Author Topic: Orbiter for other cell phones...  (Read 5228 times)

colinjones

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Orbiter for other cell phones...
« on: November 23, 2007, 07:01:21 am »
Is anybody planning on building an orbiter applet for non-Windows Smartphone/non-Symbian? The vast number of phones don't fall into this category, but very often have Bluetooth, Internet access, and support Java apps... is this on the roadmap at any point? Personally, I am hoping for Blackberry to be supported....

Col.

Thraxius

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Re: Orbiter for other cell phones...
« Reply #1 on: November 23, 2007, 07:08:00 am »
I would love to see someone to program an Orbiter for the Palm OS. It would be nice because I know that my wife and I both use our Palm devices and they go with us everywhere.

tschak909

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Re: Orbiter for other cell phones...
« Reply #2 on: November 23, 2007, 09:08:14 am »
Gee, here's a thought...

Why don't you guys jump in and help? :)

-Thom

colinjones

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Re: Orbiter for other cell phones...
« Reply #3 on: November 23, 2007, 09:21:33 am »
Thom - I was expecting this response.... you are assuming that we are coders. I note this is the feature request forum, not the developers forum, had it been, the response would have been understandable.

Anybody else, thoughts?

tschak909

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Re: Orbiter for other cell phones...
« Reply #4 on: November 23, 2007, 09:32:40 am »
well, if you had read the developers forum....

you'd realise we're a teeny bit understaffed to handle these things, we need more bodies.

This is a young project, that was handed a VERY LARGE codebase, we're trying to implement features as best we can, and as with any free software project...yes, this is something provided for free, to all of us.....the priority list is:

(1) things that are coded, and patches sent in
(2) things that are suggested, and we're working on.
(3) things that are suggested, and nobody is currently working on.

the java orbiter is currently being explored by a few people, but as of yet, no code has been even submitted as a manual patch on the forums or discussion boards, and hasn't gotten past the "gee wouldn't it be nice stage?" In fact, this particular feature has had four threads started that I am aware of on this forum alone....

I currently have my plate full with my contribution to the code base that i'm working on (the Game plugin), or I'd help. I had a Razr V3 until I swapped it out for a Symbian Series 60 powered Nokia N70 (a better choice really)...so I felt your pain too...but i decided to switch to a supported phone for now.

My point being, this project doesn't have enough developers with nothing to do, just yet.. so we need more able hands..and if you don't know..shit...take a stab at it, worst you can do is fail.

-Thom

acematti

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Re: Orbiter for other cell phones...
« Reply #5 on: November 23, 2007, 02:29:11 pm »
"My point being, this project doesn't have enough developers with nothing to do, just yet.. so we need more able hands..and if you don't know..shit...take a stab at it, worst you can do is fail."

I have offered my services a number of times but got the feeling that people dont want my services. I offered to assist in the fixing of the TV tuner crashing as I would love to get that fixed but the person who is in charge of this bug never replied. I posted a specific message on mantis stating such a message.


tschak909

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Re: Orbiter for other cell phones...
« Reply #6 on: November 23, 2007, 06:32:39 pm »
for now, the best thing to do is to get acclamated to the code base. LinuxMCE is still in transition from Pluto's developers to a community based structure, so things may be a bit quiet in parts of the code. If anything, grab the source from danielk's tree and make a patch. :-)

-Thom

colinjones

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Re: Orbiter for other cell phones...
« Reply #7 on: November 23, 2007, 08:34:27 pm »
well, if you had read the developers forum....

you'd realise we're a teeny bit understaffed to handle these things, we need more bodies.

This is a young project, that was handed a VERY LARGE codebase, we're trying to implement features as best we can, and as with any free software project...yes, this is something provided for free, to all of us.....the priority list is:

(1) things that are coded, and patches sent in
(2) things that are suggested, and we're working on.
(3) things that are suggested, and nobody is currently working on.

the java orbiter is currently being explored by a few people, but as of yet, no code has been even submitted as a manual patch on the forums or discussion boards, and hasn't gotten past the "gee wouldn't it be nice stage?" In fact, this particular feature has had four threads started that I am aware of on this forum alone....

I currently have my plate full with my contribution to the code base that i'm working on (the Game plugin), or I'd help. I had a Razr V3 until I swapped it out for a Symbian Series 60 powered Nokia N70 (a better choice really)...so I felt your pain too...but i decided to switch to a supported phone for now.

My point being, this project doesn't have enough developers with nothing to do, just yet.. so we need more able hands..and if you don't know..shit...take a stab at it, worst you can do is fail.

-Thom


Thom

Actually, I read the developer forum as avidly as all the other forums, so yes I am acutely aware of the lack of resources, as I am sure that practically everybody else that reads these boards is!!! So yes, I know: this is a young project, the code base is massive, the priorities, etc.

And if I was able to contribute, I would. I have read dozens and dozens of posts from yourself - so the somewhat pointed response was not unexpected. Nevertheless, the Feature Request board is exactly that - you will note that I didn't presume to ask for someone to do this, I simply asked if anybody was planning on doing this! This is the right board to make this request and I feel I should be able to do this without fearing that I will be jumped on! I, too, need to make a decision like yourself as to whether I stick with the Blackberry and wait, or switch to a supported phone - hence my question. Quite a reasonable one, I thought.

Had I been in a position to attempt it myself, I would have posted to the developer forum and said something along the lines of "would anybody be interested in me attempting this..."

Sadly, I am not in this position. The most coding I have done in recent years is a little bit of VB Script - suggesting that someone who is not a coder, take a stab at porting an entire GUI between platforms and languages is disingenuous at best!

I think you should treat the Feature Request board as exactly that - encourage people to "brain dump" ALL good ideas to it without prejudice, it will be a fantastic resource later down the track. Make the assumption that if they could, they would - the vast majority here, even the noobs, are aware that this is a FOSS project. Lets not get defensive about it, nor feel that just because someone puts an idea there feel that they are expecting the overloaded devs to be on it immediately... we don't! Just like any other development there will be a demand-base of ideas/requests and a supply-base of dev hours to consume them. The supply side (devs) defines the prioritisation in which the ideas/requests get "consumed" and integrated -  but at least if people feel confortable making the requests, even if not high priorities, at least they are captured for later!

For my part, I would much prefer to be the master of my own domain, and attack this myself, however this will not be possible for a long time yet, so in the mean time, I would like to feel comfortable that my contributions of ideas are welcomed, even if not immeditately (or ever) a priority.

Col

Zaerc

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Re: Orbiter for other cell phones...
« Reply #8 on: November 23, 2007, 11:29:27 pm »
"My point being, this project doesn't have enough developers with nothing to do, just yet.. so we need more able hands..and if you don't know..shit...take a stab at it, worst you can do is fail."

I have offered my services a number of times but got the feeling that people dont want my services. I offered to assist in the fixing of the TV tuner crashing as I would love to get that fixed but the person who is in charge of this bug never replied. I posted a specific message on mantis stating such a message.

I agree that is rather frustrating, but people like danielk for instance are working hard to change that.  Unfortunately it will take time and untill then we are lucky that some of the pluto people are working behind the scenes to get the next release out the door.


As for the support of other mobiles, I remember there was some talk of a few people interesting in doing a java based orbiter solution but not enough hands and knowledge to get it of the ground I'm affraid.  So for now I think your best bet is the already working solutions that tschak909 mentioned earlier (and yes I'm aware that it was only a suggestion).
"Change is inevitable. Progress is optional."
-- Anonymous


bulek

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Re: Orbiter for other cell phones...
« Reply #9 on: November 24, 2007, 03:26:16 am »
Hi,

maybe not relevant, but maybe wrapping Orbiter libraries with Java would ease development ?

HTH,

regards,

Bulek.
Thanks in advance,

regards,

Bulek.