I am absolutely amazed that the majority of you have chosen to home in on the 3,500 a month stipend I suggested.
This was back-of-fag-packet.
Make it 10,000 a month.
Make it 50,000 a month.
My point -- as Rafe accurately surmised -- was relating to market forces. Look at you! If I use the responses here as an average representation of Symbian, no wonder the market has simply moved past you all.
I agree with Rafe's assertion that Nokia should fix the market from the front-end (easy, cheaper to develop) but I think it's a little bit too late. If you could wave a magic wand -- if Nokia's CEO, OPK, suddenly said 'change this, this and this' ... we're talking years before that change will impact the market.
Let's not forget the real problem. Right now, Nokia customers are picking up their shiny new N97s and finding next to nothing on the Ovi Store.
Having FIXED the ridiculous install procedures with Ovi Store -- i.e. it's more or less one (or two) clicks to install an application, once you've found it -- the real glaring problem now is the complete lack of stimulating, interesting applications for the end consumer.
They're currently making a value judgement on the Ovi Store. That judgement? It's rubbish. When they're down at the pub and their mate pulls out their iPhone to show off some stupid yet entertaining 'Moron Test' application, they'll wonder why there's nothing like that on the Nokia.
Demand for augmentation of the mobile experience -- whether through the likes of the 'Moron Test' or a more useful 'where is my bus' application -- is burgeoning. Normobs -- your average normal mobile users -- are beginning to demand this functionality in their handset, right now. Not tomorrow, not next week, not next year. Now. Hence all the normob attention for the likes of the iPhone, Pre and an array of Android devices.
My argument is that you have to give them what they want, as soon as possible, via their Nokia devices.
And by that, I mean giving consumers access to ultra simple applications that -- yes, shock horror, DO cost less than �7,000 to develop. Let's get an array of fun, exciting, useful applications on to the phones to show off the superior capabilities of the Nokia. (e.g. background apps)
For example, can't somebody please make a little application that updates your location on Twitter every 30 minutes? Something that sits in the background and does it job and makes the end user feel a bit better about themselves. That does not take 7k to create.
It's difficult, I'll grant you. You can't necessarily create a working demo in 20 minutes, like an experienced Android or iPhone developer might be able to. But in 30 days? Yes.
Right then. Let's continue the innovation. Let's get a ton more simple applications on to the Ovi Store as soon as possible. And while the legions of normobs are being sated by an array of exciting (yet limited) offerings, let's get working away to develop the bigger, better, stunning applications that will really blow the mind of the user.
If we want that level of activity on the Ovi Store, right now, Nokia -- or somebody else -- has to fund it.
Why?
Because the overwhelming majority of developers simply cannot be bothered -- for all sorts of reasons. It's easier, quicker, more pleasing and potentially more rewarding for them to develop on other platforms.
So to everyone who responded with ridiculous outrage ("3,500 is offensive"😉, I assume we can get past that pathetic position because, as many have pointed out, the figure can be whatever you want it to be. It's just a *concept*. Let's have your ideas please. Let's see what you're made of. What does Nokia need to do to compete in the applications marketplace?