictions might be intended to stop developers re-using applications written with Adobe's Flash. Neither the iPhone nor iPad can run Flash applications.

Adobe released a software package, Creative Suite 5, on 12 April which can turn Flash code into iPhone code.

Flash programs are very widely used on the web and many games and videos are created using the software. However, under the new terms and conditions using Creative Suite 5 would lead to an application being rejected.

In a statement, Adobe said the change to section 3.3.1 would not stop it releasing the software.

"We intend to still deliver this capability in CS5 and it is up to Apple whether they choose to allow or disallow applications as their rules shift over time," wrote Kevin Lynch, Adobe chief technology officer, in a blog post.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8616274.stm

Apple have caused some upsets within the passed few days then. :P
13-04-2010, 10:42 AM
MrGazet

OUCH! That is frustrating.

So,many developers will tend to not develop for iphone/ipad now?
13-04-2010, 10:50 AM
marriott0.01

http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/10/s...ent-tool-rest/ Their reasons are all explained there ;)
13-04-2010, 10:56 AM
GommeInc

Hardly surprising. It's funny how Jobs says "Letting developers use other tools would produce "sub-standard apps" and hold back the progress of the iPhone." Ironic :P
13-04-2010, 10:58 AM
xxMATTGxx

Quote:

Originally Posted by marriott0.02

http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/10/s...ent-tool-rest/ Their reasons are all explained there ;)

I'm guessing he didn't reply back when he mentioned "The Mac has only been helped by the fact that Firefox, Ableton Live, and hundreds of other high-quality applications can run on it thanks to the fact that developers have a choice as to what tools they can use on it."
13-04-2010, 11:00 AM
marriott0.01

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattGarner

I'm guessing he didn't reply back when he mentioned "The Mac has only been helped by the fact that Firefox, Ableton Live, and hundreds of other high-quality applications can run on it thanks to the fact that developers have a choice as to what tools they can use on it."

Presumably not, and I wouldn't really say 'only been helped by' them. Because I've never actually used Firefox for mac as it's utter crap compared to the other browsers I can use. Safari and Chrome are my main browsers on the Mac, and I'd never even heard of Ableton Live, but I didn't need to, I have Logic Pro, which is amazing?
13-04-2010, 11:02 AM
xxMATTGxx

Quote:

Originally Posted by marriott0.02

Presumably not, and I wouldn't really say 'only been helped by' them. Because I've never actually used Firefox for mac as it's utter crap compared to the other browsers I can use. Safari and Chrome are my main browsers on the Mac, and I'd never even heard of Ableton Live, but I didn't need to, I have Logic Pro, which is amazing?

I think he was trying to point out they have a choice on the tools they can use. But now Apple have done this and have limited them to whatever.
13-04-2010, 11:03 AM
Apolva

Surely if their tools were superior, everyone would use them anyway.
13-04-2010, 11:05 AM
MrPinkPanther

As both am AS3 and Obj-C developer, I agree with Apple. The iPhone is full of shovel ware already, now imagine if indie Flash developers were allowed on the platform. The Appstore would be flooded with mindless rubbish and the checking service that Apple takes apps through we be slowed down even more. By retaining Xcode as the predominant publishing tool Apple is introducing some kind of check by which people have to have a decent knowledge of programming in order to release an app rather than Flash which every Tom, **** and Harry can use.
13-04-2010, 11:06 AM
marriott0.01

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattGarner

I think he was trying to point out they have a choice on the tools they can use. But now Apple have done this and have limited them to whatever.

But is iPhone OS really the place to have so many different tools, it'd make it less secure (I presume), and it'll probably have some sort of errors somewhere along the line. I'm not saying I'm for this decision as I was looking forward to Adobe Air to come to all platforms, but Apple always has a reason, and I doubt it'd be because they want to monopolise on tools used on Apps. It'll be some other reason.
13-04-2010, 11:15 AM
HotelUser

Matt you seem to have a thing for posting negative Apple news, my dear.

Anyways using Eclipse and developing with the Android SDK is much more satisfying, because there's a lot less red tape.
13-04-2010, 11:17 AM
xxMATTGxx

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotelUser

Matt you seem to have a thing for posting negative Apple news, my dear.

Anyways using Eclipse and developing with the Android SDK is much more satisfying, because there's a lot less red tape.

My twitter only ever comes up with negative news my dear friend. :P
13-04-2010, 11:18 AM
HotelUser

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattGarner

My twitter only ever comes up with negative news my dear friend. :P

That, or you don't like Apple!
13-04-2010, 11:18 AM
marriott0.01

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotelUser

Matt you seem to have a thing for posting negative Apple news, my dear.

Anyways using Eclipse and developing with the Android SDK is much more satisfying, because there's a lot less red tape.

AresSDK has to be my favourite SDK, literally I don't even think Red Tape exists for it! lols

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattGarner

My twitter only ever comes up with negative news my dear friend. :P

There are positives as well out there ;)
13-04-2010, 11:20 AM
HotelUser

Running Windows 95 on the iPad was a positive for example
13-04-2010, 11:20 AM
xxMATTGxx

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotelUser

That, or you don't like Apple!

That's a shock to my system!

Quote:

Originally Posted by marriott0.02

AresSDK has to be my favourite SDK, literally I don't even think Red Tape exists for it! lols

There are positives as well out there ;)

Like what? iPhone OS 4 that we have all been waiting for since day 1 and most of it/nearly all of it could of be achieved by jailbreaking the device. :P

Ok ok, enough. :P

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotelUser

Running Windows 95 on the iPad was a positive for example

That was the best thing I've seen the iPad run so far!
13-04-2010, 11:23 AM
HotelUser

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattGarner

That's a shock to my system!

Like what? iPhone OS 4 that we have all been waiting for since day 1 and most of it/nearly all of it could of be achieved by jailbreaking the device. :P

Ok ok, enough. :P

That was the best thing I've seen the iPad run so far!

The iPad selling 300k on one day thus beating the iPhone's initial day's sales is pretty significant!

And If I'm completely honest, if I had an iPad I would most likely run Windows 95 on it :P
13-04-2010, 11:25 AM
marriott0.01

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotelUser

The iPad selling 300k on one day thus beating the iPhone's initial day's sales is pretty significant!

And If I'm completely honest, if I had an iPad I would most likely run Windows 95 on it :P

iPhone OS is better than Windows 95 ;) But they really should of made Mac OSX run on a tablet, but made like tweaks :(
13-04-2010, 11:27 AM
HotelUser

Quote:

Originally Posted by marriott0.02

iPhone OS is better than Windows 95 ;) But they really should of made Mac OSX run on a tablet, but made like tweaks :(

I like 15 year old minesweeper :(
13-04-2010, 11:28 AM
xxMATTGxx

Quote:

Originally Posted by marriott0.02

iPhone OS is better than Windows 95 ;) But they really should of made Mac OSX run on a tablet, but made like tweaks :(

Windows 95 > iPhone OS. For one, you get a full OS experience and you get minesweeper. Now that's what I call a tablet. LOL But yeah, I was hoping they would put OSX on a tablet device. I would of liked it more.
13-04-2010, 11:28 AM
marriott0.01

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotelUser

I like 15 year old minesweeper :(

There's an app for that ;)

And Matt - Windows 95 is NOT a real OS <3 ;) Windows 7 I would of liked more than Windows 95, but OSX would of been epic - made me angry when i first saw it run iPhone OS, but I got over it and bought one.