As I am waiting for XCode 4.2 to download on my new iMac I decided to chronicle my experience. This series of posts will outline my journey in what is a brave new world for me: iOS Development. Since developing cross platform apps is a key requirement for my work in mobile app creation, I’ve elected (as of this writing) to use Appcelerator. First a little background on me.
I am 47 years old. In the iOS development space this puts me in the senior citizen category. I run a company with 24 employees that generates millions per year in revenue. I graduated in electrical and computer engineering decades ago. My first job out of college was at Motorola developing in assembler. That lasted all of 18 months before I decided that sales and consulting engineering was the place for me. With that backdrop, why the hell would I attempt this.
The answer is two fold really: 1). I like tinkering. I’ve been doing adhoc web development (HTML, CSS) and maintaing various sites developed in Django, JQuery and PHP. 2). I believe that if you have chosen technology as your journey in this life you had better walk the walk. In other words, if building and marketing technology products and services is your craft, then you’d better know the ins and outs of what it is you are peddling.
I have no delusions here that I am going to become a master programmer. I wasn’t that good at it when I got paid to do it. I will likely pay someone to develop the complex pieces of the projects I create (e.g database backend, interactive graphics, complex UI functions). However I believe I need to know and be in competent using the tools of the trade. It’s like the guy that has a woodworking shed behind his house. For him it’s a fun hobby. He is not dependent upon woodworking to make a living. But if someone loves their craft and gets good at it they may be able to sell some of their creations in the local swap meet. I am a believer in the notion that many successful businesses, especially those that Tim Ferriss calls muse businesses, come from a hobbyist that turns their labor of love into marketable art form.
Well I believe that XCode is downloaded now, so here goes…