Develop iPhone application remotely?

Question

4 java developers are new to iPod Touch/iPhone app development. They have an idea for an app. They have never used Xcode or Macs before.

Instead of spending money for a new iMac or Mac Mini for each of them, my boss would like to sell them a $999 Apple server, hosted at a facility connected a single T1 line, and have all 4 people work remotely in Xcode.

1. Is this feasible? Is anyone doing anything like this? Specifically, is 1 T1 enough for realistic remote app development?

2. Would they have to work in black & white via Logmein or Gotomeeting to get decent speed?

3. Can four people work remotely together on an Xcode project at the same time?

4. Do they absolutely need their own Macs to connect their iPod Touches or iPhones physically to, or can they connect to their existing PCs with iTunes and install their in-development apps that way?

Answer 1

If you cannot produce a business case for getting a mac mini for each developer I don't think you will make enough money for the business to be worth it - (including paying enough to the programmers)

Answer 2

Is this feasible? Is anyone doing anything like this? Specifically, is 1 T1 enough for realistic remote app development?

I don't think there is such a things as "realistic remote app development".

Would they have to work in black & white via Logmein or Gotomeeting to get decent speed?

Does their health care plan cover migraine?

Can four people work remotely together on an Xcode project at the same time?

You can work with multiple people on one project, but only if each has their own copy of Xcode on their own Mac.

Do they absolutely need their own Macs to connect their iPod Touches or iPhones physically to, or can they connect to their existing PCs with iTunes and install their in-development apps that way?

You need to have the devices connected to the Mac running Xcode in order to debug. Not debugging on the device is not really an option. You can do some debugging on the iPhone Simulator, but certainly not all.

Answer 3

The lowest entry cost is a Mac Mini for each developer, plus the cost of at least one iPod Touch/iPhone plus the $99 per year that Apple charges to load software onto the device.

What your boss is proposing is simply not feasible and quite unrealistic. It's also frankly insulting to the developers.

If cost is that much of an issue, buy second-hand or refurbished.