Sweet Jeysu Kev! … aren’t them poor feral kids disadvantaged enough as it is. 
Sigh. More delays. After all this, are updates buried in a forum post really the best place to let your customers know what’s going on with the iOS version?
Never mind my ignorance. I just saw the blog post.
Which is all well and good. And understandable from a perspective. But the stories I’m writing are coming to me now, now weeks, months or even years down the road. The frustration that users are feeling is likewise understandable. The glacier-like progress (perceived or real) is verging on the absurd? Is it just me?
Anyway, I’m now happy with the makeshift setup of using Scrivener + Parallels Access + Simplenote. Don’t let the rantings of users here be mistaken for ingratitude. You guys have created an astoundingly perfect writing tool. But writers now write on the go, and more and more love the iPad for its elegance and clarity. If someone waved a magic wand and made me CEO of L&L tomorrow, my first act would be to divert all resources into the iOS version of Scrivener. Fortunately for all though, I’m not the CEO of anything.
Happy coding to the unfortunate few tasked with it, and happy writing to the many who can now do it in a surprisingly new way.
And maybe this should be a separate thread, but how will the iOS version work. Will it require purchasing the Desktop version? — I already have. Will there be a discount for those with a Desktop license? Is is a standalone app capable of working without its bigger and older sibling? And what price range are we looking at? Or all these question premature?
For the people posting about Parallels (or what ever it was) will this work in Windows? A lot of the ‘workarounds’ people post about are Apple only.
David is constantly updating users via social media. But each time we mention it we get a lot of abuse about how useless we are, so I prefer just to take cover get on with coding. 
It probably is absurd, yes. I wish we’d never started the ruddy thing, to be honest, and just stuck to our guns on Scrivener being a desktop-only app, where it is best placed. I don’t care about writing on the iPad or iPhone other than making a few notes I can send to myself. I used to be very clear about Scrivener being driven by our own passion, not something that we were trying to please everyone with, and I truly love the Mac version I work on all day, every day, but we dived into the iOS version as a business decision, something to please our users, and it has just backfired massively. Finding developers that can handle such a big app and getting it done right turned out to be much more difficult than we - I - ever anticipated. (Our new developer has to learn the Mac version inside out, understand the complex file format, then get familiar with the 200-page iOS specifications docs along with the separate syncing and compilation specifications…) Of course, if we didn’t do it, people would still be upset, as everybody expects everything to be available on mobile devices these days.
I’ll happily appoint you CEO if you want to take over the iOS version. You’d probably find you had a different bunch of unhappy customers if you diverted all resources to it, though. Windows users wouldn’t be happy if that wasn’t being constantly updated to catch up with the Mac version. And the huge sweeping changes under the hood of OS X over the past years would mean that the Mac version would soon be dying on its feet were it not for the enormous amount of time I’ve been putting into it to make it 64-bit, use all modern coding conventions and so on. And then there’s the true styles system and a billion other enhancements that have been put in place for the next major update over the past couple of years, with more still to do, none of which would have been done if all resources went into the iOS version. Not to mention that I just wouldn’t want to work on the thing as my passion is the Mac version, and that we need to feed our kids…
But the truth is that we have spent a lot on the iOS version and put a lot into it, and still it’s massively behind. Yes, we are clearly doing something hugely wrong; I have no doubt about that. But I look back and just don’t know exactly where or how it went wrong, other than possibly being a little over-optimistic about progress at a couple of points. Frankly, I’m no businessman. I’m CEO only by virtue of the fact that I came up with the app and it grew from there. I guess we needed a project manager or something, but we’re not big enough for that sort of thing (we don’t even have any offices).
You won’t need the desktop version, although you’ll get much more out of it if you have it. There will be no discount, no - such things aren’t even possible on the App Store. We won’t even be able to give discounts to existing Mac users when we put out a paid Mac update on the Mac App Store, seeing as Apple just don’t do upgrade or discount pricing. Price - not finalised.
And bah, I realise this has been another one of my defensive posts, but really, I’m a lot more fed up of trying to get this thing out than any of our users, I really am. If I were sensible, I should probably sell up to one of the big boys who have shown interest in the past, and let them take over the whole thing while I go back to teaching and enjoying using Scrivener… Although I don’t think I could bear watching anybody take it over and do something different with it, and as vic-k says, kids have enough problems these days without having me as a teacher.
Anyway, it’s still in development. We’re putting our best efforts into it even if those best efforts aren’t good enough. It will get done… eventually. But I urge anyone who is fed up with us or who absolutely needs a mobile version RIGHT NOW to go and use our competitors. Honestly. There’s some great software out there, like Ulysses. They’re all very different from us, but if a mobile version is what you are after and you can’t live without that component in your writing, some of the other apps out there have that right now. Obviously we don’t want to lose customers, but more importantly, we don’t want unhappy, angry users. We want our users to enjoy using our software and love what we provide right now, and we want to enjoy our jobs without upsetting anyone. If all the problems we have run into with getting our iOS version out is ruining Scrivener for you, find something that makes you happy instead. But, you know, maybe check in on us in a few months when we finally get this thing done to see if we can make you happy again.
You’re doing a fantastic job. I heard a senior Executive once tell an audience that unless you’d made the kind of mistakes that killed people you didn’t have the necessary experience or understanding to run a company. So, you’re waaaay ahead of that guy (who is c-suite in a major global).
I suspect you’re nowhere near as pessimistic about where you’ve brought the company as this post implies, but that said, if you’d value the contribution of a Non-Exec, let me know.
And if you just need cheering up, go sign up for a NiaD! 
Yes! I love scrivener, and I will be happy to work with scrivener for ios
With you all the way. Would i like to have iOS Scrivener? Yes. It would be nice. More than nice actually. It would be useful. When or if it comes, I’d for sure buy it. Is it a deal-breaker? No. If Mac/iOS syncing was the only thing I cared about, I’d already switched over to something else. (There are people on this forum, no kidding!, that has even considered switching over to Word, just because of the syncing. Go figure!).
Would I want an iOS app, if it came at the expense of developing the desk top version? Hell no!
Keith, you can’t make everyone happy, and the ones that are unhappy will always make most of the ruckus. But that is true for school kids too.
Keith, I’m sorry to see how much of a pain in the ass this development has been, but I can guarantee that there will be many happy people on the day it’s released. In the meantime, adding a little extra ‘flavour’* to your coffee might help.**
- See how much I care? I spelled flavor wrong, just for you.
**I hear Tullamore DEW and a dash of honey enhances one’s kiss-my-arse-itude. Not that I have any personal experience.
Listen up young Kev! 
This bunch of scabby mangy curs that crew Scriv may lack a lot when it comes to morals and ethical behaviour … y’ know wot am sayin’ Kev … but we’re not daft. There’re those out there as would put up a crock o’ shite masquerading as an iOS app an’ take the money an’ leg it! Shouting Digitus Impudicus!! pfffrrrtttt!!! as they do.
When iOS fir Scriv is launched, it’ll be the dog bollocks! Well worth the wait … 
won’t it?
I will of course buy the iOS-version when it comes along, just to have a convenient way of adding bits and pieces to my writing projects on the go, but… seriously, is anyone really doing serious writing on their iPad? Okay, with a bluetooth keyboard attached, with the crude multi-tasking of iOS 9 coming this fall, and especially if Apple also releases a 12 inch iPad this fall, you almost get the same capabilities as with a laptop, but only almost.
I can’t imagine doing more than some extra writing on the iPad, as a complement to the serious writing I do on the MBP. So the desktop version of Scrivener is much more important than an upcoming iOS version.
Is it okay to wish for something (this being the wish list)? – I really would like a simpler and quicker way to sync with Index Card, with just a button, like it is when you sync with an external folder. 
Oh, and an update to the new *.ndexcard format which has rtf. 
I have my charge card burning a hole in my wallet while I wait to buy the iOS version.
My beef was always the lack of communication rather than delays for technical reasons. The latter is forgiveable the former … well I’ve made my frustrations about that known here before.
Now I just have to hope that that charge card doesn’t incinerate my wallet or burn my bum while the agency programmer gets up to speed and solves the coding issues and the product goes on sale.
An iOS version would never replace the desktop version in my workflow but carrying a 27" monitor and a Mac mini on a train during the daily commute isn’t an option. Using a laptop on a crowded Underground train on part of that commute is most definitely not an option. The iOS version will be for those hours when I’m either commuting or at lunch during the day. The real scrivening will continue to be done with my desktop version. Using iOS will just make it a little simpler.
Keep the faith Keith. Scrivener has been a life-changing app for me. Seriously. I live in it. Circumstances mean I’m writing on an iPad a lot at the moment so excited at thought of iOS app. AS A BONUS. You’ve done a great thing for writers bringing Scrivener into the world.
Please don’t lose heart. You have my thanks.
S.
All I ever really wanted from the iOS version was Scrivener Notepad, pretty much exactly as it runs in the Mac version. I’m reminded of the time I set out to spend an afternoon replacing a hinky toilet-paper holder in the lav, and ended three months later with new tiles, toilet, and tub. And not in a Good way.
I still will use my PC version of Scrivener for writing, and especially editing. Part is to deal with my biggest barrier to effective writing, procrastination. There are too many sparkley things in life. Sitting at a PC and setting a timer works for me - as opposed to using a iPad in a coffee shop. I need to quiet to work, as well as a big screen to move scenes around and a desk for papers and books.
What I will use an app for is mostly creation, for jotting down ideas on an initial story, or maybe fine-tuning a specific scene. It will not replace the PC version for me.
As for timing - yes, it has been way too long. But shit happens. I’ve worked on enough projects to know that the best laid plans of mice and men …
Carry on developing. I’ll carry on writing.
I’m just constantly amused by the complaints of people about how long the ScriviOS version is taking to come to market. Try using an Android phone/tablet and wondering how much longer after the iOS version will come the Android version. iOS is inferior in pretty much every way, and yet the Android must constantly wait. Oh well.
Be happy that you have the ability already to type on your iPad and sync it to your Scriv project. Just because a dedicated app isn’t coming along as quickly as you’d like doesn’t mean you can’t do any writing. People didn’t stop just stop writing when they heard the rumors of the personal computer. They used pens, paper, and typewriters until the next tool was available.
FWIW - add another vote to the “keep the faith”. The door that needs the oil, makes the most noise. Or something like that…
For all those throwing abuse about the iOS delays - please remember that there are as many(?) who remain appreciative, first and foremost, of the desktop app. iOS will be wonderful. Let me throw money at you kind of wonderful. But the way I see things (not that I know anything - or am someone who’s even deserving of sharing his opinion) - the delay, for whatever reason - has happened. And it has annoyed some people - but hey, those that want it, will wait. And will still buy it. But since there is already a delay, then you may as well hunker down, stick to your guns, and do it properly. THAT takes the balls! 
Do whatever you need to do, and take however long it takes, to get something that you are happy with. Because if you do, then even those that clamoured the loudest, will be forced to concede “it was worth it”. And that’s far better than a “all this time, for this?”…
Easy for me to say. But sincere nonetheless. Keep the Faith! You and your team, and only you and your team, know best! No need to explain or apologise, IMO. Still won’t stop the “Are we there yet’s” - but that just goes with the territory, no?