2

I want to try some "programming for iphone".

For that I need a Mac OS X, no question about it.. But I have a problem I don't have a Mac Computer.

I have a Intel Dual-Core PC, running XP. Snow Leopard its for Intel, but for Intel Mac computers, right?.

If I manage to install Mac OS X Snow Leopard in my Notebook.

Do you think I can still install and do programming for Iphone, as well in a Mac Computer?

There will be any problems in the programming or debugging?

And there is another thing.. I don't have an iphone. That will may be a problem right?

Cœur
  • 37,241
  • 25
  • 195
  • 267
Fábio Antunes
  • 16,984
  • 18
  • 75
  • 96
  • 10
    I don't have a rocket, but I'd like to fly to the moon. – Nosredna Jul 15 '09 at 19:25
  • You don't need a rocket to learn the basic rocket science... And if you like the things you learned maybe you buy a rocket – Janusz Jul 15 '09 at 19:30
  • 1
    Actually, only the iPhone could inspire developers to ask the question "I want to develop for companyX's hardware, without owning any of their hardware" – Aiden Bell Jul 15 '09 at 19:35
  • I wonder if woodworkers and framers have this type of conversation? It's all wood right? A hammer's a hammer? – Terry Wilcox Jul 15 '09 at 19:38
  • @Aiden: Particularly since he doesn't have an iPhone. I'm not all that keen on developing for a platform I don't have access to, myself. – David Thornley Jul 15 '09 at 20:06
  • I used to pretend my Etch-A-Sketch was a computer screen. – Nosredna Jul 15 '09 at 20:13
  • @Nosredna - Etch-A-Sketch was a beautiful machine, it's native code was frustration. – Aiden Bell Jul 15 '09 at 21:13
  • Actually it's possible to compile source code *on* the iPhone/iPod Touch (jailbroken, obviously). – mk12 Nov 18 '09 at 03:42
  • @Terry - funny comment, as I'm a woodworker (hobbyist), and the conversation would be very much the same between carpenters, framers and fine woodworking guys. Way different tool sets, and I bet you can guess which category costs the most... – agartzke Aug 03 '10 at 21:41

7 Answers7

7

Yes, as long as you got it installed correctly and it worked well with your hardware (drivers working correctly and hardware properly identified). http://osx86.thefreesuite.com/ If you are doing iPhone development, you need to pay special attention to making sure your USB drivers are working well to. This and other driver/hardware issues may give a headache trying to get things to not only work, but work well and properly.

That is not the easiest task though and can be a real pain in the anatomy. A used cheap intel mac is the way to go to get started. (mini, imac). Just make sure it is an intel mac.

If you dont have an iphone, then you would just use the simulator for all your testing. This is not ideal though as you could not test your app properly. You also cannot use all iphone features in the simulator. It can only simulate so much.

Community
  • 1
  • 1
Troggy
  • 644
  • 2
  • 9
  • 23
3

This isn't the place, but providing you get OSX running then:

  1. You need stable USB support for your MB
  2. You might need to mix-up OSX and Darwin/Mach to get full hardware support
  3. The iPhone emulator may well include hardware-checking code
  4. It is cheaper to buy a second hand mac-mini
Aiden Bell
  • 28,212
  • 4
  • 75
  • 119
3

The questions already been answered but I want to add this to the overall topic.

I specifically bought a Mac to develop iPhone applications. What this single task opened up is far beyond what I was expecting. To list a few things:

  • I'm extremely impressed with the hardware. No hardware vendor competes with Mac's hardware from what I can tell.
  • The OS is sweet. I can't list all of the details but the virtual desktops alone is wonderful. Check out the Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_OS_X
  • I run Windows Vista from VirtualBox and it works great.
  • Objective-C -- A very nice programming language; I which I could use it more on windows.

All in all, I can literally get rid of all of my non-apple hardware and run Mac OS X and Vista from the Mac hardware and everything would be great.

My point is, the Mac is worth the price.

Buying a $999 Mac may not be such a bad idea...

And please note, running the Mac OS on a non apple computer is technically a license violation. I don't agree it should be, but it technically is.

UPDATE: You said that you want to see how it is done. You don't need a Mac (or the OS) assuming that you don't want to compile and run programs. Visit the iPhone Developer page at apple. You can get some free samples just by doing the basic free registration (don't sign up for the paid one).

From there, you should be able to download a few samples and look though the source code. You won't be able to view Interface Builder files, but this would at least give you some idea of the Objective-C code.

You can further gather more information online by going to websites like:

Frank V
  • 25,141
  • 34
  • 106
  • 144
  • But i don't want to start develop apps for iphone. First i want to see how it is done, do some really basic stuff. And then if i like it, then i will by a Mac. I'm not saying the Mac isn't worth the price. I'm the first one to say its worth. Isn't worth buying one know, nowing i have 4 computers in home. – Fábio Antunes Jul 15 '09 at 20:20
  • 1
    Isn't to much info, thanks for the answer its more stuff i will know. The point is that i'm just a "kid" compared to you guys. Who is curious about the subject. For example some of you guys have tried Linux, would you buy a new computer to try it? And once here in SO many people talk about iphone, i thought that this would be the best source of info about it – Fábio Antunes Jul 15 '09 at 20:40
  • I been looking into the links... Very useful. Great content. Thanks. – Fábio Antunes Jul 15 '09 at 20:42
  • I disagree that macs are good hardware. My first iBook (white) electrocuted me through the screws in the bottom and was very hot. Powerbook, graphics failure right out of warrenty...and on and on... the only thing I will use is the year before last's keyboard A104B. – Aiden Bell Jul 15 '09 at 21:07
  • 1
    @KGTM: I was in your shoes too, at one point. As for linux, you can play around with it via VirtualBox (link in my post above). VirtualBox is free and so is Linux -- match made in heaven. Keep finding ways to continuing learning. Good luck with your endeavor. – Frank V Jul 15 '09 at 21:08
  • 1
    @Aiden: I'm referring to the newer hardware. I can't speak to the older generation ones. I started with mac back in 2009 -- the good old days. ;-) Seriously, I bought my first mac in March 2009, I think. So, I'm speaking to the extremely new Intel based, current generation Macs. – Frank V Jul 15 '09 at 21:09
  • @Frank, I have close experience with the new hardware too and consider it overpriced arse. Each to their own. – Aiden Bell Jul 15 '09 at 21:11
  • @Frank: I already played around with Linux, i even have played some nice games with it. (you may see many people say that linux isn't to play) but i managed to play some decent games on it. And i still keep doing it. Thanks for the book for Iphone Dev in your website. – Fábio Antunes Jul 15 '09 at 21:49
  • @Aiden Bell: Aiden as a point, overpriced. Well in Apple Store for Portugal, Macbook Pro 13 inch 1100€, 15 inch 1600€ then 17 inch 2300€. So as i see it, its overpriced. – Fábio Antunes Jul 15 '09 at 21:53
  • My Samsung laptop is the best built bit of kit I have ever used. I swear by it. (NP-Q45) – Aiden Bell Jul 15 '09 at 23:43
1

Try Hackint0sh VM-ware torrents, I haven't had any luck so I bought a iMac instead but I hear that this is an option.

Phill Pafford
  • 83,471
  • 91
  • 263
  • 383
1

For first testings and learning the language and the concepts this should work. Maybe you are even able to install mac os into a vmware or virtualbox virtualmachine don't know which program applies for your operating system. You should be able to run Xcode and the Simulator and learn all the basics.

But if you want to develop serious Iphone apps I think you need an Iphone because getting a feeling for performance, User Interaction with the touch screen and so on can only be tested on the device itself.

And by the way I think this the perfectly right place for this question.

Janusz
  • 187,060
  • 113
  • 301
  • 369
  • Thanks for the help guys... I would like to mark best to all your answers, but can't be done xD Thanks for the help.. I will just try it in virtual box. I'm sure i will be back with questions. Thanks again. – Fábio Antunes Jul 15 '09 at 19:52
1

Agreed with most of the above points.

Mac mini's have gotten cheaper as of late especially if you buy a used one. Think of it this way if you buy a mac mini your first goal as an app developer is to release a paid app that will pay for your mac mini. Making money on the app store is NOT rocket science. It just takes a decent product and some common sense.

Another solution instead of getting an iPhone is to get an iPod touch. It will gives you 80% of the iPhone functionality for development testing and you won't have to sign up for the monthly plan.

FYI if you want to build for Blackberry up until recently it was hard to do without Windows so its not as if Apple is the only one that forces you into certain hardware/software combos to build for their platform. If you want to build for Windows you need to run Windows.

Ish
  • 1,855
  • 5
  • 24
  • 32
  • I'm a 17 year old guys who is just curious about the subject. Why would i by a Mac to in the end realize that i don't like making apps for iphone? With a new Mac it would be a total of 5 computers. Get the idea? – Fábio Antunes Jul 15 '09 at 20:14
  • Because you want to find out in a week, not three months, whether you like making apps for the iPhone. Sounds like you could sell three computers and buy a Mac. – Nosredna Jul 15 '09 at 20:33
1

There's a commercial environment which allows to develop iPhone applications directly from a Windows machine. You might want to give it a look instead of going through the huge and illegal hassle of setting up a hacked version of OS X on your PC.

http://www.dragonfiresdk.com/index.htm

It was released recently and they claim that some applications produced with it have already been approved for release in the App Store.

From http://daringfireball.net/linked/2010/06/15/dragonfire-sdk :

Their pitch: write iPhone apps using C and C++ on Windows, using Visual Studio, using Zimusoft’s SDK and their own iPhone Simulator. Then you upload your project to Zimusoft’s servers, where they take the project and compile it using an actual Mac and Xcode. You can then submit the resulting “real” binary to the App Store yourself, or let Zimusoft publish it to the App Store themselves.

Laurent Giroud
  • 207
  • 2
  • 9