From Win32 to Cocoa, Part 2
Part 2 of an Ars series on a "Windows user's conversion to Mac OSX" is now up.
I have to say, that even as a Mac supporter, I didn't think that Peter Bright's comment (in Part 1) that "writing software for Windows is a pain" is all that fair. I tend to think that Microsoft has done a fantastic job with its development tools in terms of making life easier for Joe programmer. With a little bit of effort, anybody can write a Windows application.
It must be said, however, that not everyone is cut out to be Joe programmer, which is why I think Bright's observation (also from Part 1) rings true:
Using Evernote as an example - I've been using Evernote for a couple of years on Windows now. I love the utility (and the price) of the Windows app, but the GUI always felt a little Mickey Mouse to me. Evernote 3 is the first time Evernote builds a native Mac client, and while not perfect, it has a very polished and efficient design, reminiscent of iTunes and iWeb. These design improvements have now been migrated over to the Windows version of the application. As a result, the Windows application is now significantly better than the 2.x iteration of the product.
If you're interested in understanding the difference between software development on both platforms, this series is worth a read.
I have to say, that even as a Mac supporter, I didn't think that Peter Bright's comment (in Part 1) that "writing software for Windows is a pain" is all that fair. I tend to think that Microsoft has done a fantastic job with its development tools in terms of making life easier for Joe programmer. With a little bit of effort, anybody can write a Windows application.
It must be said, however, that not everyone is cut out to be Joe programmer, which is why I think Bright's observation (also from Part 1) rings true:
The third-party software ecosystem for Windows is big, no doubt about that. But it's also incredibly shoddy. Most Windows applications—from both major software companies and minor ones alike—are ugly, poorly-thought-out, clunky pieces of crap. While there are a few artisan developers for Windows, most Windows devs just don't care.It is also true that on average, the typical "indie" Mac application has been developed with more careful thought in terms of design and user interaction than a comparable Windows application. I tend to think that this is simply due to the fact that developers realize that Mac users have higher expectations of applications, and that the higher degree of difficulty that comes with Mac programming also attracts a different breed of programmer. Quite often, you see Windows enterprise software carrying price tags of over six figures that don't look or run better than shareware apps developed by weekend programmers.
Using Evernote as an example - I've been using Evernote for a couple of years on Windows now. I love the utility (and the price) of the Windows app, but the GUI always felt a little Mickey Mouse to me. Evernote 3 is the first time Evernote builds a native Mac client, and while not perfect, it has a very polished and efficient design, reminiscent of iTunes and iWeb. These design improvements have now been migrated over to the Windows version of the application. As a result, the Windows application is now significantly better than the 2.x iteration of the product.
If you're interested in understanding the difference between software development on both platforms, this series is worth a read.
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