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I can understand how the cost of a Happy Meal might deter someone who wants to try their hand at coding. I mean seriously, you're going to spend at least 10 ti

by jarin 16y ago

I can understand how the cost of a Happy Meal might deter someone who wants to try their hand at coding. I mean seriously, you're going to spend at least 10 times that amount on programming books, or thousands of times that amount on college classes.

Tichy 16y ago
It all adds up. As you say, there are a zillion of things you need. Not the least a Mac (>= 1000 bucks). If all you want is to learn programming, there are free alternatives to XCode. How much have you spent on iPhone apps so far? I have friends who spent several hundred €, one Happy Meal at a time.
- Bud 16y ago
  It's required that you buy a new Mac? That's news. I thought you could pick one up used on Craigslist for a few hundred bucks. Oh wait, you can.
  - Tichy 16y ago
    Would you say these Craigslist Macs are a good deal? I just found a 500€ plastic MacBook. I don't think that is a good deal. In any case, you need a Mac, and it's gonna cost you.
goalieca 16y ago
The entire thing is built on open source. I certainly won't be paying and this shift in culture at apple is turning me off. I probably won't be buying another product from them for a while.
- danieldk 16y ago
  Built on open source... an important part of which they invested in (LLVM). One can as well easily install LLVM/clang via MacPorts, or wait until Lion (under the assumption that XCode will still be included on the download media). Getting the proprietary parts for five dollars is certainly not a bad deal. But one has to wonder... why? Is it to cover download costs?
- rbarooah 16y ago
  Open source that Apple had contributed very heavily to. Do you feel the same way about Canonical etc.?
- kanwisher 16y ago
  The whole IDE portion isn't open source, just the compilers. Thats like saying IntelliJ shouldn't charge for their IDE because the java compiler is free.
kprobst 16y ago
There are vast numbers of young people out there that either don't have $5 or have no way to pay for something online even if they had the money. The potential pool of software developers isn't (and shouldn't be) limited to the US and Europe.
- rbanffy 16y ago
  Kids in places where the App Store doesn't reach still can buy Macs from channels other than Apple, they can buy and borrow books and teach each other. They can't download Xcode 4 unless they have an account with Apple, a valid credit card (issued in the right country) or a couple of iTunes gift cards. This is a step in the wrong direction.
  - deleted 16y ago
    [deleted]

by jarin 16y ago

Tichy 16y ago

It all adds up. As you say, there are a zillion of things you need. Not the least a Mac (>= 1000 bucks). If all you want is to learn programming, there are free alternatives to XCode. How much have you spent on iPhone apps so far? I have friends who spent several hundred €, one Happy Meal at a time.

Bud 16y ago
It's required that you buy a new Mac? That's news. I thought you could pick one up used on Craigslist for a few hundred bucks. Oh wait, you can.
- Tichy 16y ago
  Would you say these Craigslist Macs are a good deal? I just found a 500€ plastic MacBook. I don't think that is a good deal. In any case, you need a Mac, and it's gonna cost you.

goalieca 16y ago

The entire thing is built on open source. I certainly won't be paying and this shift in culture at apple is turning me off. I probably won't be buying another product from them for a while.

danieldk 16y ago
Built on open source... an important part of which they invested in (LLVM). One can as well easily install LLVM/clang via MacPorts, or wait until Lion (under the assumption that XCode will still be included on the download media). Getting the proprietary parts for five dollars is certainly not a bad deal. But one has to wonder... why? Is it to cover download costs?
rbarooah 16y ago
Open source that Apple had contributed very heavily to. Do you feel the same way about Canonical etc.?
kanwisher 16y ago
The whole IDE portion isn't open source, just the compilers. Thats like saying IntelliJ shouldn't charge for their IDE because the java compiler is free.

kprobst 16y ago

There are vast numbers of young people out there that either don't have $5 or have no way to pay for something online even if they had the money. The potential pool of software developers isn't (and shouldn't be) limited to the US and Europe.

rbanffy 16y ago
Kids in places where the App Store doesn't reach still can buy Macs from channels other than Apple, they can buy and borrow books and teach each other. They can't download Xcode 4 unless they have an account with Apple, a valid credit card (issued in the right country) or a couple of iTunes gift cards. This is a step in the wrong direction.
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]