PalmSDK released........kind of
 

Hi,

Looks like a developer for the new WebOS could not abide by the NDA and has made the SDK available to the masses earlier than Palm intended.

Maybe you lucky ones who get it before Palm gets their attack dogs to plug the leak will let us know your opinions.

David

I hope now we can start seeing apps, its bugging me to see the same 30 apps for a week or so. There are the homebrew apps but eh, nothing what I want. I want the big boys to come out with Docs to go, pTunes, eReader, Audible etc.

Hi,

If nothing else, this leak should light a fire under Palm.

They have no excuse now, the SDK is out there and they need to make sure to get these apps that will be forthcoming into the store quickly and let all of us know their policy for acceptable and non acceptable apps for the store.

I am sure they have a process for approving apps and developers now need to know these guidelines.

Will they allow any app just to show up Apple that they can be more open and accepting or will it be a mirror of the AppStore where there are pretty definite lines on Pornography and such?

Hope they come out this week with these guidelines for what will be a large boon to their developer pool.

David

in javascript?
get real!

SDHC Driver on a Palm TX?
Get Real!

driver has possibility since you have hardware access

real apps in javascript do not exist, just by definition of "javascript". You'll find it in any dictionary: "a joke-language invented for automating annoying blinking things on websites, not meant or fit for any real development and shunned by real programmers worldwide"

So what exactly do you think is missing that makes javascript impossible to use?

speed
ability to drop to asm for speed
ability to RECOMPILE existing code (like D2g) instead of a COMPLETE REWRITE

Well just drop in a few armlets into the javascript code and I'm sure it will work :) .

The SDK was officially released Thursday. Still no access to the app store for developers so you won't see anything new for awhile.

Hi,

Yep, just a bunch of homebrew apps so far.

I have not seen any apps that do not rely on the Pre having an internet connection.

The nice thing about most of the PalmOS apps has always been that the data was always on the pda, and usable without the internet.

David

Dmitry is right, no really complex apps are possible in javascript; but I'm sure that Palm is aware of this and they are leaving javascript for the small-time programmers that make simple apps (and these can be VERY useful on a mobile device).

It is my hunch that they will go about the larger apps by negotiating directly with software houses like Dataviz to give them direct access to something more than the typical SDK. They'll be allowed to write in C/C++, and to recompile their projects. After all, Web OS is Linux with a Web Server, this is perfectly possible.

I believe they're only limiting the SDK right now so they make sure that the UI and all the usability design get respected (a very important issue for the Pre's success). This way they "force" a coherent and modern user experience - if they gave out a C/C++ SDK everybody would just recompile and flood the market with Pre apps that have Palm OS UI's, and the Pre would look old and clumsy. Palm OS UI's are NOT for use without a stylus, and this is not a small difference, it changes everything.

Once the Pre is established and people are used to the UI, Palm can be more liberal in offering low-level access to the device.

Maybe Dmitry can get an extra SDK if he tries, so he can weave some of his low-level magic on the Pre too.

The data is still on the Pre, you can use it without a connection. The internet connection (cellular or wifi) is needed for updating it, just as many PalmOS programs. The difference, is that some PalmOS apps relied on hotsync for updating exchanging stuff with the desktop.

Regards,

ME try to get SDK from them? HA. I wouldn't take it if it was offered to me on a gold platter. They show their lack of concern for developers who cannot afford to pay millions for sdk. "Here, enjoy javascript guys...", well, F*** them!

I've been reading that you can get root access to the Linux underneath the Pre's shiny web-driven front-end.

This is not even a subversive activity, it's documented in the SDK and Palm doesn't seem to be trying to stop it (you can, of course, lose service and warranty if you mess with it, but it's always possible to restore it to original state and recover your rights).

If that is the case, well, then, there's nothing really that can't be tinkered with on the Pre. it's not an SDK, but it's an open door.