Frequently asked Questions
Who are you?
We are a group of former NeXT and Apple engineers with extensive first hand experience tackling the problems associated with supporting multiple SDKs and hardware configurations. We have been working together on enterprise software projects for the last 20 years with an unblemished record of success.
What do you do?
We reduce the complexity of supporting and developing multiple mobile applications through Sustainable Development Practices. Our first hand experience with the issues associated with supporting multiple SDKs and hardware configurations is perhaps the best in the industry. Ultimately, using the AppOrchard development approach and our proprietary build systems reduce the complexity of maintaining iOS applications for our client companies.
What does "sustainable" mean?
With static or shrinking budgets, and IT departments being asked to create more and support more, building in a sustainable manner has to do with development that won't break your budget AND will achieve the objectives of the various stakeholders. At AppOrchard this point of view is pervasive in out approach to software development and the steps we advocate our clients take as they build their applications.
What is code coverage?
Code coverage, in short, is all about how thoroughly your tests exercise your code base. The intent of tests, of course, is to verify that your code does what it's expected to, but also to document what the code is expected to do. Taken further, code coverage can be considered as an indirect measure of quality -- indirect because we're talking about the degree to what our tests cover our code, or simply, the quality of tests. Code coverage is one of AppOrchard's key metrics for sustainable development.
What is continuous integration?
Continuous Integration is a software development practice where members of a team integrate their work frequently, usually each person integrates at least daily - leading to multiple integrations per day. Each integration is verified by an automated build (including tests) to detect integration errors as quickly as possible. At AppOrchard, we find that this approach leads to significantly reduced integration problems and allows our teams to develop and maintain cohesive software more rapidly.
Should I use Open Source?
There is a vibrant community of open source projects for iOS. You need a calendar UI components or a JSON parser? No problem, the projects are out there. Gaining a competitive advantage is a "significant reason" for selecting an open-source product, indicated Laurie Wurster, research director at Gartner. In a survey of 547 companies in 11 countries conducted between July and August 2010, Gartner found more organizations consider open source as "having much greater value than simply getting something for free."
Why AppOrchard?
With every set of tools, the tool makers develop their own set folklore and culture that can never be captured in code or documentation. AppOrchard's team stretches back to the very earliest days of what has evolved to become iOS. Our various roles at various times in the creation of the development tools for NeXTstep, OpenStep, Mac OS X and WebObjects position our firm as unique in our understanding of the latest evolution: iOS. When you hire AppOrchard you gain insight from the very people who helped shape the history of the operating system.
What about overseas shops?
With the economy driving towards globalization, many companies gain a competitive advantage by cutting their costs, optimizing efficiency, and great customer service. Outsourcing software development has proven successful for some companies, perhaps including yours. In a fast moving technological world, it is unlikely that your outsourcer service provider will be able to design a whole spectrum of technical software. AppOrchard helps you ensure that your mobile application development efforts are uninterrupted by unanticipated technology changes that your outsourced provider may not be aware of. Think of us as your maintenance, integration, and delivery partners.
What about my In-House team?
AppOrchard helps your in-house development investment payoff faster and with greater productivity. We also help insure against shortages of labor. In addition to providing your development teams with tools and advice to help them construct their applications in a sustainable manner, AppOrchard will take on the task of long term maintenance and release control freeing your resources to continue the pace of innovation uninterrupted.
Do you deal with the AppStore?
We deal with them all the time. Some of our closest friends still work at Apple and we're constantly making sure our relationships allow us to benefit our customer base as quickly as possible when changes are announced. We can't make Apple do anything they don't want to do, but if something is slow getting through, we can make a call on your behalf to the right people.
