[maemo-developers] New apps for fremantle with Qt?

[From: Kate Alhola]

ext Alberto Garcia wrote:
> On Mon, Sep 07, 2009 at 08:17:01PM +0200, Attila Csipa wrote:
>
>   
>> This sounds to me like saying coding for Fremantle is a one-shot
>> affair - you have these specially designed widgets, which are there
>> only on Fremantle and who knows what their future will be
>>     
>
> That's a very reasonable concern, and one that is shared by many
> people, including me.
>
> Nokia has already announced that they're switching from Gtk to Qt
> in Harmattan (which has been a confusing move for many users and
> developers), but I don't know if they plan to keep the same basic
> widgets and UI style that has been designed for Fremantle or not.
>
> If the plan is to keep more or less the same UI style I'd expect a
> decent, community-supported, release of Gtk/Hildon for Harmattan.
>
> If the plan is to redesign the UI all over again then God only knows
> what's going to happen... :-)
>   
One-shot ? Was Diablo also one-shot ? Next version is coming
and we have already released direction where we are going in
Harmatan.

Don't expect Harmatan being just Fremantle rewrite with Qt.
Nokia is not stopping making new innovations. This market area
is where you need to run fast just keep your position. Other
option is stop and die.

We will release Harmatan software alphas. betas and pre-releases
a lot before actual device goes out, there will be lot of time
to adapt with coming new features.

There is pro's and con's for releasing early versions. When we do
so, it always raises questions about things not yet released.

Remember that when we are doing early releases, everything is not
ready to release, everything is not even written or code is in
so early stage than fundamental changes may happen etc.

Of course we could also keep all Harmatan top secret, don't even
tell that it exists and ten just some day tell that there is product,
go shop an buy it and by the way, it is now Qt based, rewrite your apps
or write your own GTK+ port for it.

I don't promise that if you write application with Fremantle-Qt that
it will be without modifications Harmatan UI compatible. I rather
say that some work will be needed but when you have all structure
already Qt it is much, much easier to do.
>   
>>> * Telling people that it's completely reasonable to write
>>>   Fremantle apps in Qt without making clear that some fundamental
>>>   Fremantle widgets have not been written yet it not a good idea
>>>   IMHO.
>>>       
>> Sigh, I said I won't comment on this, but... I'm not sure what's the
>> developer's alternative.
>>     
>
> Since I don't know Nokia's plans for Harmattan, I'm afraid I can't
> help you much more.
>
> It's not that I like the current state of confusion much either, I'm
> just trying to explain how I see things now and I think that it's up
> to each developer to decide what to do, but evaluating things first.
>
> Many will think that it's OK for them to write applications in Qt,
> even if they don't have the complete set of Hildon widgets available
> right now, because that's the future of Maemo.
>
> Others will prefer, at least for now, to stick to Gtk/Hildon, which
> has been much more thoroughly tested in Fremantle, and is the one
> officially supported and guaranteed to be consistent with the rest of
> the platform.
>   
Always, freedom of choice leaves some space of confusion between choices.

Let's simplify:

If you have already GTK+/Hildon application, fastest and easiest way is
to get it for N900 is continue using Hildon. It is clear that N900 will
be most successful maemo device so you will have a lot of users
for your software. There is no reason rewrite existing GTK+ program
with Qt for N900 .

If you are writting a new application and you like to make your upgrade
path to Harmatan as easy as possible or if you would like make
your application cross platform also to other Nokia platforms,
then yuo should consider Qt as number one option.

I also understand that there is many GTK or Qt lovers ones that would write
their application with GTK+ or with Qt any case  because it is their 
personal
choice and that is their right.

> My opinion?
>
> Well, right now Maemo is Fremantle. Harmattan will come in the future
> but we don't know when. The N900 has been released two years after the
> N810 so it wouldn't be unreasonable to think that the next device can
> take two more years. It's quite a lot of time to wait to see what's
> going to happen.
>
> The N900 hasn't even reached the stores yet but what we've seen so
> far suggests that this is going to be much more successful than any
> previous Maemo device.
>
> So I _personally_ don't think I'm going to worry _that much_ about
> Harmattan right now. In the end it depends a lot on the application
> developers' skills and long-term plans for their software.
>
>   
I 100% agree with this one. No reason to hesitate, we have greatest
device Nokia ever made and it is open, use Qt or use Hildon what ever
feels best to you.

Kate
> And these are my 2 cents.
>
> Berto
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>   

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