This is the discussion of the Brainstorm proposal

Open source software distributed via store.ovi.com

Voted.
Im all for the idea of having a new company representing solo developers, but is there on way of applying more pressure to ovi/nokia to adjust there policies making it welcoming to one-man-band open source developers.

The interesting bit isn't open source - assuming the policy of keeping maemo.org Extras enabled out-of-the-box is maintained into the future. The interesting bit is, I think, developers who do some open source work and some commercial work.

Would I consider charging 99p for Hermes? Maybe (probably not). Micropayments are fun, but I know I'm not going to make a fortune. However, a little bit of extra cash helps pay for Christmas presents etc.

This thought is moot if the current Nokia approach to maemo.org Extras side-by-side with Ovi, and enabled out-of-the-box, changes. This would be a Bad Thing as Ovi will almostly certainly not have the level of integration and process which has been worked on for so long with things like maemian, autobuilder etc.

If you don't mind, I think it would be good to keep the scope in the distribution of software free as in beer and speech at Ovi. It is complicated enough, but solvable if we agree on the approach.

At http://maemo.org/community/brainstor...store-ovi-com/ there is

Maemo Select is not a publisher but a selector. It points to apps uploaded somewhere else by someone else. You could have a "javispedro Select" and do just the same.

Even if your proposed solution is theoretically right, in practice it is not known if/when Ovi will be in a situation to accept submission of free applications from individuals. Therefore I believe it is good to pursue the goal, but finding an intermediate solution that works in the short term.

I'm thinking having a publisher = Maemo
Maemo = maemo.org

Solo developers/individuals submit free applications here at maemo.org then it'll get published to Ovi

Something like http://store.ovi.com/publisher/Maemo = http://maemo.org/downloads

Maemo.org should not having any problems with legal requirements as it's practically part of Nokia?

"maemo.org" is not a legal entity and it's definitely not "practically part of Nokia". In case of problems, "maemo.org" is legally nobody and any liabilities would be directed to Nokia. This is what Ovi wants to avoid.

The question here is long term strategy of Ovi. You said we should ignore the payment part for now. Agreed. Now, the question is what is the real gain by duplicating distribution channels ? There are numerous drawbacks (further muddying the understanding of the purpose of Extras in users heads, splintering OSS projects (some only in Ovi, some only in Extras), duplicating infrastructure and overhead of promoting software in two channels with separate requirements, QA, problems, etc). So, first, I'd like to understand if the scenario is actually trading in Extras for more potential exposure via Ovi, or are there any more advantages to this ?

i thought the whole purpose of ovi store for Maemo was to give users and developers a channel to purchase and sell content, if there is no paid content on ovi store from indie devs then its quite pointless even getting them access when there's Extras to distribute to, cutting out the middle man in the process and complicated criteria they must meet

I actually voted for Extras to be used instead of Ovi, specially if Extras is going to be on device and Select is prominently featured somewhere -- in which case I can't see a reason to use Ovi. It would only cause even more fragmentation than what we have now.

But If people want to use Ovi, fixing it seems the most logical solution (but not possible at the moment as Quim said).

Another argument would be whether Select is really "prominently featured". Maybe Ovi Store could link to it? Or just put Application Manager back in the first page of icons in the Launcher? (Or put Ovi back into the second page...).