developing C/C++ applications for OpenMoko -- where do we stand?

Ron K. Jeffries rjeffries at gmail.com
Mon Nov 12 18:10:18 CET 2007


*** I HOPE I AM W-R-O-N-G!!! ***
But this issue needs some discussion.


Emre Turkay says below, (in essence)

--developing scripts for OpenMono is relatively easy
  GOOD!

-- writing C/++ OpenMoko apps is very difficult to almost impossible.
  BIG PROBLEM...

As an interested onlooker I want OpenMoko to not
only survive but thrive, I am concerned that this project may
not be able to reach critical mass.

If what Turkay says about the OpenMoko development platform
is approximately correct, this project may be doomed.
How can we be this far down the road without enough
documentation that a larger group of developers can successfully
write C/C++ apps for OpenMoko?

On the other hand, one might also say how can a mobile phone
project be this far along yet have issues with
fundamental requirements such as making and receiving calls?

One possible conclusion: developing a full-featured open source
mobile phone  exceeds the scope of what a loosely
organized open source community can accomplish.

*** I HOPE I AM W-R-O-N-G!!! ***

-ron k jeffries

[this is an excerpt]
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Emre Turkay" <emreturkay at gmail.com>
To: "List for OpenMoko community discussion" <community at lists.openmoko.org>
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 12:08:04 +0200
Subject: Re: start writing applications - how?

There are python packages available on both the repository and
in the compilation output directory, you can install them with ipkg.
Practically you don't need any moko specific example or documentation
(except gsm/gps related issues, in which case you need to look at the code
and interact with those services through dbus). Just consult the python/gtk
examples and your code will run on any platform including moko.

You don't need to do anything for the screen size, gtk is handling them very
good. You may, however, want to optimize your design for a 480x640 display,
which is done in application specific way ( i.e., placing buttons in an
optimized way.) So, there is nothing stopping you ;)

Scripting is easy, however support for developing C/C++ applications
is a disaster.
You have to have the ability to touch your left ear with your right
hand's thumb,
while standing up-down on the other arm and break the 100m Olympic record
on running (or better have a seat at FIC) to be able to write those
applications.

About the development platform, no central documentation
(even no documentation at all), no community support so far. There was an
announcement on the list about a development framework as far as I remember,
but I heard nothing about it again.

-- 
Ron K. Jeffries

ron_jeffries      Skype
805-680-8086 Mobile
http://blog.eronj.com




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