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Here's a contrarian view of this (deplorable) situation, from someone who developed for Microsoft platforms for years. The low quality of the documentation has
by OliverJones 6y ago
Here's a contrarian view of this (deplorable) situation, from someone who developed for Microsoft platforms for years. The low quality of the documentation has two reasons:
* Protectionism: The poor documentation defends expert third party developers against competition from new entrants. It ensures a shortage of competent developers and so enhances the revenue of established experts.
* Low commitment: The publisher (Apple) is unwilling to make the functional commitments implied by good documentation. Once the documentation says "this does that" it's harder to change "this" to do something else.
In the distant past, Apple teamed up with the publisher Addison-Wesley to create and publish high quality documentation. They could certainly do so again, with A-W or O'Reilly or whoever.
But they won't do it as long as they have business reasons not to. They have sufficient control over their marketplace to refuse to do this and get away with it.
- _qulr 6y ago> The poor documentation defends expert third party developers against competition from new entrants. It ensures a shortage of competent developers and so enhances the revenue of established experts. Why in the world would Apple want to ensure a shortage of competent developers — for apps on Apple's platforms! — or protect third party experts?
- delfinom 6y agoApple slowly wants to pump out their own apps that do everything to maximize their recurring subscription revenue. Why settle for 30% when you can take 100%.
- yoz-y 6y agoThere is no evidence of them doing that. Pretty much the contrary is happening.
- mikepasz 6y agoAt the very least, there is evidence of Jobs' sentiment early on to prevent 3rd party apps on Apple's platform https://www.cultofmac.com/125180/steve-jobs-was-originally-dead-set-against-third-party-apps-for-the-iphone/ https://www.cultofmac.com/125180/steve-jobs-was-originally-d...
- OliverJones 6y agoWhy do they want dev skills to go at a premium price? For one thing, they do not have any shortage of apps coming in to their app store. They're no longer in the business of begging people to deploy apps. Instead, they're in the business of vetting the apps people submit. Raising barriers to entry for new developers is a cost-cutting measure for them. And fewer apps on the store, even at the margins, is a revenue enhancer for incumbent app developers. This may or may not be an explicit factor in their decision making. But it surely contributes to their lack of focus on docs: better docs will improve their profitability not at all.