Serious question.

[computoman]

I signed up to be a developer for the iphone/itouch. Do you have to have os/x to develop for it? Are there alternative ides?

[tokenuser]

I signed up to be a developer for the iphone/itouch. Do you have to have os/x to develop for it? Are there alternative ides?An OSX based computer is the only option. The required Xcode dev environment comes with the OS (not a default part of the install, but its on the OS disc).

There are tool chains that might get you partway there, but at some point an OSX machine needs to get involved.

I bought an "old style" Macbook (Dual Core 2.4Hz CPU, upgrade the RAM to 4GB) to do iPhone dev. It has since become my main computer.

Mac mini computers have enough power as a dev environment, so that might be a low cost option. There are reports that Hackintosh computers have issues as a dev environment (mainly with respect to updates and some odd compiler issues due to the none Apple hardware), so that might be something to avoid.

[computoman]

I have no intentions of building a hackintosh. Long term support is not there for it. A second hand imac mini from a reseller might be an option. I can always install linux on it if decide to go another direction, I am not impressed with mac laptop stability. I hear nothing but horror stories about them. Thanks for the input.

[tokenuser]

I have no intentions of building a hackintosh. Long term support is not there for it. A second hand imac mini from a reseller might be an option. I can always install linux on it if decide to go another direction, I am not impressed with mac laptop stability. I hear nothing but horror stories about them. Thanks for the input.My Macbook is the "previous" model, before they went to the Aluminium Unibody Macbook Pro model. I use it primarily for dev work, and it has been rock solid.

It cost a little more than a Mac Mini or an iMac (the other serious option), but I run it with an external monitor and an external keyboard/mouse (both PC, not Mac models), but I like the option of going portable and programming with it sitting on my lap too.

[computoman]

I would probably use my existing linux laptop and vnc into it for portability.

[phatlip]

I have no intentions of building a hackintosh. Long term support is not there for it. A second hand imac mini from a reseller might be an option. I can always install linux on it if decide to go another direction, I am not impressed with mac laptop stability. I hear nothing but horror stories about them. Thanks for the input.

I had issues with my Macbook case (cracking) but they always fixed it for me no problem. The build quality on the new aluminum Macbook Pro's are amazing though.

I highly suggest it. Even if you decide to install Linux on it, it's a nice machine.

[computoman]

I have never had a problem with my laptops excepting batteries or old age. I do not have time to waste dealing with the apple store employees. We used to have macs in the music and art labs at the school where I used to work. I was not impressed with the so-called certified people that came out to work on the systems. I still have not decided to even get into mac computers again. Investing in the Android phone is becoming more and more plausible instead. If I do that a mac will not be required.

[phatlip]

I have never had a problem with my laptops excepting batteries or old age. I do not have time to waste dealing with the apple store employees. We used to have macs in the music and art labs at the school where I used to work. I was not impressed with the so-called certified people that came out to work on the systems. I still have not decided to even get into mac computers again. Investing in the Android phone is becoming more and more plausible instead. If I do that a mac will not be required.

Then buy it online. Again, you can install Linux on it. I'm not suggesting it as a Mac, but as a really nice Linux box. It's not often, but every now and then I have people that come into do this.