http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 1:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/
here is Lee M Williams (head of Symbian Foundation)
his message to Billgates,Stevejobs and probably Google .

http://twitter.com/leemwilliams/status/8638502561]]>Feb 4th 2010 2:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 2:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/
"4.5 billion worth"

4.5 billion *what*?

4.5 billion dollars worth? That doesn't make sense.

4.5 billion lines of code worth? That doesn't make sense either.

Apparently he forgot units.]]>Feb 4th 2010 2:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/
Units? Where we're going, we don't need units.]]>Feb 4th 2010 2:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/He didn't forget units, they just didn't fit into the Twitter's character limit.]]>Feb 5th 2010 1:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 2:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/I agree, accept that it needs another name. If you say it enough or too quickly, it sounds like Open Sores.]]>Feb 4th 2010 2:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 2:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 2:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://developer.symbian.org/wiki/index.php/Symbian^4

We should not count anyone dead. When Nokia finally releases Qt4.6 this will be great for developers. Let's just hope they do it right so we can have ever greater mobiles around there...]]>Feb 4th 2010 2:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/I'd like to believe it but, Nokia has always been chasing silver bullets and the "next version", instead of fixing even the basic problems of their SDK and platform.

Also Qt has been available for long time, it's a good framework but it hasn't taken the world by storm. It's still C++ (high barrier of entry, especially considering Symbian's bastardized version of it) and a bit long in the tooth compared to the competition.
]]>Feb 4th 2010 3:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/
I started learning python after I bought my N900 and it is so damn simple that even I am learning (and boy I do stupid things in life).

I have created my self few apps for personal usage (a desktop applet for email notification and my own file synchronizer, both in GTK...) both very easy and stupid but just for me. Imagine someone with skills doing it....

I think python it will lower the entry level for programming for Symbian/Maemo devices. And if someone needs a real deal programming, I mean better resource management and graphics, they will jump into C.

And it is not like Java(Android) and Cocoa(Apple) are the easiest things in the world... Palm promised an easy entry but they are nowhere to be seen.]]>Feb 4th 2010 3:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/
I'm programming in Python for my Symbian phone as well and it's very easy, in fact it's just like programming for a PC. I'm making my end-of-university project (don't know what it's called in english) in Python for S60, and i'm making progress a lot faster than i expected.

On the other hand C++ is a terrible terrible language on its own, but for Symbian it's even worse, i spent 3 days trying to set up all the compilers and development kits which took up 10 GB of my HDD space and in the end i couldn't even make a hello world app. So i hope Symbian makes developing native apps a lot simpler, until then mere mortals like myself will have to stick to PyS60 or alternatively switch to some more developer-friendly OS.]]>Feb 4th 2010 3:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 4:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/FYI, the reason you haven't seen much advancement in Symbian lately, especially to the SDK, is because they stopped development to focus on rewriting most of the code, creating new APIs and framework based on Qt, and a completely new UI, also based on Qt. The goal is to hardly ever have to access the deep code layers of Symbian, staying in the Qt environs as much as possible. Many hardcore Linux devs familiar with Qt will tell you how easy it is to use, alone or along with other native code.

It was hard watching many advances happen on other OSes, but in all honesty, they're only catching up to the core functionality of Symbian (Apple still lacks Flash or multitasking. RIM's app framework is Java based only, and it has a weak browser. Android only does Java apps, with a nascent native app framework just implemented, but nowhere near the juggernaut of Symbian, allowing Python, Ruby, Flashlite, Mscript, C++, Java, and others. WebOS is just a baby...), which is NOT S60, the most common UI for Symbian. S60 is nothing more than the same as Sense or Moto Blur for Android, a UI skin. The OS itself is the most optimized and advanced ever made for mobiles.

If Qt allowed apps like VLC, Google Earth, and others, I'm sure you'll be able to make some compelling apps with it. Viva la Symbian!! (and go Maemo, the Qt cousin of Symbian, 2011)]]>Feb 4th 2010 5:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 5th 2010 9:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 2:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 2:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/
Depends on how you want to see, if you are already biased not to like Symbian/Nokia/Sony Ericsson/etc then there is no way this announcement will turn your head.

]]>Feb 4th 2010 2:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 2:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/
Otherwise, magnificent article.

PS: Go Symbian! Can't wait for ^4!]]>Feb 4th 2010 2:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 2:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Exciting times ahead! :D]]>Feb 4th 2010 2:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/
For example, apparently the entire UI layer in Maemo is closed source, despite Maemo bein repeatedly described as 'open source':

http://wiki.maemo.org/Why_the_closed_packages

In android, most of the hardware drivers are closed source, in particular the OpenGL and GPS drivers. I suppose this is to be expected since google have little control over the hardware device manufacturers use.

I bet there's some critical stuff missing from Symbian.]]>Feb 4th 2010 2:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Apparently it's the whole thing. Open source alternatives have been found for bits that couldn't be licensed for free (i.e. fonts).

Agree with you that Maemo is surprisingly closed.]]>Feb 4th 2010 2:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/
Due to graphics being a general IP and competitive minefield, I think finding any platform with a modern GPU and a full opengl ES 2.0 stack that's open source is going to be tricky.]]>Feb 4th 2010 4:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/
That info is outdated: "This list needs update as it mostly refers to Maemo 4.1. This list needs update as it mostly refers to Maemo 4.1. "

But yes, some UI bits are closed in Maemo5, mostly artwork(same for Symbian), but they are releasing more and more source code, even from Maemo6 :): http://maemo.gitorious.org/]]>Feb 5th 2010 8:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 2:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 2:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Does Android being Open-source means Google is gonna ditch it ?

Does your ability to post mean you can actually think ?]]>Feb 4th 2010 3:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/
Otherwise, they'd be utterly crushed.

Well, they're still going to be crushed eventually, but now not as quickly.]]>Feb 4th 2010 2:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/
Yeah? On what basis?

Given that Symbian increased its market share by more than Android has in total I mean.]]>Feb 4th 2010 2:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Ahhhh a soul after my own....personally I'm tired of the dithering fools (for want of a better word) in the comments section of engadget spewing things like this with absolutely NO basis on which to found their suggestions. It's nice to see someone with more than half a brain on here every once in a while :-)]]>Feb 4th 2010 2:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 3:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/
if for example the migration of some symbian devs to another platform (android, iphone, webOS, etc) the rabid fanbase can rely on the community for that same solution]]>Feb 4th 2010 2:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/
Actually the latest figures show that Nokia has about 39% of the world mobile phones market and climbed up from 36% an year ago.

More details here: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2358603,00.asp]]>Feb 4th 2010 2:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 2:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 2:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 2:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/02/01/iphone-loses-market-share-in-fourth-quarter/]]>Feb 4th 2010 2:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/
Nokia doesn't seem to be ready to switch horses just yet, but for developers Linux is sunshine and rainbows in comparison with a healthy ecosystem of companies actively improving it. I predict the Symbian foundation is Nokia's exit strategy to let Symbian gently fade into the night over the next 5 years.
]]>Feb 4th 2010 3:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 4:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 3:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 4:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/
Smart.]]>Feb 4th 2010 4:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/Feb 4th 2010 5:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/
Can someone explain to me how Symbian is dead when Nokia increased market share over the Xmas quarter by 5%?

Anyone?

No, really. I'm curious.]]>Feb 4th 2010 6:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/
Increased market share by giving up the high end market and selling crappy, cheap phones in Angola, Sudan, Libya etc..

]]>Feb 4th 2010 8:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/symbian-foundation-talks-about-its-move-to-open-source/
And contrary to you, simply writing non-sense shit from your pigeon brain, I give you a source:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704878904575030712670442760.html]]>Feb 4th 2010 10:33PM