My point is that comparing a Visual Studio Ultimate requirement to an XCode requirement is misrepresenting the weight of the XCode requirement. XCode is free and included with every copy of OSX, while Visual Studio Ultimate will set you back $3,800 (the cost of a well equipped Mac Pro). Requiring VS Ultimate would no doubt cause angry mobs to storm One Microsoft Way, but it is not a fair comparison by any means.
A more realistic comparison is that if Zune/XBox development required Visual Studio Express[1], which is a free download. And really, I can't imagine there being much backlash out of that. I wouldn't be surprised if it was currently the case.
[1] That's still a bit off since there is no up-sell from XCode, but for the sake of argument, say they are equivalent.
OS X is less expensive than Visual Studio, in fact you could probably get the operating system and a mac mini to go along with it for less than Visual Studio Ultimate...
That's the ultimate version.. Microsoft not only has much cheaper versions, but they also have free express compilers these days too (and have for years). But sure, pretend its 2008 still (at least the best video card available for the Mac Pro was slightly competitive at that time). Regardless, Mac's are heavily overpriced too. You have to own a mac to develop for the iPhone's. And you must use Apple software to develop for the iPhone.
And then you need Apple to censor your app (since they obviously know better than anyone what people should be allowed to buy).
And even after all that, Apple are using all of these, to kill Adobe (because that's what it's all about, since adobe is a competitor to Apple). Remember, when Aperture was first released, people were much more impressed with Lightroom, and Adobe hasn't lost much traction.
Anyway, Apple are treating developers like crap. Even if this is only a rumor, it is only a matter of time until antitrust trials get underway (for any number of things). In fact, I'm surprised they didn't happen sooner for the iPod's (which surprise surprise, use protocols to limit them to Apple's own software, which doesn't allow foreign music stores to be integrated).
