Does it bother anyone that Sony withholds API info from Developers??

[aaronrkelly]

Does it bother the average user that Sony withholds API information from developers, therefore limiting aftermarket programs that can directly access the hardware (such as a better/different mp3 player or camera app)? They are the reason those fancy smancy games you play on your NX/NZ often have no sounds.......

[ayasin]

Originally posted by aaronrkelly
Does it bother the average user that Sony withholds API information from developers, therefore limiting aftermarket programs that can directly access the hardware (such as a better/different mp3 player or camera app)?

Probably not, because the _average_ user never thinks (or even knows) about it. The fact that Sony withholds APIs, prevents developers from using standard palm OS traps (ok, so a few are undocumented, but they work on _every_ other device), or that their own software is of questionable quality making it hard to integrate just doesn't matter to them. What they see is Sony being able to come out with stuff that works and other people not being able to.

[CliePet]

From a developer point of view:

Yes it bothers me. Sony loves to keep things proprietary, but that is also a motivating force for them to innovate.

Sony pushes the envelope of the palm platform.
The more standardized official Palm OS platform evolves much more slowly, and in fact takes a lot of ideas (good and bad) from Sony's innovations.

I would prefer that they have open source implementations of everything, and at the same time Sony would keep investing in new things -- but that's unlikely.

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For the average user -- they don't directly see the limitations - but they reap the benefits as well as the hassles.

If you were to ask the question, "what Sony specific innovation would you be willing to give up instead ?"
I don't think the average user would be willing to give up their hires large screen, jog dial, media player, ...

If they want standardization, or a lowest common denominator Palm, they probably wouldn't have bought a CLIE