macOS ADC questions

[smogsy]

currently have a Macbook 2.2C2D 4GBRAM At the moment

I Am going to purchase a Mac Pro Between Now or After WWDC 09 Depending on how fast i can save up and new rumors that arise

i was going to join the ADC Community as the reason for buying the mac pro is to create and develop software for OSX & Iphone Applications.

I Have a few Questions About It.
This is The one i was going to choose
Become an ADC Select Member
£299.00
* ADC Software Seeding Program
* Mac OS X and Xcode Tools
* 2 Technical Support Incidents
* 1 ADC Hardware Discount (is there a rough percentage you get off?)
* ADC Compatibility Labs Access
* ADC Monthly Mailing/Download
* ADC Business and Marketing Programs

Mac OS X and Xcode Tools
1. Do Your Not Get this With Leopard Disks Anyway or do you get more tools?

DC Hardware Discount
2. is there a rough percentage you get off?

3. is This a Yearly Thing as i noticed this
"Through the ADC Hardware Purchase Program, Select Members receive a significant discount on one development system each Membership year"

4. if so can you leave ADC easily if i do not think its worth while after the year

5. Can people post there experiences with ADC and If you Used the Discount was it a painless experience & was it a good discount
__________________

 

[admanimal]

How experienced of a developer are you?

 

[smogsy]

in the Apple Universe Brand New (want to learn)
Windows done VB for few years

at work i create the software that goes into Sky satellite boxs here in the uk

 

[NSNick]

£1749*1.96$/£=$3428.04 (UK Price)
$2799 (US Price)
$3428.04-$2799=$629.04 (Difference in price)
$629.04*.51£/$=£320.94

Is your ADC hardware discount worth more than £320.94?

 

[smogsy]

its £299.00 to join so £100 free might be ok i suppose

 

[janey]

* 1 ADC Hardware Discount (is there a rough percentage you get off?)

No, it depends on which configuration you get with what where. You can configure your machine on http://developer.apple.com/membership/hardware.html but you won't be able to purchase until you have the membership.

1. Do Your Not Get this With Leopard Disks Anyway or do you get more tools?

You get access to seeds (developer preview, beta, whatever you want to call it).

3. is This a Yearly Thing as i noticed this...

Yes.

if so can you leave ADC easily if i do not think its worth while after the year

To be honest, you might find some of the other benefits useful. I'm pretty sure you're just saying that right now on the basis of "ooh I want shiny discount". It really depends on what you use. For example, I've been to two WWDCs so far, and even though I've gone under their student scholarship program, once I graduate and/or get a job that'd pay for that...I'd be willing to pay full price, because the experience is so completely worth it. And out of all the perks of a paid ADC membership, the hardware discount is the one I'm least interested in.

Can people post there experiences with ADC and If you Used the Discount was it a painless experience & was it a good discount

Okay, it's like all you can think about is the discount. I suggest you stop doing so now.

I can tell you one thing. My ancient and well-worn core duo first gen intel Mac mini in need of replacement is good enough for a LOT of tasks. To add to that, the iPhone SDK readme explicitly notes it's designed for 32-bit intel, hint hint, and it hasn't stopped me from messing around... although it might be on the slow side. Unless you have some very specific applications you plan on starting on right now with some insane performance requirements, there is no way in hell you need a Mac Pro to get anything done. I'd even go as far as to suggest you're wasting your money, especially with a perfectly good MacBook and if you're so new. An insanely powerful tool does not make you a better developer by default.

Now, after all that. As long as you have the asset available in your membership you won't have a problem ordering from the developer store. The discount, as I mentioned above, depends on what you get.

 

[smogsy]

hey thanks for the response, i'm not only interested in the discount, its just the only thing out of list that i have experience of, i haven't seen the benefits of the other features that ADC offers. im looking to get the ADC along side the Mac Pro that why i asked about the discount.

im looking forward to creating apps but, the Macbook has a far to small resolution for me now, i have it currently connected to my tv @ 1920x1080 which helps its not a comfortable experience at all .

thanks for answering my questions and i have had a loot more depther in to the ADC membership i currently do not think i would use the Beta OS seeds as ive only had mac for a year now.
but betas of new developer tools would be awesome.

i will have to try it out im sure with your explanation plus more i have read up on it should be a good experience.

i wouldn't mind going to a WWDC but would be a long trip (london uk)

 

[janey]

im looking forward to creating apps but, the Macbook has a far to small resolution for me now, i have it currently connected to my tv @ 1920x1080 which helps its not a comfortable experience at all .

MacBooks can handle up to 1920x1200..so that's 1280x800 on the main display, 1920x1200 on the secondary, and spaces and exposé on top of minimizing and hiding applications. Together with a separate keyboard and mouse, isn't that enough?

when I'm away from home I don't have any problems with the 1280x800 resolution on my macbook with textmate, xcode, instruments, interface builder and intellij. sure it's nice to be on a bigger resolution, but it's not necessary to be on something like 2560x1600 all the time. the final decision is obviously up to you but I can't help but think that a Mac Pro is overkill. maybe you should look into buying a display for the MacBook, or possibly something along the lines of an iMac (where the developer discount is so insignificant it's not worth buying an ADC membership for the hardware discount).