I want to take a moment to address the growing volume of questions and comments from comic fans that use Apple computers and want to participate in Comic Collector Live.

The Comic Collector Live project has 3 major goals:
• To provide the community with a top tier piece of software that was free
• To build a community comic book database
• To connect buyers with sellers in a way that was conducive to the hobby

In addition we wanted to build a hub of activity for comic book enthusiasts. We also wanted community participation early on, which is why we quickly deployed a website and forums long before the beta was even an alpha. Also, we invited the community to participate in the open beta of the software.

We are continuing to expand our community each day. Currently we have a complete overhaul of the website in progress. This new site will allow the community to better interact by providing more of our services online. A key component of this new website will be the Online Comics Database, the same one the CCL app uses. Also, we will continue to make strides in the process for submitting data to the community database, including the ability for users to submit feedback on pending changes.

The enhancements to the website will make clear to people the nature of the software as well as requirements to use the software. I’d like to point out that the Live Market will be web based as well as accessible via the software so anyone will be able to use it to buy comics.

I’m often asked why the CCL software wasn’t built as a web app. The simple answer is “User Experience.” We had in our minds the type of experience we wanted to create, and desktop software seemed to be the solution that fit the best.

The big question; why Windows only? There are several factors to consider when working on a project as large and ambitious as this. Ultimately it comes down to tools and resources. If we are doing desktop software, how can we rapidly develop a quality product which will work on as many different configurations as possible? The answer for us was the Microsoft .NET 2.0 platform. Also, choosing this development platform gives us access to a larger pool of developer talent than had we gone with Java or C/C++ as a development language.

If the CCL project takes off as we anticipate that it will, and the demand for the CCL on other platforms continues to increase, we may very well develop a multi-platform version. Already there are rumblings for web clients and even interoperability with cell phones and PDA’s.

I really wanted to make it clear that our decisions are not the result of a desire to exclude anyone. Our in-house art staff members who are responsible for the ad images you’ve seen in Marvel comics use Macs to work their magic. I’d love for those guys to be able to run CCL on their systems, I really would.

Perhaps some experts out there can help us find a way to get CCL to work via emulation. We’d be willing to assist in any way possible.

hopefully this will go mac friendly soon because i would really love to use it.

so whats the news on the mac version. any new news.

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White meat... Dark meat... All will be carved.
THANKSGIVING

I feel for you guys, I really do. I get a couple of emails per day from Mac users. Most seem very frustrated. We are listening, just please understand that making an app for Mac is a lot more difficult than making a Windows app (odd, seeing as how easy it is to use a Mac). We will look into developing Mac and web clients after the release of Live Market. Maybe some Mac programmer types can point of in the direction of some good development tools?

Thank you for this topic!

As a converted Mac user I also have been finding things hard to get on mac. The old double edge of it all. Macs have less problems (I have to fix my wifes PC all the Fn time!) but you can't get this cool software yet.

Please keep up the good work and try and at least get it online so us mac users can imput online, while you are working out a Mac version for us.
Also add a link somewhere on you site that points us Mac users to this Topic so we don't get as frustrated with looking for a way to make this work for us.

Again Keep up the great Work!

As a MAC user I am sort of used to having a problem in getting software, however it is something that you shoud be looking at as the MAC platform is growing quicker the Windows. Microsoft was the franchise at one time but that is changing as even LINUX is making inroads on the home PC>

I understand that given the relatively small user base that a Mac version is not a huge priority. Having some sort of online version of the software seems like a great compromise to me though (as you've mentioned before). Even if it was a bit slower and had less functionality than the Windows app, I think it'd be a nice option for cross-platform availability.

While I know almost nothing about software development, I do know that Apple provides the Xcode development tools for free: http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/xcode/

I would guess that it's probably of little use given the .Net underpinnings of CCL, but I just wanted to point out that Apple does support developers and provides a fair amount of tools for developing new apps.

I think that reaching out to Mac developers who've worked on comics apps in the past might be a good idea... I know there's a program called Comics for cataloging, and the simple Missing Issue and Wednesday's list apps too. If those guys got working on a simple Mac app that could interface with the CCL system, it'd be really cool.

Here is a program for mac that works great, but the data/online gathering doesn't. Could you guys maybe work a deal with them? Maybe have them build yours, or maybe charge them a fee to use your database, or have them link to you like they do with amazon. That would be HEAVEN.

http://www.delicious-monster.com/

Thanks, 45 unsorted long boxes and a Mac user.

I was reading all the entries about getting something for mac users. The last couple of entries that discussed delicious-monster seemed very interesting. I checked out delicious-monster and I have to say that this program is unbelievable!. I really hope that you guys can work something out with these people.

Thank you
Thousands of books, and frustrated

That's an idea!!