Re: [xmlvm-users] will XMLVM comply with appstore for OS4?

[Gergely K. <ger...@ma...>]

Hi Alex,

I am not sure it is possible to take the Android code and just recompile it
for the iPhone. Technically, it might be feasible with implementing as much
of the Android API as possible, so that "80%" of applications compile fine.

However, the main issue is the difference in the platforms: both at the
framework and at the UI level.

At framework level (just 2 examples):
- Android has the very powerful Intent system, iPhone has no such thing. It
can be emulated for intra-app intents, but for complex apps, which are
designed to have separate service processes ... etc. it won't work.
- File management concepts are different: in iPhone there is a very specific
structure your app has to follow in terms of file placement. On Android you
are much more on your own: you can use data directory, sdcard ... etc.

At the UI level:
- The iPhone Human Interface Guidelines are not compatible with the Android
"Guidelines / Best Practices". For example: navigation bars at the top of
the screen, no exit function on the iPhone ... etc.

If an application is not HIG compliant the chances are good that Apple will
reject it during the review process. It would also open up an "attack
surface" against XMLVM, because it would seem that XMLVM apps are not
"native" apps.

In my opinion it would be a far better strategy to concentrate on making
XMLVM a porting tool, by acknowledging the fact, that
- you will probably have to redo the UI for each platform
- you will need to adapt the backend to the platforms limitations (e.g. no
bluetooth comms in iphone, or no in app purchase api in android)
- you should try to organize the software so that the majority of the code
still sits in the business layer, which can be moved between platforms
without touching it by hand.

So in my opinion the focus should be:
- Provide a complete Java Iphone API, so really all iPhone features can be
accessed from Java
- Provide better tooling: This basically means incremental compilation, IDE
integration, JUnit support and debugger support (I think I came up a better
solution than Arno's proposal, I just have to write it up).

Of course these are just my thoughts, one of the great things about
open-source is that everyone can work on parts they see as important, and we
can all put together what we have and create something great.

What do you think?

Best Regards,
Gergely

2010/5/26 Dr. Alexander K. Seewald <al...@se...>

> Sorry for the late reply, but my app is also still in the App Store
> and sells reasonably well...
> http://itunes.apple.com/de/app/id365473377
>
> Kudos to the development team to switch the license to LGPL! In fact
> this suggests one safe way to prevent Apple from delisting
> XMLVM-ported apps: porting as many apps as possible to the platform!
> Once there are at least a few popular apps among them, Apple will
> find it hard to prevent people from using XMLVM to port their apps.
> With the half a dozen that are currently in there, it would still be
> easy for Apple to "pull the plug".
>
> I hereby suggest a Google Summer-of-Code project where Android
> developers can contribute their app code and get iPhone versions
> back. These could be made available as free apps via the development
> team's account (since a lot of people might not want to install
> XCode/MacOS and get an iPhone for testing) or given back to the
> developers to list on their own (this could now also be done for
> paid apps). Instead of porting one app at a time, we'd create tools
> to port a lot of apps at once and address remaining issues with XMLVM
> by highest frequency first. The goal would be to plug in the Android code
> and get out the iPhone code without any changes in the application. Surely
> Google should be interested in that, perhaps we can get a contribute
> your code link on the main Android development page? ;-)
>
> I can help with scripting and automating the porting of so many apps,
> also with compiling (I've got an VMWare image w/ MacOS/XCode for
> Intel - debugging does not work on AMD, everything else does). Some
> local people here in Austria have also expressed interest. I don't
> have a clue what needs to be done to set up a Summer-of-Code
> project, or how best to get developers to contribute their Android
> code for porting. I am afraid we are too late for this year, but
> perhaps next year would be a ok.
>
> Best,
>  Alex
> --
> Dr. Alexander K. Seewald
>
> Seewald Solutions
> www.seewald.at
> Tel. +43(664)1106886
> Fax. +43(1)2533033/2764
>
>
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