Retrospective for Offline LibraryThing Book Catalog Browser

My latest hobby application (non-work, created on personal time) is now waiting for various approvals. Reached the exhaustion point, where it's more important to make a release than add new features - or even search for bugs.

Idea without execution is worthless.

There's online development diary "While Developing" started 22 August 2012, about 2 months ago. So what did I do and did I learn anything? At all? Would I do this again? Ever?

While Developing Elsewhere

Just a quick note that a) I've been real busy with a business iPhone app development for a startup (subcontractor work) and b) started documenting one of my recently reactivated hobby projects at jomnius.tumblr.com.

The startup project is scheduled to be released for App Store review later today (!!!) and my part of the project should be done. Ready for next project, whatever and whenever that might be.

Hobby project on the other hand is an offline book catalog browser for LibraryThing website, truly a treasure trove for all book lovers. The app is work-in-progress and not released yet.

FontType 1.1 Release Notes and Future Plans

FontType version 1.1 was released on Apple AppStore on Monday. Official release note contains iOS5 compatibility, font metrics view and undefined fixes under the hood. Apple used 4 hours for the review (according to push notifications via iTC Mobile app), wonder what they were doing.

Biggest change is internal, out-of-sight, thanx to the objc_dep dependency graph tool. As you can see (in this linked article) the version 1.0 architecture was a bit dodgy, me coding at nights half asleep and during 15 minute breaks desperately trying to recall what the frak was I doing between constant context switches.

When NOT to Release Your Application

Regardless of all "release early, release often" and "fail early, fail often" talk, there really are moments, when you SHOULD NOT RELEASE your new application.

This could be a trick question, but it's not. Just another hard lessons learned, another strike by faceless market powers. The answer is Thanksgiving, of course.

Console On Device 1.0 Now Available in App Store

I am happy to tell that second of my old three apps is finally available in App Store:

Console On Device 1.0

It's mainly a developer utility to check iOS console output within your device, without a computer. However many released apps write debug data into console, so occasional users can use it to check what's going on under the iOS hood - even whether some app really crashed or not (check "ReportCrash").

So why did I write it? Because I needed something like that in a real customer project, but couldn't find. Here's the story, without any names:

Releasing Console On Device - Lessons Learned

Trying to make my third release, an application called "Console On Device". Learned some new things - and old ones, too.

First of all, application name was already reserved. I did extensive research and tough name planning, when starting to design this app - in February 2011. Surprisingly at November 2011 someone else had already released an app with "my" name!

Lesson learned: I could have created iTunes Connect app record right away to reserve the name. However in this case luck was on my side: I found a new better name!

Rise and Fall of FontType in App Store

It's three weeks since release of FontType, my first app under my own name (actually Jomnius). It's been ... interesting times. Didn't expect big sales, but hoped to get at least a few users. Nope.

Some comments and suggestions for update. None. Bug reports. Nada. Hello, anyone there?

FontType 1.0 Now Available in App Store

After lots of sleepless nights and countless redesings I am happy to tell that first of my three apps is finally available in App Store:

FontType 1.0.

It's a small and nice "font viewer" application. Got several reasons to write it, so many that I want to list them:

Three Applications to Be Released

There are still some minor open issues, like icons, colors, title and writing webpages. Otherwise everything is just fine :) Well, besides releasing the apps, I mean. But that day is getting closer.

"Time" which shows current time and that's pretty much it. Lean, clean and simple on purpose, but I fear it might be too simple for Apple. Might have to add something to get approved, unfortunately.

"Font" application, since I just love fonts. There must be 50 fonts applications in App Store already, but wanted to do my own. Looks good, got some nice features and I have a list of things to add.

"Log" application to display in-device NSLog output. Needed this kind of application in "real work", but couldn't find any with requires features. The first release will be simple on purpose, need some feedback to decide what to add in next version. Too many choises to be made based only on single person's (me) feedback.