Developing in Objective-C

I thought I would spend a little time writing about my recent experiences with Objective-C. Recently I have been moving towards Objective-C as a language of choice, and after picking up a few books I found it one of the easier languages to pick-up in regards to syntax and overall clarity. After having spent far too much time in Java what becomes clear is how nice it is to have complete control, an attribute which makes C popular in its many flavors. It was quick to catch on to and with just a light background in C, it's quick and simple to recognize many of the subtle differences between C and Objective-C. Since Apple utilized Objective-C as their main language of choice for application development both on the Mac as well as the iPhone, it is critical language for anyone looking to get into programming on the Mac. Throw in the fact that Apple distributes XCode with every copy of OS X and you have the perfect start to delving into application development.

For anyone interested in getting down and dirty with Objective-C, I highly recommend Programming in Objective-C by Stephen G. Kochan, it is well written and offers some excellent examples, particularly for those who may not have a background in programming. What I like particularly about this book is how fluidly it moves from one topic to another. Kochan's examples are clear and concise enough that none of the points need belaboring and the progression of the chapters eases the reader into each stage with confidence. It is definitely worth checking out if you are interested in Objective-C.

It is probably worth mentioning that since this book does not get into Cocoa or any interfaces, a great read for becoming familiar with Cocoa is Cocoa(R) Programming for Mac(R) OS X by Aaron Hillegass

Switching to Mac

A good friend of mine owns two computers made by Apple and swears by them. Before I met him, I was sceptical about Macs and totally disliked them. What I didn't know was how much they have changed since the last time I used one, which was before the Intel switch. Windows can run natively on a Mac better than on most Windows based machines. Macs don't get viruses. Macs are stable. These are things I learned recently and key points that make me want to switch. Not only is a Mac stable, it can run for days, even months, without needing a restart. All the software you need to be productive is included, and it MUCH better than Microsoft's equivalent software, which costs hundreds of dollars. The hardware is far superior, with DDR3 memory and quick Intel core 2 duos in them. Being made out of aluminium, the Macbooks are light but extremely durable and sturdy due to the uni-body construction.
Being an engineering student, I need to run certain circuitry design programs for school which ONLY run on Windows. This is one of the biggest concerns for me. This can be easily solved by running windows XP, Vista, or 7 in a Virtual machine within OS X for my school program. Another issue I thought of was syncing my Windows Mobile 6 based smartphone with the calender, tasks, and emil on my computer. Under windows, this requires Outlook. Fortunatley, I have found some Mac alternatives which work just as well if not better than Outlook under windows.

So far I have been able to find nothing that will prevent me from being productive with a Mac. If anything, I will be able to work more efficiently because it will just work when I need it to. I will keep updating here when I get my Macbook Pro and I will post any complaints or roadblocks that I run into! Stay tuned.