Thread: How can we encourage iPhone developers to develop on Maemo?
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gerbick
2009-08-16 , 20:08
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#79
Originally Posted by qgil View Post
gerbick, you are making very safe conclusions about the present and the future of Maemo, and of course you are free to do so. I just think you are being too simplistic and conclusive, that's all.

Between enticing happy iPhone developers and hacking emacs extensions there is some gap. Also you need to coordinate steps: a great SDK will attract a critical mass of developers only with great products and great sales.

We are working. I don't know if in the direction and at the speed you wish, but we are doing a lot of work. That's all I have to say now, actually. Because you are right, talk is cheap so we better wait and see the facts.
I think that you truly fail to see - unwilling? - that what is easily perceived to be where Nokia is concentrating upon at this moment, or have for the last 24 months; will not entice any developer away from iPhone dev.

The current SDK is problematic for many. I believe ZeroJay had stated problems getting it to run. He's, admittedly so by me, seemingly tons more competent than I in setting up something as such in the Linux environment.

There's not much to it other than that... have an SDK that makes sense to people, that's easily extended into areas that are sorely lacking at the moment, make it run across many platforms, or at least one platform well. That has yet to happen in the two years I've been around Maemo.

That doesn't mean that it won't happen. And I'm looking forward to the day it does happen.

There's nothing conclusive about what I say. For once, look at how you're likely to be perceived.

As a company, you have have three iterations of a platform that's changed multiple times and yet has yet to gain SDK friendliness of Apple's SDK. Heck, the XBOX SDK for their XDNA games/utilities is friendlier. The ability to dev by many levels and types of developers is paramount. It's not happening fast enough for a few people because they can change their mind, develop for WebOS, Android or iPhone right now easily. Or they can develop for the Zune or XBOX right now easily. All because the SDK is there, today, and it's friendlier than what Nokia has in place right now.

The perception of what you're offering is that it still is for tinkerers and Linux gurus that care for more emacs, et al than an app that knows where you are, can tie into another program very well, and just "work". Mashups, et al seem to have escaped this crowd.

If I'm being simplistic, it's because of the lack of understanding afforded to the community that supports your product. I read these groups daily. I'm a developer and if you've not convinced me, then you've not done your job. Your products haven't enticed me beyond being a hobbyist.

But with that said, I have 100% faith you will get there. And I'd love to be there when you do.

It's just not right now. Not yet.
 

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