Re: [rant] Developers, use ....in' "extras"!
 

I couldn't agree more that we should start maemo distro that actually has packagers who put the applications (and themes) to extras (in addition to still allowing 3rd parties to put stuff in there). Packagers could also be dragging in stuff from debian on routine basis.

Re: [rant] Developers, use ....in' "extras"!
 

Envy the country that has heroes! I say pity the country that needs them... or buy an iphone.

Re: [rant] Developers, use ....in' "extras"!
 

I'll re-affirm some of what has been said. As a user, I've hated not at least having a ".install" file for packages, but as a developer I can understand with not being able to get a working scratchbox environment (been a Linux user for 10+ years, exclusive for 6+), trying to satisfy desktop(me)/770(me)/8x0 (everyone else) and getting annoyed at the documentation across all of these, being unfamiliar with making packages, and being unfamiliar/lazy with the processes (keys/signing process).

I like the idea of packaging teams and adding to it a standard way to request help with packaging and possibly other areas.

Maybe I'll give the vmware images another try ...

Re: [rant] Developers, use ....in' "extras"!
 

Hello Benny,

This is why it is a community effort!

Nokia provides a fixed amount of applications for the tablet. These are tested well and are documented. There are some 3rd party applications as well from partners, but thats it.

The rest is all 'best effort' by the community. Sure, you can provide criticism, but at some point you also have your own responsibility since you are part of the community. :)

Apple won't provide support on their AppStore candy either, and those applications are both proprietary and commercial (Bill Gates style).

Re: [rant] Developers, use ....in' "extras"!
 

Good article indeed!

A .deb does not support this, but it could be added 3rd party in the Application Manager which downloads them from a repository which can be linked to/from the maemo project pages.

At first I'd think of a thumbnail which after being clicked on, pops up. Problem is, such a bigger resolution picture costs some storage space.

The concept is good though. Remember most people are visual, they'd love to see what they're going to use before installation. This is why screenshots are important for many people.

Re: [rant] Developers, use ....in' "extras"!
 

In an ideal world, the application manager woud fetch some screenshots plus a localized description (many people simply do not speak english and don't know what the software does from the original description) from a place on the web, based on package name.

The same place on the web would be accessible via web browser as HTML, optimized for the tablet, with additional features (rating, comments, links to project homepage, FAQs, ...)

However, as it is now, packages aren't even in extras. How much more work will it be to add screenshots, translate descriptions, ....?

PS: I love GAs tree view idea for the application manager. I want to have this today!

Re: [rant] Developers, use ....in' "extras"!
 

For those wanting a quick start scratchbox virtual machine environment, see http://maemovmware.garage.maemo.org/

Frank

Re: [rant] Developers, use ....in' "extras"!
 

This is nice. Since today this software is supporting Diablo! :)

Re: [rant] Developers, use ....in' "extras"!
 

I'd really be interested (interested as in "I want to know how it works" rather than in "I want to get it done", but the result could be the same).

As I said before, scratchbox is set up (that was the easiest part, those scripts do it all). I also started reading the 2 documents GA suggested:
I still feel very uneasy about this; from what I understand, there should be a source package for extras so they can build it vor various versions of the OS. Right? So if there is a real source package, I'd need to try it in my scratchbox environment and then go through the administrative process (which seems like an easy "follow the yellow brick road", except that I might not be granted access because I stated here in public that I have no idea what I'm doing). Fine.

One more thing: these are kernel modules, not just some userspace software. Do they work the way 'extras' is intended at all? You know, they have the source and a new OS-release will trigger a re-compilation... will they still work with a different (=unknown future) kernel version?

Re: [rant] Developers, use ....in' "extras"!
 

m-vo is interested in getting a community branch of h-a-m going to act as a testbed for interesting features. If anybody wants to step up and get behind this initiative, Nokia is certainly willing to be involved. :)

Re: [rant] Developers, use ....in' "extras"!
 

mud-builder also aims to help people produce source and binary packages, conformant with the Maemo Packaging Policy and ready for upload into Extras.

I'll be doing a talk on it on the Saturday of the summit, where I'll also be touching on future ideas.