I'm a developer, but just to play devil's advocate... think about the end user. Having a review process (though, Apple can improve theirs, see below) helps protect the end user. Programmers, companies, etc. can't just repeatedly push updates non-stop, starting with half-baked apps, iterating too quickly. How do you have a check process that ensures an app is up to standard and "safe"? In addition, the time cost to release adds value to a release, hopefully helping it be more thought out, bringing more value to the user.
Again though... I think the point is that Apple could have a better review process that A) values the developer more and B) shouldn't take as long. I agree with that.
Is the author a literal yak shaver, á la sheep-shearer, but for yaks? (Or is it perhaps another way of saying "I can't legally tell you what I do for a living"?)
There is one last major piece to be done for the game (now I’m no longer working alone on it) after which I want to write something a bit more detailed about the journey.
But on the high-level — my full-time job is interaction design. Throughout my career I used JavaScript a lot for building interactive design prototypes and it’s the only language I know, so when I had the idea for Yare.io (heavily inspired by MIT’s Battle Code), vanilla JavaScript (and Node for server) was the only thing I could use (didn’t know any libraries or frameworks)
The project was really just a “problem” to be solved. Use JavaScript to move basic geometric shapes on a canvas in a 1 versus 1 battle. It needed to have a UI, rendering of a game state, authentication, event queue, basic ruleset, … None of this really required any tracker or rigorous process. I know what needs to be done, because I’m literally sitting in front it, seeing what needs to be done. It didn’t need a “plan”, because it didn’t matter when each piece of the puzzle was made. Just, whatever I was in the mood for that day.
I think the principle of simplicity (as cliche as it sounds) – trying to keep everything (especially the foundations) as basic as possible – was really the main thing that allowed me to finish the game.
I don't think I could enjoy it as much as I did with some scrum method, brainstorming bullshit, or anything reminding me of work.
The desktop experience, at least for me, has been amazing. Very fast and clean.
The download times for messages / etc have been MUCH slower recently. I’m thinking it’s because of the load they are experiencing. As more people donate and as they scale for the load I imagine (and hope) it might even be faster than it was before.
Again though... I think the point is that Apple could have a better review process that A) values the developer more and B) shouldn't take as long. I agree with that.