Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!yale!decvax!dartvax!eleazar!ericb From: ericb@eleazar.Dartmouth.EDU (Eric J. Bivona) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac Subject: Summary of Developer status Message-ID: <8090@eleazar.Dartmouth.EDU> Date: 4 Feb 88 22:48:59 GMT Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH Lines: 160 Keywords: Apple Developer status replies Here it is, a summary of the response to my friend's question about Apple's Developer status: ---------- Thank you to everyone who replied to my query concerning Developer status at Apple. Here is a list of the non-"forward anything interesting that you get to me" replies for the people who sent in "forward anything ....". It looks as if you already have to be someone to get Developer status, or at least have a very strong plan for becoming someone. Consultant's don't cut it, you have to be developing products. It's sort of tempting to try and put together a nationwide group of conultants under one title and use that group to buy stuff for all of the rest of us. Hmmm. Tempting thought. -David Channing (c/o Eric Bivona) ---------- First off: THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL APPLE COMPANY POLICY I am in engineering, and as such do not interact with the people who make decisions about developers. I helped several of my friends fill out their applications before I was hired at Apple. >From what little I know about developer status, it refers to "Developer of Applications software" (In general) Therefore, what is desired on a business plan is a statement of what sort of programs and such you intend to write. Once again, in general, developers write software with intent to market same, but "developer" might also refer to people who write specific software for specific purposes, for a cash fee. Developer does not refer to people who do DTP as their only line of business. I suggest simply stating in your "business plan" the kind of stuff you do and let Apple decide if "they" would call you a "developer" or not. Do so in an honest and straightforward manner, basically just saying what you intend to do once you have "achived" the status of developer. Sort of like on a resume, "What is your lifetime goal?". Should be easy, right? :-) Tom Dowdy CSNET: dowdy@apple.CSNET Apple Computer MS:27Y AppleLink:DOWDY1 20525 Mariani Ave UUCP: {sun,voder,amdahl,decwrl}!apple!dowdy Cupertino, CA 95014 "The 'Oo-Ah' Bird is so called because it lays square eggs." ---------- I have had the same problem with Apple about developer status. The woman who I talked to at Apple said that unless I had some published software, I could forget about developer status. I thought this was rather a rude comment and a pretty backward outlook on the part of Apple itself. If the only people Apple is going to encourage to be developers are those that already have a product out on the market, then I don't see many people off the ground anytime soon with Apple's help. Anyway, I would appreciate being forwarded any advice you get, because I am trying to write a math equation solver/grapher combination technical word processor and have no idea what Apple is looking for when it is talking about "proposed plan of distribution." Thanks in advance, David ---------- The developer status is, as you suggest, primarily for those who are developing new products for the Macintosh. Hence you want to concentrat your bussiness plan on those things which you might either publish or sell. These can be either general tools (word processors, spread sheets,etc) or vertical market packages (lawyers offices, etc.). But the key is that you plan to sell several of them. It doesn't need to be a large amount of sales, my plan showed only $80,000 sales in the first year (but of course according to the plan I'm 6 months behind :-)). My plan wasn't long but you do need to answer all the questions in section C (the one on marketing) in the plan, including issues of marketing, support, yearly sales, etc. It doesn't have to be long (mine was 6 pages or so), but do make it look nice (use a Mac word processor). Pick up a book or two on forming a small bussiness, as they will usually have sample bussiness plans you can follow for format. The general format I used was Overview - A description of the company, the goals and the product(s) Product - A description of the product itself Market - Support issues, marketing (how you plan to sell it) and the competition Finacial - Financing, two-year sales forcasts, two-year company finaicials These should look realistic, even if you know they have no basis in reality. In other words, put down what you think you can do in terms of sales. I set mine up as if I were going to setup a company myself to publish the software. My plans have since changed, I'm now looking for a publisher, but the plan is still there and is mostly usable if I do go back. Good Luck, Jerry Whitnell ---------- Dear Eric, I just saw your letter posted on the net. I too called Apple about becoming about a Certified Apple Developer. I'll gladly share my experience with you. I recently started a company called Pulse Consulting Services. This company has a small staff of what I feel to be good, creative programmers. We at Pulse thought it would be beneficial for us to become a Certified Developer because of the hardware and software support. The process started in October when I called Apple. They very quickly responded with the same form that I assume you received. I completed it, simply filling out the form, and I thought that there would be no problem. I sent in the form and after three weeks of waiting Apple returned the application and a form letter stating that we would have to include a business plan to gain approval. To answer your question, a business plan is easy enough to create. I can get my hands on a sample business plan to follow if you wish one. The problem lies not with the plan but with Apple's philosophy. No doubt you saw the form's section stating the nature of your program and that a completed program must be market-ready in 18 months. This isn't bad if you have a staff and a couple man-years to squeeze into 18 months but it's not the best of news for someone like yourself. Pulse is in the process of writing a business plan for Apple and that we intend to send it and hope for the best. All I can say for you is that Apple will surely know where you are coming from (I can easily find out the nature of any said company). Apple can surely determine how long you've been in business if you're a legitimate company. When I was in similar positions in the past I found that honesty is the best policy and it's the best in this situation too. Tell Apple your position, what 18 months isn't feasible (if the time is enough then don't state it) and that Apple's support will help you produce code that will accent Apple computers. Lastly, Apple seemed concerned that their potential developers be responsible with their sources, concerned about the result of the program, the marketing approaches and the end-user support. If you are a serious programmer (which I'm assured that you are) you won't have any problems with the first two. If you have any problems with the second two please don't hesitate to write me; I'd be more then glad to help and I can safely say that Pulse might be interested too if you're interested. -Eric Alessi alessi@psuvax1.cs.psu.edu ---------- I became a Certified Developer by sending in the documentation for a piece of freeware I wrote (Tiler 1.5, plug, plug) and an advertising blurb for the product I was consulting on at the time. They seemed to like it. - Walt