Actually you could download Xcode (and the iOS SDKs) for free from Apple's website. It would only run on your $129/$29 OS, but technically you didn't have to use the shipped copy ever.
You can download download Xcode 3.x free if you log in at connect.apple.com, or on the xcode page on developer.apple.com you click on the "Looking for Xcode 3" link:
This isn't the end of the world, it is not like now you no longer have access to the development tools. I wonder like a lot of people if this has to do with tax laws.
> it is not like now you no longer have access
> to the development tools
XCode 3 may still work now, but what does the future hold? Will it get updates? Or will it slowly become obsolete?
If it just slowly dies, then this is a very shrewd move by Apple because the pain (i.e. "I have to pay to get any dev tools") comes some time in the future and the people can dismiss the nay-sayers right now with, "but you can still get X Code 3 for free!" If Apple were to immediately pull XCode 3, and all access to dev tools was pay-only, then it would be a lot easier for more people to side with the people decrying this move.
Many other people are also suggesting, and I would agree with them that come OS X Lion time Xcode will once again be shipped on the media that the OS comes on.
I don't know what the future holds, I don't work at Apple, and if I did I am pretty sure I wouldn't be allowed to tell you.
Sure we can speculate at this point, honestly I think that Xcode 3 has run its course and that Xcode 4 is the future.
Xcode 4 being priced the way it is may be for tax reasons, Xcode 4 may be shipped with OS X Lion, Xcode 4 may later on be offered as a $50 package on the Mac App Store. We don't know. For now I hope, and tend to agree with people that Xcode 4 will be bundled with OS X Lion and at that point will be free once more.
