Will I have any issues using a PPC Mac Mini as a build machine for a 10.5+ application while developing on Snow Leopard?

Question

We develop using Xcode 3.2 on Snow Leopard. The application we're developing however targets 10.5+ (Leopard).

I'm looking at setting up a continuous integration server (via CruiseControl).

I have an old PPC Mac Mini around. I realize that it will only run 10.5 with Xcode 3.1.3.

Am I likely to have any luck setting the Mini up as the integration server, or am I likely to run in to too many issues to make it worth the hassle and thus be better off campaigning for an Intel machine?

Some things I'm considering:

• If we start developing iPhone apps we'll be unable to build them on the PPC Mini.
• XCode project files will need to remain 3.1 compatible.
• I believe PackageMaker received an update in 10.6 as well. I'm not sure if the updated .pmproj file is backwards compatible.

Answer 1

Am I likely to have any luck setting the Mini up as the integration server, or am I likely to run in to too many issues to make it worth the hassle and thus be better off campaigning for an Intel machine?

It depends on what you're trying to do. If you're developing for Mac OS X 10.5 and earlier, no problem. You can't compile for 10.6 on a 10.5 machine, though, and the older compilers on the 10.5 machines may have bugs or lack features that the desktop developers have.

If we start developing iPhone apps we'll be unable to build them on the PPC Mini.

Correct.

Xcode project files will need to remain 3.1 compatible.

Easy to control in Project > Edit Project Settings > General.

I believe PackageMaker received an update in 10.6 as well. I'm not sure if the updated .pmproj file is backwards compatible.

Shouldn't be an issue; if the Mini is running it, you care whether the packages are forward-compatible, and they are.