Slashdot Mirror
Palm Frees Up webOS Development
Per Wigren writes in with news that Palm has just announced a number of changes to its webOS development platform that should really be welcomed by developers — especially after the chilly reception that Palm seemed to be giving to open source in recent days. OSnews notes that "This moves the webOS much closer to Android territory." Quoting TechCrunch: "The first is that they're allowing developers to fully distribute their apps via the web. What this means is that developers can simply submit their apps to Palm, and Palm will return to them a URL that they can then blog, tweet, do whatever they want to share it. When a person then clicks on that URL they can easily install the app, bypassing any kind of store. And while Palm is providing the URL, it is not going to be reviewing the apps in any way — a clear dig at Apple's approval process. The next announcement is that Palm is waiving the $99 yearly fee it normally charges to developers to make webOS apps if those apps are going to be open source."
I'm all for letting any non-maleficent app through without some ridiculous approval process, but some common sense restrictions should be applied. Shouldn't Palm at least be checking to see if the apps are malware?
Funny they should do that precisely on WM 6.5's launchday...
This seems nice. WebOS already had open source Linux operating system (some people knows it as "Linux kernel") and now the whole system is a one step more open.
Now if we could just get an unlocked, quad-band GSM phone running webOS, I'd pick one up to replace my aging Treo650.
That was a complete 180 degree turn-around on Palm's part.
There is a war going on for your mind.
Seriously. I can't believe no one has figured out a way of exchanging goods and services on the Internet for some sort of currency without the benefit of monolithic corporate store fronts.
Dig at Apple?
Now all we need is a fully working unrestricted C64 emulator for it and people will be switching from Apple's iPhone in droves... :D
np: David Sylvian - The Greatest Living Englishman (Manafon)
"I'm not anti-anything, I'm anti-everything, it fits better." - Sole
Ok, now try reading the article. The link is for devs who want a distribution method other than the store, but want Palm to host it, to make it easy for people to download it. This does not mean the app will be listed in the app catalog. If you want it to be listed in the official app catalog, then you can pay the yearly fee (same as Apple) and pick a price point for your app. The link is simply IN ADDITION to the store, not a replacement for it. They're trying to give developers as many options as possible to distribute their apps, on top of the 3rd party homebrew app catalogs which already exist.
And the mention that open source apps will not require a fee to be in the official app catalog is a major boon for open source software, because that means there's no cash or fee required to distribute a free and open app. I'm gonna be honest, thus far, WebOS in many ways seems to be a more consumer friendly version of Android. Hopefully when WebOS gets Java support it will expand even further.
Palm traditionally has let any program from any source run on their OS's. The initial restriction of only allowing programs installed via their app store is Apple thinking, not traditional Palm thinking.
Does anyone know what development languages this supports? My current phone is Windows Mobile and I'd have a hard time switching to anything that didn't let me use real C++.
To the first drive-by downloader for webOS. Although even the densest user will probably figure out when their phone is turned into a spambot - maybe not until they get the data bill, but they'll notice.
... the Palm will be squeezed out again. I think Palm had a great product 10 years ago, but seem to be a day late and a dollar short when it comes to new technology. The Pre LOOKS good, but after using it, you kinda get the feeling it could have been done better. I think once users start getting the HTC Hero (Android) phone, Palm will be an also-ran. Developers will move to the Android market. Just my opinion.
http://www.htcherocentral.com
It's HTML, which is really close to C++.
Seeing nobody is really eager to jump-start their platform, but who is surprised? They give you Javascript and HTML (webOS) as a creative tool of choice. There are thousands of application and software, but I can't name one that uses Javascript/HTML, so good luck with that Palm, way to follow industry standards and help people transition their software to your platform. Somebody forget to tag this 'defective by design' ?
This story can be summarized: JWZ Wins. Big Time.
I'm impressed, I didn't expect he'd get this kind of leverage.
You mean like all the many independent app stores that previously existed for the PalmOS, Windowm Mobile, and Symbian OS, but are being phased out in favor of Apple style APP stores?
Or how about independent app sales by the application developer, who you pay with a credit card, and they send you the app, or more commonly they send you an unlock code for the app, which is publicly available shareware style?
Those systems work well, except that the average moron that buys an Windows Mobile based phone from HTC have no idea they can just go online and download any Windows Mobile 6 compatible application they find.
For whatever reason that concept just does not occur the the average idiot. I don't know why. Whenever I get a new device where I might be able to run software from the Internet, one of the first things I do is go looking around at what is available. I'm guessing most readers of this site are like this too.
Stylish sheet to fix many problems in Slashdot's D3: https://gist.github.com/801524
I won't believe it 'til Netcraft confirms it.
Funny may not give karma, but +5 Informative never made anyone snort coffee out their nose.
...framebuffer support. Seriously, there's only so much you can do when all you get is a javascript engine and html for your UI elements. I love my Pre as a phone, but the environment doesn't suit my developer needs.
I'm extremely interested in Palm's platform, as well as Android. However I don't want a phone. I want a small, ipod touch-like device that has a slick interface, a good music player, and an all-around mobile computing platform. The iPod Touch, except for being so locked down, has been really an ideal little computer for my purposes. I sometimes listen to music or audio books, but most often read ebooks (a dual-mode LCD/e-paper screen would be slick on a handheld). Or watch the odd movie. Generally speaking I don't need VoIP and I don't need cell functionality. I do use the calendaring on it from time to time and sync it against google calendar. I'd buy a Palm WebOS device right now if it were available without a phone. Or an android device. I long to have something with the utility of my touch by lets me escape the bonds of Apple. But I'm in the minority I guess, and convergence is definitely a real demand by customers. I've been told the Nokia N810 is what I want, but it's a bit bigger than my touch and the UI isn't as slick as Apple's, Android or WebOS from what I've seen. Maybe Moblin though...
http://jwz.livejournal.com/1100218.html
Says someone in response to a company making their own solution to a manufactured compatibility problem WHILE typing from a keyboard connected to a descendant of the IBM PC. Your geek card has been revoked, sir.
CAn'T CompreHend SARcaSm?
If being a geek means thinking in shallow terms, then I don't want to be a geek.
Yes it's a manufactured compatibility problem, but no, I don't think that iTunes should be forced to sync with the Pre, nor do I think it's appropriate for Palm to throw a hissy fit and mimic Apple's vendor ID either. You can pull data from the iTunes music repository from the plaintext XML it generates and you can add content to the iTunes repository using applescript(and COM under windows AFAIK). I don't care how open Palm is being with Web OS, if they're too lazy to build a sync tool for Mac, then I'm kind of worried about what else under the hood they're too lazy to build.
Non impediti ratione cogitationus.
WebOS in many ways seems to be a more consumer friendly version of Android.
The company with the least leverage tends to be the most friendly.
SourceForge, the parent of slashdot should have this excellent "$50 to be listed on sf.net" idea. CmdrTaco would be a billionaire by now.
Yes, they tell open source, freeware app developers must pay $50 to get listed! Man, where were them when Download.com had that idiotic idea which resulted in massive loss of developers from all camps? It was changed later but the harm was done, it still effects the download.com even the newly purchased versiontracker which developers think they must pay to get listed.
They need to have same lesson which Nokia had with Cabir worm resulting in billions of dollars of brand value loss and users still getting robbed by AV vendors for non existent threat. Cabir was just a first warning and Nokia took it very serious and fast, coming up with their Symbian Signed initiative which has _nothing_ to do with apple app store.
Of course, I don't believe you can code such deep level running utility such as AV on an OS named "WebOS". So, malware will be there and protection won't. Palm shows every kind of example how you shouldn't try to race with Apple. They stupidly ignore what Nokia does and did to stay afloat.
This is what you do if you don't want to be Apple and yet have App Store: https://www.symbiansigned.com/ or a way more secure thing fits excellently to their "WebOS" http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/wireless/library/wi-secj2me.html (code signing part)
I think you are Palm PR guys dream, easily fooled with keywords like "open", "web", "linux" and not seeing the greater scheme of things.
Next time you have your hands on some iPod touch or iPhone, directly run "Settings", click "General", click "About", "legal". You will see the use of open source, open libraries and even things like Freetype doesn't necessarily mean it will be some kind of "freedom device".
I would disagree on "Spyware" part. I saw developers on digg bragging stupidly about how they know who uses their software, when, their IPs etc. In my OS X focused way of thinking, it is spyware for me. Every OS has different levels for "pua" you know. On a Desktop, you wouldn't care too much about vendor having your mail for freeware but if vendor abuses some glitch and actually CALLS YOU, over your private phone line, that is some real big issue.
I agree to you on other issues, they are in fact doing false advertisement and abusing the term "open" just like rms was afraid of happening.
I would disagree on "Spyware" part ... On a Desktop, you wouldn't care too much about vendor having your mail for freeware but if vendor abuses some glitch and actually CALLS YOU, over your private phone line, that is some real big issue.
They pulled the app once that was reported.
I didn't say Apple perfectly stops all spyware, I said that they filter for it. Once it's discovered, it's either rejected or pulled.
The part I ellipsed out was the IP address/time stamp info. Any app that makes a network connection is going to do that. I'd actually prefer if the iPhone asked before making a network connection (like it presently does for location services), but time stamp and IP address are standard bits of info everyone knows. It's inherent in the way the Internet works.