Notices

This isn't strictly software for running on NIT's, but it can build software for NIT's so I think many of you might be interested.

Illumination Software Creator 2.0 (for Linux, MacOS X and Windows desktops) is now available.

It is a 100% visual software development tool aimed at making the creation of software approachable to everyone (even those with no programming experience) through the use of visual "building blocks".

The resulting software that you create is Python/GTK, and there's even a "Maemo/Tablet" setting for making your UI custom tailored to the devices. (It also can build Flash/Flex rich internet apps.)

Take a look here: http://radicalbreeze.com/
The support forum (including the beta releases) are here: http://radicalbreeze.com/forum/

Update:
Version 3.0 is now out and can now build apps for Android and iOS (in addition to Maemo).

Update:
Version 4.1.1 is available now. Total list of platforms ou can build apps for (from a single visual project):
- Maemo (N810, N900)
- Desktop GTK/Python
- iOS
- Android
- Flash/Flex Web apps
- HTML5 web apps

And we've never charged an upgrade fee.

Is there any likelihood this will be available for Mac at any point?

Yes, a MacOS X version is in the works (currently planned to ship with version 1.2).

Quick note that version 1.1 has shipped and it adds quite a few new features you can include in applications built for Maemo with Illumination:

- A real "Do While Loop" block for proper looping.
- Full support for reading and writing text files (along with a multi-line TextField).
- The ability to run shell scripts (good for putting an automated UI on top of scripts).

And a bunch of other goodies.

Full release notes here: http://lunduke.com/?p=1221

Thanks for the heads up. Stuff like this gets people into coding and then they go on to more involved things

Absolutely! And, as this outputs pure Python/PyGTK code, it's a good stepping stone.

Start a project quickly, get the UI and basic workflow and login in place... then, as you get comfortable, add in some additional code to do things Illumination doesn't yet do.

Plus... it's a development environment that *officially* supports Maemo.

Great, thanks for posting this!

I'll have a go with it

Wow thanks alot! This will definately be a great boost for me!

So has anyone come up with something grand with that?

I've been playing around, making very insulting Apps that insult you every step of the way. I just don't see the possibilities in making something useful, though :/

this is awesome. i am learning python and writing basic programs. this will help out a lot.