[maemo-community] Harmattan & Maemo Community

[From: Graham Cobb]

On Friday 06 May 2011 07:59:44 Ville M. Vainio wrote:
> On Fri, May 6, 2011 at 9:55 AM, Cosimo Kroll <zehjotkah at googlemail.com> 
wrote:
> > But before deciding on that, we should wait for Nokias MeeGo/Harmattan
> > devices, which will be announced soon.
> 
> Is there something in particular that needs to be known about the
> platform that would influence the decision?

I think it is more that the answer will depend on what the community wants, 
and the community will not have an opinion until they have some experience.  I 
don't think anyone thinks there will be a separate place for Harmattan but it 
is not yet clear whether MeeGo or Maemo are the most natural homes.

For example, there appears to be an issue about whether Harmattan will 
actually use the MeeGo name or not (and, if so, whether it will be hidden in 
small print somewhere or trumpeted as a feature).  There has been some 
discussion about it, but I have not seen any recent definitive statement, nor 
do I expect one until the device ships.

My **personal** view is that Harmatten will end up here.  Recent discussions 
in MeeGo seem to have tended towards the view that the MeeGo lists and sites 
are not the place for discussion of (let alone support of) specific devices 
(whether for end users or developers).  Not to mention some downright 
hostility towards Harmattan (and, to some extent, Nokia).  

In my mind the only way MeeGo would be a home for Harmattan might be if Nokia 
make "MeeGo" a major end-user marketing feature of the device (so, for 
example, app compatability becomes an interesting discussion point).  
Personally I don't think that is likely but we won't know until it ships.

Graham