.NET Compact Framework for Symbian OS

[Olivier HAULT]

According to market opportunities around Symbian devices available on
smartphone market, I wonder what is the current position of .NET Compact
Framework for Symbian.

Olivier

 

[Ginny Caughey [MVP]]

Olivier,

In the phone space, .NetCF is only available for SmartPhone 2003, which is
based on Windows CE like all the other devices supported by .NetCF, so I
wouldn't expect to see it on Symbian at all.

 

[chris-s]

Although, recently there was an announcement on this ng that some support
was to be provided for, I think, on one of the Sony or Nokia phones.
Although closer inspection suggested it was only vb.net and possibly thru
some form of emulator layer. Sorry, but I can't find the posting now.

Chris.

 

[Ginny Caughey [MVP]]

Chris,

If you do find the post, please report back. It's an interesting idea, but
until I saw something like that working, I don't think I'd want to plan
around it. ;-)

 

[Peter Foot [MVP]]

It is a product from AppForge http://www.appforge.com/ and creates code for
a number of platforms from VB code (and they are now supporting VB.NET too),
however it doesn't use dotnet code but may allow you to share source code
with existing smart device projects. This isn't however a .NETCF runtime for
other platforms.

Peter

 

[www.msmobiles.com]

It is a product from AppForge http://www.appforge.com/ and creates code for
with existing smart device projects. This isn't however a .NETCF runtime for
other platforms.
Peter Foot

see here:
http://msmobiles.com/news.php/1557.html
for details. I was talking by phone with
Mark Lummus - the VP of appforge about it.

shortly speaking: it is NOT a .NET CF for symbian or
so.. but it is just a CONVERTER that converts on source
code to "Booster virtual machine" code where Booster is
their machine. so you would be able to use visual
studio .net with their add one to develop for symbian but
it will not execute in .NET framework on the symbian but
in the booster.

anyway: I could port SSCLI (open source .NET) to symbian
but would microsoft agree on that?

 

[Lloyd Dupont]

here is the link to their announce:
http://www.appforge.com/corp/press/2003/102803-crossfire.html

their product is still in beta, but if you contact them they could help.
I did but the problem was I have no palm ;-)

 

[Olivier HAULT]

Your SSCLI port for Symbian OS looks really interresting and in aligned with
the design principle behind IL.
How can we proceed ?

 

[Neil Cowburn [MVP]]

anyway: I could port SSCLI (open source .NET) to symbian
but would microsoft agree on that?

This leads me to think you have far too much free time if you think you can
do this on your own.

 

[www.msmobiles.com]

This leads me to think you have far too much free time if you think you can
do this on your own.

no, not alone! but there are some pals who would like to:

- port SSCLI (.Net framework - runtime part) to Symbian
- sell it

.... but what would MS say? would they agree? what are licensing terms?
(I am not joking)

 

[Chris Tacke, eMVP]

no, not alone! but there are some pals who would like to:

- port SSCLI (.Net framework - runtime part) to Symbian
- sell it

... but what would MS say? would they agree? what are licensing terms?

I can't imagine they would complain. They have no (announced anyway)
intention of supporting Symbian, but if a 3rd party wanted to release it, it
basically increases the potential market for Microsoft products. I'm
nowhere near their business decision path, but I can't see how that could be
bad for them.

-Chris

 

[Neil Cowburn [MVP]]

There are potential licensing problems though. If Jacek is porting the
SSCLI, it could well be seen as a derivative work of the SSCLI, in which
case, I'm quite sure there's no way in hell he could sell it. I'd have to
check the BSD license to be absolutely sure.

Anyways, who would want to *buy* the .NET Framework...?

 

[www.msmobiles.com]

There are potential licensing problems though. If Jacek is porting the
SSCLI, it could well be seen as a derivative work of the SSCLI, in which
case, I'm quite sure there's no way in hell he could sell it. I'd have to
check the BSD license to be absolutely sure.

whom should I contact regarding these potential problems?
Could somebody from Microsoft authoritatively reply what
are licensing terms?

plesae note: my friends and I - would port it ONLY if we
could sell it. I may believe in freeware but my friends
don't believe in it.

Anyways, who would want to *buy* the .NET Framework...?

many people :

- enterprises: to run enterprise applications developed
with visual studio

- consumers: to run ms smartphone and pocket pc games
written for .net

 

[www.msmobiles.com]

Your SSCLI port for Symbian OS looks really interresting and in aligned with
the design principle behind IL.
How can we proceed ?

We can proceed only if it is possible to sell it
commercially.

 

[chris-s]

Do a search in this newsgroup for 'P900', posted around 27 Nov/28 Nov 2003

Chris

 

[Ginny Caughey [MVP]]

Got it. Thanks, Chris.

 

[Neil Cowburn [MVP]]

I'm not convinced. Give me compelling reasons to buy the .NET Framework when
Microsoft distribute it for free. I'm talking about the framework itself,
not applications that run on it.

--Neil

 

[khorad]

I'm not convinced. Give me compelling reasons to buy the .NET Framework when
Microsoft distribute it for free. I'm talking about the framework itself,
not applications that run on it.

he's talking about porting to devices that currently do not support .net

in other words, MS does not distribute it (for free or otherwise) for these
platforms

why would you buy it? well if you had a substantial hardware investment in
say, P900s but really needed this one particular .net cf app to run on it

buying this 3rd party framework might be more cost effective than switching
hardware or custom writing a replacement for the needed app

 

[Lloyd Dupont]

it is possible !
look at mono ! (http://www.go-mono.com)
they wouldn't exist if it was not possible !

 

[Lloyd Dupont]

if the SSCLI is BSD licensed there is no problem.
BSD licence is very busyness friendly. Your only obligation is to let the
licence and to ship a lit .txt licence file and not sue the origional writer
if there is a bug.

but I'm not sure it's BSD licensed...