App developers ask Apple to fix Radar bug reporting tool
The petition is named "Fix Radar or GTFO," a play on the "Radar or GTFO" phrase Apple engineers supposedly respond with when devs pose questions, is looking to remedy a list of problems that the independent app makers face when using the tool, reports The Next Web.
"The only way to really communicate with Apple about what is broken and what we want is Radar," the petition's letter reads. "But Radar sucks, and has done for a very, VERY long time. This puts a lot of people off filing radars."
Developers who have signed include The Iconfactory's Craig Hockenberry, Read it Later's Steve Streza and Edovia's Luc Vandal, among other notables.
Ironically, the petition asks devs to file a radar report for Radar itself outlining what features they feel are missing or broken. If those who have filed feel so inclined, they can copy and paste the Radar filing number to the petition's webpage to show their support in a more public manner.
Also on the site is an open letter to Apple that hits on the major deficiencies found with Radar.
Point-by-point, the letter notes the following issues:
- User interface is awkward and slow
- Majority of radars are either left untouched or marked as duplicates
- Hard and painful to file
- Inability to file bugs from Xcode
- Duplicate filings that can't be seen
The letter argues that by making Radar a more open system in which developers are able to make filings searchable, time would not be wasted by filling out duplicate reports. Other UI requests include the ability to drag and drop attachments, auto-generation of system profiles and the ability to save reports as drafts.
From the open letter's closing paragraph:
So please fix Radar. You've worked hard to give us great APIs, a great language, great documentation and great developer tools. Please now focus your attention on giving us a great tool to help us help you.
Thanks
Your 3rd Party Developers
Apple has yet to respond, and it remains unclear if the petition will gain any real traction.
20 Comments
Hi
I can't believe they still use it. I was a Software Tester for Apple back in 1997 and we used Rader as our bug tracking tool. I am amazed it is still used. It was clunky back then!!
An online petition signed by over 350 iOS and Mac app developers is asking Apple to fix its bug reporting tool called Radar,
350 malcontents out of how many devs in the world?
GTFO.
Thank god someone else thought so. For those of us who file bug reports the process and web interface are really bad. Apple needs to work this. They did great job with the developers forums but you cannot get help from Apple there.
I am glad someone is taking action.
350 malcontents out of how many devs in the world?
GTFO.
Considering that this has just been reported on the number is actually impressive. Have you actually used the developers bug reportering tool?
Apple has yet to respond, and it remains unclear if the petition will gain any real traction.
Maybe an all at once coordinated 350 e-mail campaign to Tim Cook. It worked for that single guy and the unlocking of his iPhone from ATT when Tim gave ATT a call. Maybe Time can give the Apple Radar folk a call?!
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