Hey, Nice work.

But please enable your virtual keyboard to micro-b browser in portrait mode. Also i hope it will be perfect than the inbuilt virtual keyboard. Coz it got so many bugs..

So good luck.

Waiting for it

Do it. If you managed to create a fully working and nearly un-buggy portrait keyboard, I'd say a go go.

If you feel it'll still have multiple bugs, slow, or something that still requires a lot of work, then maybe not eh?

that's just on a very consumer-satisfaction point of view right?

don't misunderstand though..... cause I definitely am anxiously awaiting for your package to be done!

I think this is one of the few projects where I strongly, strongly say no: don't put this on Ovi. If it was a program that is not even that necessary, like Columbus, which is just neat to have, but doesn't change the overall quality of your device use in every activity, that's one thing.

But this is something that significantly increases the quality of N900's day-to-day use. In every program with text input. It's been one of the most-wanted, most glaringly lacking features in the entire N900.

Here's the pragmatic statement: If you release this closed source and on Ovi, someone here will eventually act on principle and make another vkb that does what yours does. If you release this open source and on Ovi, it's less likely, but possible, that your project will get forked. I personally hate going to Ovi from the N900, then waiting 10 minutes after pressing download, until it eventually launches the horribly slow Hildon Application Manager, etc; so if you market it from your own site, especially include it with source code, that'd probably be best - yes it'll get leaked, but admittedly forcing people to give a small payment does make more people who'd normally be on the fence okay with 'donating'/paying.

If you release this and make this open source, yes, you're not going to make as much money - you have my word that when I have a job you'll be on my donate-to list, but indeed the unfortunate thing is free stuff gets less money because people are selfish.

At the end of the day though, the great thing about the open source process is you don't have to do it alone. It's not equivalent to the paid programming process because as soon as your code IS open, people can contribute. Seriously, this would've probably already been ready for release a week ago if you had put it on GIT like MohammadAG suggested, because other members of the community would have leapt on it. Columbus and Sleep Analyzer, for instance, get screwed because they're not general enough to matter to everyone, so their developers get less-to-none outside contributions. But this is something just about everyone who owns an N900 could probably say they'd like to have.

At any rate, my opinion is you're better off in the long term making it open source, and at least eventually making it free. Your flow of money will stop when everyone who has an N900 has stuck this keyboard onto their device. And then that's it. Unless you charge for updates. (Also, from an economic stand point, I think you'd benefit from making it one euro. Apple App Store apps that cost 99 cents sell like beers at a pub, and ultimately get more buyers because they're cheaper.)

I think if you open-source it and allow for contributions to be given freely, you'll find that pretty quickly, the keyboard will receive development contributions from others, and in general, can outgrow your best expectations/hopes for it, not monetarily but in quality/versatility, etc.

I know living in a capitalist world has the ugly requirement of getting money. Open source development is one of the few things that challenges that: One's contributions are information and life-quality increasing software, but one reaps the benefits in that plenty of other projects others have open sourced are free as well: seeing how other code works, using that code or that software to make your own life easier, etc.

What I really want to say is, before making your final decision, instead of just considering how much money you could or won't make depending on how you release this, also think of how much money you have saved, because open source programs were available. Overclocking, IPv6 support, ridiculously broad filesystem support, Host Mode, FreOffice, Columbus, the 3-4 or so voice navigation solutions instead of Ovi Maps, all of which are open source? fMMS, Sleep Analyser, Conky, HealthCheck, FApMan... I don't even know what to list off anymore because of how much useful to someone somewhere software is available on the N900, entirely for free, but I'm sure you've benefitted from a lot of those.

I'm more than happy to donate but please don't go the ovi route.
It's slow and the payment process has been hit and miss for me and probably others too.

You can be sure you will recieve many emails with people asking; "why can't i buy your app?", "why won't it recognise my card "... e.t.c

The coding competition held on this site had a kind of bounty model for donations. Why not nominate a trustworthy TMO member to handle donations of however much they feel they can give.

In two or three weeks then you should have a fair pot of donations and you would have been free to continue development.

Whatever you choose to do a donation will be coming from me in one way or another. Thanks for your hard work.

i wouldnt pay for it (upfront)

but if its good and i will use it, i will gladly donate say $5-10 AUD.

maybe more if i think its worth it

As others have said : don't go Ovi. I'm considering donating, if I like the app.

Same for me . . .

I would gladly pay for it on OVI, providing there is good feedback that it is working properly and without bugs. I don't care about the source code..and I have been using Linux since 1996. Make some money for your work and when the hype dies down, release the source code. Simple.....

Quick reply...
Who added the tag:
thanks wikiwide
o_o
Thanks to him!

Moderators: remove bad tags! The long awaited auto-rotating open-source keyboard is being developed and released, and... Cannot find words to describe this behaviour.