Are you sure you want to be an iPhone developer?

So I applied to the developer program on the same day I started the software (1/1). Part of the process asks for your iTunes Store ID which I've had for years. I give it and notice after clicking through a few screens that it thinks my name is Steve D'Amico, but in other places I had entered my real name (without the Fake prefix, of course).

I "Edit Profile" to fix this error which was caused by (I assume) the fact that both my wife and I order from the Apple store. (I also wonder why they keep accepting the credit card with the wrong name, but that's their problem not mine) Oddly, one's name in the developer site is not editable (so woe to those like JJ who runs XMarks née FoxMarks).

When you apply as a company, Apple needs your articles of incorporation or your business license, a lock of hair from your second born child (luckily I was exempt on that one), and the results of your most recent illicit drug test. In the fax cover sheet with my corp. papers I mentioned the fact the name wasn't open for changes and asked them to please change it.

Two weeks later I get an email from Apple rejecting my developer program application because I used a fake name (yes the irony is there). I wrote back (including the magic case number) explaining again the problem and asked them to change it.

A few days later I get a phone call from Apple telling me they can't change (well then who can?) She suggests I start the whole process over and when I get done, send her the application number and the case number and she'll immediately approve the new application without the need for the above-mentioned requirements, and discard the wrongly named old one.

I promptly (though painfully) refill out all the forms and get a new application and email her the stuff.

A week later I get another email and a new case number rejecting the second application.

I email them back with both case numbers and the whole story (and probably a little too much attitude).

Nada.

I write back again with the same stuff minus the attitude.

Another week later I get a phone call saying it's all been fixed up and I was good to go.

So they succeeded in making the process for becoming a developer take five weeks for an app that took me four weeks to write. Sigh.

(And thanks to Mike for letting use his developer ID for that month so I could build the thing in the first place)