Matt Woodward’s posterous

Matt Woodward’s posterous

Matthew Woodward  //  * CFML, Grails, and Java Developer
* Principal IT Specialist, US Senate
* Open BlueDragon Steering Committee Member
* All-Around Geek

 
Oct 1 / 1:29pm

iTWire - No FOSS for Palm app catalog says Netscape pioneer

by Matthew Woodward
It appears Palm is seeking to follow Apple’s footsteps in gaining a reputation for inconsistent and spurious rejections and removals of iPhone and iPod Touch applications. In this case, Palm has resisted including a free application because the source code is attainable elsewhere.
via itwire.com

It's getting to the point where there are zero good options for a cell phone. I had high hopes for OpenMoko's Neo FreeRunner but I think it's still kind of iffy that it's usable as an actual phone (though it's a seriously cool project), and even if it does work I believe I'd have to be on T-Mobile to use it. I'm too happy with my service, call quality, etc. on Verizon to switch.

I'll have to look more into Android I suppose (if they ever make it to Verizon) but I'm starting to think I'll just get a burner and call it a day. Until the mobile companies start being so draconian about everything, low-tech might be the way to go.

4 comments

Oct 01, 2009
 said...
while I appreciate jwz's (his precentral.net handle) complaint's this article makes an almost libelous comparison between palm and apple. The palm app catalog opened on june 6, and to this day is still in beta. Palm has been very open about their missteps, and is taking steps to do things right, including in this case.

http://www.precentral.net/submitting-palms-app-catalog-how-difficult-it

afaik, the only thing Palm has really put it's foot down on is using undocumented api's (they are undocumented for a reason) and trying to access linux directly (pretty much the same thing.)

Oct 02, 2009
bcswartz said...
Just FYI: there should be an announcement regarding the Motorola Tao, an Android phone for the Verizon network, sometime within the next few weeks.
Oct 02, 2009
Matthew Woodward said...
Thanks Brian--I'll keep my eyes peeled. Hadn't even heard of the Tao but Android in general looks pretty promising.

Thanks for the link to that other article Paul--I don't know much about the Palm app store but if they're blocking apps simply because the author wants to make the source code available, that's a non-starter for me. I understand they have to protect their phone and network but it seems if the source code is available they'd have a better shot at doing that since more people could study it and see if anything nefarious is going on.

Definitely an interesting time for all of this stuff.

Oct 02, 2009
 said...
yeah, I totaly understand your wariness, Matt. And I completely agree with jwz's complaints, if his representations of his interactions with Palm are accurate, and given Palm's reaction, I would say that they are. My criticism is with the article, and how it seems to leave out major relevant facts.

The weird thing about the whole episode is that there are several apps in the app catalog right now that came from, and are still available on the precentral homebrew site. Some of those developers were actually recruited by Palm based upon their existing app on Precentral's site. I can't fathom for the life of me why he has received the treatment he has, when Palm has obviously treated other developers in a completely opposite fashion.

I hope that the guys Palm just recently brought in to run their developer network/app catalog will rectify things, and quick.

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