Symbian is open source... what now?

zxon wrote:I'm sure everyone here knows by now that Symbian has become open-source. Many many people are celebrating this!!!

...but what does this mean for me, as a programmer and a consumer? Will the software to help me code my apps be free? Will I be able to sign .sis(x) files without all the hassle on the Symbian Signed website? Will we see more apps and games become available for our phones as a result?

I ask here because I have a few ideas for apps I'd like to see on my N97 but have yet been made, so I'd like to have a go at it myself. I did a bit of software engineering at University so I'm confident about stepping up to the plate.

As the S60 OS is contained on a ROM chip on handsets, it will not be possible to modify the OS installed on a currently available model. However, by studying the OS source code may give you insight on how to design a patch to install on C:, which will allow you to modify the behaviour of the ROM based OS in the handset - e.g. allow unsigned apps to install, minor changes to the GUI functionality etc.

If you wanted to make major changes to the OS, you would need to either persuade the handset manufacturer to incorporate your changes in future models, or else replace the ROM chip on the handset with one containing your own build of the OS (not an easy task either way!).

Releasing S60 to Open Source use is a great move forward, but I don't think it will allow the average home-user to impliment major re-writes on current commercially available devices.

Let us know if you do write some apps, the AAS community can probably provide you with willing BETA testers. 😉

dez_borders wrote:As the S60 OS is contained on a ROM chip on handsets, it will not be possible to modify the OS installed on a currently available model. However, by studying the OS source code may give you insight on how to design a patch to install on C:, which will allow you to modify the behaviour of the ROM based OS in the handset - e.g. allow unsigned apps to install, minor changes to the GUI functionality etc.

If you wanted to make major changes to the OS, you would need to either persuade the handset manufacturer to incorporate your changes in future models, or else replace the ROM chip on the handset with one containing your own build of the OS (not an easy task either way!).

over at dailymobile there is already a new custom ROM for the 5800 with a bunch of tweaks and stuff. i think the open source now allows developers to see the code in such a way that they can make reasonable guesses and assumptions regarding current handsets, and make the appropriate changes.

i always envisioned something like XDA for windows mobile, with people making customized active standby screens, maybe stock and weather info on the homescreen, etc.

...but it doesn't make it any easier to make actual apps?

zxon wrote:What on earth are you talking about? I'm only on about making apps, not rewriting Symbian! I thought that's what all this open source stuff was all about, making it easier and cheaper for third parties to make apps for the platform.

You asked if you would still need to sign your home written apps, and the answer is YES. The question of S60 being open source or not doesn't affect the need for signing on (current) Nokia handsets.

dez_borders wrote:You asked if you would still need to sign your home written apps, and the answer is YES. The question of S60 being open source or not doesn't affect the need for signing on (current) Nokia handsets.

• Will making Symbian open source make it cheaper (or free?) and easier for me to sign apps? I don't mean so that they'd work on just my phone, but so that they would work with other S60 5th ed phones. I know I would still have to sign apps regardless. I remember when I first started to dabble in it, and Symbian Signed was so painful and time consuming to use that I gave up.
• I think Nokia's SDKs have been free for a long time but I remember seeing dedicated software that use those SDKs, and make the process much easier, costing quite a lot. Will these be free now?
• Will we see more apps made available for our phones now Symbian is open source?

zxon wrote:What on earth are you talking about? I'm only on about making apps, not rewriting Symbian! I thought that's what all this open source stuff was all about, making it easier and cheaper for third parties to make apps for the platform.

Calm down buddy. Nice attitude towards someone who's trying to give you a helpful answer...

It's S^3, not S60, that's open source so all it gives you is an insight into how things work within that codebase. Obviously a lot of the techniques are carried over from previous versions which is why some developers have already been able to find ways of doing new things on the the existing OS (e.g. tweaking themes or spotting causes of previously hidden bugs).

So, having sight of the S^3 source code may make it easier to write apps for S60v5, but only from a techniques point of view. I can't see it making things radically different for current handsets, as none of them run S^3.

PDAMad wrote:It's S^3, not S60, that's open source so all it gives you is an insight into how things work within that codebase. Obviously a lot of the techniques are carried over from previous versions which is why some developers have already been able to find ways of doing new things on the the existing OS (e.g. tweaking themes or spotting causes of previously hidden bugs).

So, having sight of the S^3 source code may make it easier to write apps for S60v5, but only from a techniques point of view. I can't see it making things radically different for current handsets, as none of them run S^3.

PDAMad wrote:Calm down buddy. Nice attitude towards someone who's trying to give you a helpful answer...