Just for your info (Developing for Macintosh - a voice)

[joswig@informatik.uni-hamburg.de (Rainer Joswig)]

Hello,

I got this following posting from comp.sys.mac.oop.macapp3.
It seems to sum up the situation at Apple quite nicely.

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>From: D1104@AppleLink.Apple.COM (Computer SW Consult, J Stulin,PAS)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.oop.macapp3
Subject: Developer Exodus
Date: 24 Feb 1994 20:52:02 -0800
Organization: AppleLink Gateway
Lines: 85
Sender: daemon@apple.com
Message-ID: <762144324.6871313@AppleLink.Apple.COM>
NNTP-Posting-Host: apple.com

Dear Friends,

Two years ago, at the MADA conference in Orlando, during the Q&A portion of an
Apple presentation about future plans, I stated that in my opinion Apple would
soon be losing their developer base because:
1) The cost of development on Macintosh systems was too high due to the
incompetent tool set (MPW & C++),
2) Windows was closing the technology gap and
3) The tools for Windows development were improving quickly and the tools for
Macintosh development were getting worse (e.g., MacApp 3 didn't run under a
Symmantec environment).

The response to my statement was divided. A minority nodded in agreement, some
booed in wonderment at my disloyalty, others pointed out that there was no
decent Windows development system or application framework, and Apple dismissed
me with the arrogant promise that Bedrock and a new Apple created development
environment would, within a year or two, leave Windows in the dust.

Now it is the eve of another MADA (SFA) conference and I think it worthwhile to
review what has occurred in the last few years and where we should go from
here.

In my opinion this is what has happened:
o  Windows has continued to close the gap (3.1, Chicago).
o  Many reasonable Windows development systems are now available (Borland, C++,
Microsoft Visual C++, Digitalk Smalltalk/V & Parts.)
o  Reasonable supported Windows application frameworks exist.
o  Apple is actively moving all innovations to Windows ASAP (I would not be
surprised if either Microsoft or Borland add Quicktime to an Application
framework faster than it appears in MacApp or Bedrock).
o  There is NO reasonable production quality Macintosh development system
available.
o  There is NO actively supported Macintosh application framework available
(MacApp is not actively supported).
o  The development environment developed by Apple for their flagship
company-saving PowerPC computer is the same MPW 1970's vintage crap that they
have stuck us with for years. Furthermore we may have to pay extra to get
access to it.
o  Most developers, even those who originated on the Macintosh, develop for
Windows FIRST and then Macintosh when they get around to it.
o  Most importantly of all the strategic advantage which Apple enjoyed due to
its special relationship with Macintosh developers has been lost due to Apple's
unfulfilled promises, secrecy, and misguided policies such as spending $1M on
an inane marketing scheme to buy the "Classic" label instead of investing in
enabling technologies such as MacApp.

In short Apple has squandered their lead in human interfaces, in development
environments, in Application Frameworks, and in developer loyalty. Quite an
accomplishment for a mere two years.

Despite hopeful signs, such as the emergence of CodeWarrior and
SmalltalkAgents, my company has lost confidence in Apple's integrity and
strategic planning, and we are moving our primary development effort to
Windows. I suggest that many others are doing the same for similar reasons.

Despite my current disappointment, bitterness, and cynicism, I still have some
regret about leaving the Macintosh, and some puzzlement about why things have
gotten so bad. Since Apple will probably not talk to me directly, I have a
request for you. Will those of you attending Atlanta next week please ask Apple
something for me?

The questions I have, and the ones I wish you to ask for me  are:

Does Apple understand the extent of damage inflicted on us (the developers) and
on themselves by their neglect of development tools? Will they set aside their
denial and arrogance and admit their mistakes?

Will Apple tell us, in all honesty, if they will ever improve support for
Macintosh development and back it up by information on personnel assigned, $'s
spent, and quarterly progress reports?

Will they turn off the marketing b/s and tell us, as one human being to
another, why we should believe them now after their actions of the last few
years?

If you do get any of these answers than please link me at D1104. Thank you so
very much.


Jeffrey W. Stulin


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Rainer Joswig
Email: joswig@informatik.uni-hamburg.de