4 ms·

What about paying for compatibility with the latest macOS? Of course, no user would like to pay for that, but the reality of Apple universe is that developers h

by dchest 7y ago

What about paying for compatibility with the latest macOS? Of course, no user would like to pay for that, but the reality of Apple universe is that developers have to spend a lot of time fixing compatibility issues caused by Apple.

millstone 7y ago
What example do you have in mind? Compatibility updates ought to be free point releases.
- dchest 7y ago
  Apple constantly deprecates and removes APIs and features. Some significant examples that require rewriting and retesting a lot of code: Objective-C garbage collection, QTKit, WebView. Dealing with all that in many cases takes more resources than introducing new features, but, just like you, people expect free compatibility updates.
  - millstone 7y ago
    No, the churn rate is super-low. GC was introduced ten years ago and finally killed this year. QTKit was introduced sixteen years ago and also killed this year. WebView I believe still works! The deprecation cycle is a decade or more, and in every case there's a paved migration path (GC->ARC, QTKit->AV Foundation, WebView is trickier but for good technical reasons). This strategy and timeframe seems eminently responsible.
    - saagarjha 7y ago
      WebView → WKWebView?
- u02sgb 7y ago
  Forever?
  - millstone 7y ago
    For as long as the product is actively maintained. It's reasonable to have a free 2.x.1 release for (say) Catalina compatibility, offered simultaneously with a 3.0 release that includes new features.
- systemtest 7y ago
  1Password 6. After an upgrade of Safari the browser plugin was no longer compatible. Users had to upgrade to 1Password 7 for a single payment of €55 or a monthly subscription of €3,99 per month.
viraptor 7y ago
Honestly... I don't mind new versions to cost extra for compatibility with new MacOS. It's a stupid environment. If you choose it, you've got money to spend on app refresh every other year. You can always stay on previous major version of the OS for a long time as well. Windows 10 will likely support your apps for at least a decade. There's choice. (I'm using Mac for work. I'm likely migrating to another system instead of Catalina)
dwaite 7y ago
However, that developer investment is required if they plan to keep selling their application - hardly anyone will buy an app outright without modern platform support. If you are growing your market, you can make your app a flat charge. If you are maintaining and and expanding an app for an existing user base, subscription is a better way to go (and something Apple does support well).

by dchest 7y ago

millstone 7y ago

What example do you have in mind? Compatibility updates ought to be free point releases.

dchest 7y ago
Apple constantly deprecates and removes APIs and features. Some significant examples that require rewriting and retesting a lot of code: Objective-C garbage collection, QTKit, WebView. Dealing with all that in many cases takes more resources than introducing new features, but, just like you, people expect free compatibility updates.
- millstone 7y ago
  No, the churn rate is super-low. GC was introduced ten years ago and finally killed this year. QTKit was introduced sixteen years ago and also killed this year. WebView I believe still works! The deprecation cycle is a decade or more, and in every case there's a paved migration path (GC->ARC, QTKit->AV Foundation, WebView is trickier but for good technical reasons). This strategy and timeframe seems eminently responsible.
  - saagarjha 7y ago
    WebView → WKWebView?
u02sgb 7y ago
Forever?
- millstone 7y ago
  For as long as the product is actively maintained. It's reasonable to have a free 2.x.1 release for (say) Catalina compatibility, offered simultaneously with a 3.0 release that includes new features.
systemtest 7y ago
1Password 6. After an upgrade of Safari the browser plugin was no longer compatible. Users had to upgrade to 1Password 7 for a single payment of €55 or a monthly subscription of €3,99 per month.

viraptor 7y ago

Honestly... I don't mind new versions to cost extra for compatibility with new MacOS. It's a stupid environment. If you choose it, you've got money to spend on app refresh every other year. You can always stay on previous major version of the OS for a long time as well. Windows 10 will likely support your apps for at least a decade. There's choice. (I'm using Mac for work. I'm likely migrating to another system instead of Catalina)

dwaite 7y ago

However, that developer investment is required if they plan to keep selling their application - hardly anyone will buy an app outright without modern platform support. If you are growing your market, you can make your app a flat charge. If you are maintaining and and expanding an app for an existing user base, subscription is a better way to go (and something Apple does support well).