So I built a very basic prototype app to explore an idea I had using Flutter (imagine something like a time boxing system where you track how frequently you get distracted). Spent a couple days roughing it out, and then I was able to load it onto my own Android device to start testing. Literally just plugged in my device to my PC, confirm the prompt on the phone, and then `flutter run -d <device_id>`. I also wanted to send it to my brother (who has an iPhone) so he could start playing with it too.

So I had to pay Apple $100 to open a developer account. Then sign a bunch of contracts. Then register an app ID and generate certificates. Then bundle the app and submit it to appstoreconnect. Then wait for a bunch of automated checks to pass and tell me that the app ID is missing entitlements. Then figure out what that even means, attempt to fix the entitlements, and run through the submission again. Then set up testing groups and invite my brother to test the app. Then I have to "submit" the app for approval for testing. And a couple days later finally get approval from Apple so that I can start testing it. And that's the short version; there were a bunch of nonsensical Xcode quirks to deal with.

For context, I've been an iOS developer for a decade, and it still took me the better part of a weekend to get through it all, even though I know exactly what to expect. And this is so one fucking person can try an app for me.

I hate Apple. I don't know how else to put it. I don't think they're evil, I just think they don't give a shit about their developers. Did you know their bug tracker is private? I'll find some weird behavior with, let's say UITableView or something, and spend all day trying to figure out what subtle thing I'm doing wrong using their comically poor documentation. And then somewhere buried in Stack Overflow I'll find someone saying "oh yeah that's a bug in the framework, I submitted a radar 2 years ago". So there's some bug that they know about, and I'm not even allowed to see that. It feels hostile on their part, and it makes me feel hostile on my part. I think Paul Graham was right.