It’s pretty normal that if you want to use the developer tools on a platform and you are not a developer for that platform, you are going to have to figure out how to install the tools.
This is true for Linux and Windows too.
This is true for Linux and Windows too.
Downloading the command line tools package is just a convenient way to get everything, which is why people recommend it.
I think it’s pretty common knowledge that Macs are sold as consumer machines that don’t include a full tool chain out of the box. Guess what - it’s free to download and sometimes it gets updates.
It’s hard to understand why you are making such a fuss about installing developer tools on a developer machine.
Sometimes I find I have to install gcc or clang or llvm on a Linux machine in order to install some other package. Why would I moan about this?
Why do I need GCC for git?
> Macs are sold as consumer machines that don’t include a full tool chain out of the box.
It wasn't that long ago that Macs had server software out of the box.
Still doesn't explain why I need to download 670 MB of something to install otherwise separate tools.
And why the hell things like git break when XCode upgrades a version
You don’t - but you do need it on Linux to install certain other developer tools. There is nothing unusual about having to install developer tools.
> It wasn't that long ago that Macs had server software out of the box.
So what? Are you saying you didn’t realize MacOS is now aimed at consumers?
And yet, only in MacOS I need to install 670 MB of junk to install, say, git. Why?
> Are you saying you didn’t realize MacOS is now aimed at consumers?
This doesn't explain why I need to install 670 MB of tools to install separate developer tools that are not even Apple's.
With all due respect, it’s very unclear why you are experiencing so much pain over this. It really isn’t a big deal.
I agree that if there is a bug that causes a download to get stuck in a loop, it should be a priority for Apple to fix it.
However that isn’t what you are arguing.
No it doesn't. The GPL is only relevant if you plan to distribute GCC, and you are never made to affirm your agreement when downloading, installing or using GCC. GCC never prompts you with any "click agree to continue" bullshit.
This is no different from Apple’s license, which also allows you to use the software freely unless you want to redistribute it.
Prompt or no prompt, if you use GPL software, you are forced to accept the GPL.
And really? Your complaint is a click to agree to a software license? Why does that upset you so much?
No prompt, no forced acceptance. You are simply wrong. The GPL permits all use, it has no restrictions on use. It restricts only distribution.
> This is no different from Apple’s license, which also allows you to use the software freely unless you want to redistribute it.
You are wrong. You didn't read Xcode's license. I did, it places substantial restrictions on how and where you can use Xcode, not just restrictions on distribution.
Do yourself a favor and read this document, since you obviously have already agreed to it without reading it: https://www.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/xcode.pdf
Fair point about the XCode license being more restrictive than I said.
But trying to download the xcode tools put me into a loop which wasn't completing for some reason. After several attempts waiting for it to download and install I gave up and created an alias 'git' which points to my brew install of git (in usr/local/bin I think).
This will bite me somehow very soon, I'm sure.
The question of "why the he'll do I need to download 670 MB of unknown junk before installing tools that are not even Apple's" remains
Honestly if having to download some tools is your chief complaint about their developer experience, they must be doing magnificently.