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> The app should continue to function for a long time, but won’t receive further updates Just a warning for users and devs alike: Nope, it probably won't. Appl

by WA 5y ago

> The app should continue to function for a long time, but won’t receive further updates Just a warning for users and devs alike: Nope, it probably won't. Apple's track record for backwards compatibility isn't terrible, but it's also not flawless. I had an app in the store from 2011 until the end of 2017. iOS 14.5 broke this app for some reason (I don't know why). No warning for users and if Apple follows some kind of SemVer, it's weird that a minor version breaks an old app. Note for devs: Find a way how people can export their data from the app even if it's not working anymore (for example, by writing to the Documents folder and exposing it to the Finder) Note for users: Assume that an unsupported app can and will break in an unpredictable way. Backup your data regularly.

Normille 5y ago
>Note for devs: Find a way how people can export their data from the app At the risk of meandering off-topic; this is one of my all-time bugbears with software. Or, rather it's half of one of my all-time bugbears. I'd complete it by adding "Find a way how people can import their existing data into the app" It never ceases to amaze me how many developers produce apps which have obviously had a lot of time and thought devoted to their creation and functionality. But which provide no way of importing existing data you might have. Unless your app is creating something completely unique and filling a completely new gap in the market, the chances are that there are other apps out there which serve a similar function. Your app may be ten times more lovely to look at and ten times more pleasing to use. But, without providing import/export facility, you're expecting potential new users to either be completely new to <whatever> your app does. Or to totally abandon all the work they have done previously, in your rivals' apps. In my opinion, this is why the Fediverse has failed so dismally. All these rivals to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram et al. All launched with lots of high-falutin' claims about privacy and respect for users. Yet not one of them provided a way to import your existing data from the services they sought to replace. "All those years and years of 'stuff' you've already written and posted? That's all just worthless junk. Leave it all behind and come empty-handed to our exciting new platform!" It's quite insulting really, when you think about it. And it's not only 'social meeja' apps. One of my particular quirks is that I'm a bit of a compulsive place-marker of where I've been on holidays, camping, or just days out, etc. I have probably a few hundred such place-marks saved on the mapping app on my phone. Every so often, I'll think to try a new mapping app and download and install it. Only to find, on almost every occasion, that it doesn't provide any way for me to import my existing place-marks. So, presumably, the target market of the developers of those apps is someone who's never left the house before. But belatedly feels the urge to travel around, marking places they've been on a map.
- bombcar 5y ago
  Similar to this -> https://www.joelonsoftware.com/2000/06/03/strategy-letter-iii-let-me-go-back/ https://www.joelonsoftware.com/2000/06/03/strategy-letter-ii...
- monkeybutton 5y ago
  You can't import what you can't export and a lot of people see easy exporting of data as helping their competition.
saagarjha 5y ago
> if Apple follows some kind of SemVer They don’t.

by WA 5y ago

Normille 5y ago

>Note for devs: Find a way how people can export their data from the app At the risk of meandering off-topic; this is one of my all-time bugbears with software. Or, rather it's half of one of my all-time bugbears. I'd complete it by adding "Find a way how people can import their existing data into the app" It never ceases to amaze me how many developers produce apps which have obviously had a lot of time and thought devoted to their creation and functionality. But which provide no way of importing existing data you might have. Unless your app is creating something completely unique and filling a completely new gap in the market, the chances are that there are other apps out there which serve a similar function. Your app may be ten times more lovely to look at and ten times more pleasing to use. But, without providing import/export facility, you're expecting potential new users to either be completely new to <whatever> your app does. Or to totally abandon all the work they have done previously, in your rivals' apps. In my opinion, this is why the Fediverse has failed so dismally. All these rivals to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram et al. All launched with lots of high-falutin' claims about privacy and respect for users. Yet not one of them provided a way to import your existing data from the services they sought to replace. "All those years and years of 'stuff' you've already written and posted? That's all just worthless junk. Leave it all behind and come empty-handed to our exciting new platform!" It's quite insulting really, when you think about it. And it's not only 'social meeja' apps. One of my particular quirks is that I'm a bit of a compulsive place-marker of where I've been on holidays, camping, or just days out, etc. I have probably a few hundred such place-marks saved on the mapping app on my phone. Every so often, I'll think to try a new mapping app and download and install it. Only to find, on almost every occasion, that it doesn't provide any way for me to import my existing place-marks. So, presumably, the target market of the developers of those apps is someone who's never left the house before. But belatedly feels the urge to travel around, marking places they've been on a map.

bombcar 5y ago
Similar to this -> https://www.joelonsoftware.com/2000/06/03/strategy-letter-iii-let-me-go-back/ https://www.joelonsoftware.com/2000/06/03/strategy-letter-ii...
monkeybutton 5y ago
You can't import what you can't export and a lot of people see easy exporting of data as helping their competition.

saagarjha 5y ago

> if Apple follows some kind of SemVer They don’t.