[plain]There is all sorts of[/plain][[plain] news today on the coming demise of MeeGo[/plain]](http://cnet.co/nhuBCr)[plain], the open source mobile system under the auspices of the Linux Foundation. Well, at least on the new general computing devices like phones and tablets.[/plain]

[plain]On so many levels, this, if true, is not good news for anyone who likes their operating environments to be open, as in open development.[/plain]

[plain]MeeGo is truly an open environment. Based on the Linux kernel, it managed to have significant activity in the discussion groups. But if it fails, it will be in a twofold cycle called lack of apps.[/plain]

[plain]Apps require platforms to build on and [/plain][plain]to deliver on. [/plain]

[plain]Building is easy. While problematic, it is possible to build on a simulated device. (In the olden days we did this a lot with cross compiled software for &8220;other&8221; hardware. Intel and MeeGo certainly were supportive of the community.[/plain]

[plain]But MeeGo (and Intel) never seem to have enough traction to drive significant devices into the market to create a demand for apps. The lack of devices in the hands of developers continually hampers the potential for serendipitous break thrus in either MeeGo itself or the potential  killer app. (I did have hopes for the[/plain][[plain] Myriad Alien Dalvik application[/plain]](http://bit.ly/q8Ednw)[plain], which purports to run android apps on none android devices. But again, no MeeGo device, no way to test this)[/plain]

[plain]The counter of this can be seen in the development of Linux itself. Linux was built for x386 systems. Such systems were common, relatively cheap (keep in mind we are discussing the earlier 1990&8242;s here) and thus the ability to run Linux on your own hardware was assured. Granted you might have to tweak something, write your own driver, but that was the thrill of being on Linux. (And btw, thank Microsoft for enforcing a common hardware environment.)[/plain]

[plain]Now imagine if Linux had been released for a SPARC platform, or MIPS, or PowerPC. It may have ended up successful, but probably not as fast.[/plain]

[plain]So maybe that is the problem.  MeeGo just hasn&8217;t had time to grow up.[/plain]

[[plain]UPDATE: Samsung rumors on MeeGO[/plain]](http://bit.ly/pKp8d7)

[plain]&nbsp_place_holder;[/plain]
link