After you registered on the app store, which requires giving them name, sex, email, address, phone number and going through the account validation email and "password must contain X special characters and you need six different security questions" hoops.

Last time I checked, Java SDK or Eclipse didn't want my A/S/L.

If you just bought a Mac in order to develop for iPhone then yes, you need to create an Apple ID and jump through all the hoops. Like if I wanted to run that aptitude command I would have to download, install Ubuntu and learn unix first.

But if you already are a mac user then you already have an Apple ID. It is absurd to say that you need it to download Xcode.

Eclipse: open Ubuntu Software Centre, search eclipse, click install. Done.