[maemo-developers] [maemo-developers] Maemo and Independent software vendors or commercial software vendors

[From: Victor Toni]

Devesh Kothari wrote:

>I want to open a dialog with all ISV/Commercial vendors wanting to work
>with developing solutions for maemo based devices like the Nokia 770
>Internet tablet
>
>Objectives
> - To understand your requirements and expectations
> - Proposals from your side what we need to improve
> - Proposals what you would like us to do (given an option differently:)
>
>If you feel more comfortable, you can  write private email to me
>
>Best Regards
>Devesh Kothari
>  
>
I would expect two more features to be available for this platform (to
be more specific for the 770):

1) Java.
AFAIK the CPU has even support for hardware acceleration for Java.
There may be some issues with proprietary implatemtations using Jazelle
but there are other implementations available for ARM CPUs (eg. Kaffe or
Blackdown)
Python is fine but there are many applications out there written in Java
waiting to be run on other devices.
This can be a wide range from desktop applications to applications
writen for J2ME means one can use all the fine programs from ones moblie
on a device with a more powerfull CPU and a better display.

2) Screen rotation
The screen is brilliant and bright enough for day use. However it is
currently not possible to rotate the content.
There some use cases where I see an increased value of such functionality:
    a) left-handed people could use the device in a more natural way
       (180 degree)
    b) for e-books: I prefer short lines and would like to read  books
       that way (90 degree)
    c) using the on-screen keyboard in horizontal mode makes the screen
       even smaller especially things like taking notes (where one needs
       the keyboard all the time) would benefit from a rotated display
    d) enterprise use: I could think of the device being used in company
       to do checks, validation, inventory there may be already
       specialized tools for this tasks but having the possibility to
       check things in stock, etc with one device seems quite
       "attractive"
       having a check list in vertical mode seems more natural

Surely there are applications which could / should not be rotated (eg.
fixed layout games), so it way be usefull to enable applications to
enforce a certain mode.

I hope this remarks are in the scope of your question.

Kindest regards,
Victor Toni