ciretose

So, after the minor 2 week Squares! snafu, I think we’re back to a fully functional version.

Yes!

… and whew!

Well, doing this whole part-time iPhone developer bit just, well, bit me. On iOS 4 launch day, I discovered an issue with the existing Squares! app where the UITextField, despite telling it to resignFirstResponder, doesn’t. The issue is when you get a high score, enter your name, it shows you the high score list (presents a modal view). When you dismiss the modal view, the text field where you enter your name (which has been hidden) regains first responder and the keyboard reappears.

Bummer.

Anyway, the fix was easy and submitted immediately – but here I sit waiting for the fix to be “approved”, all the while gathering in 1 star reviews. So, one immediate lesson is that very few – if any – people using the app actually go to your support site if there are problems. Posting the “we’ve submitted a fix, please be patient” messages on the home page, the facebook page, twitter feeds, the AppStore description apparently are only seen by a small number of people.

I made a number of mistakes in the immediate panic dealing with the bug, and the mistakes and failures are all mine; I only have myself to blame. However, it does tweak me just a bit that a fix is there, has been there, sitting, waiting, begging to save me from frustrating any more people than I have to and there is nothing I can do about it.

But, I knew that was part of playing in the iPhone playground and I agreed to play by the rules. To paraphrase Neitzsche, “The App that does not kill me makes me stronger!”

Amen, Brother. Amen.