I read this article earlier today. The article is nice and so is coding with C# but as a developer I prefer to be able to run application to multiple OS without rewriting it from scratch. I am still disappointed that Nokia is abandoning Qt from their new smartphone strategy with Windows Phone and I believe that most of the Qt developers are also disappointed.

It would be much better to have both Qt and .Net (VB.NET and C#) and to let the developer choose what to use.

Hi leon,

I agree with your about the common disappointment. While I am writing I am downloading the pdf documents of the article. What is not officially clear is if Nokia real abadon or keep the two choices (that maybe expensive). If you read the last post on the Alexandra’s blog http://developer.qt.nokia.com/blog/view/the_forums_are_buzzing it seems that they keep live both the platforms. I am already developing in a multiplatform environment, with different devices, operating systems and development environments. So, if Qt will be really abandoned it is a pity. Hope to have news about soon, but the next 1 october step of the Qt Governance maybe a meaningful milestone for the future of this system.

Alicemirror wrote:

What is not officially clear is if Nokia real abadon or keep the two choices (that maybe expensive).

Several Nokia employees including Steven Elop [slashgear.com] have stated that Qt will not be ported to Windows Phone 7 [itwriting.com].

Of course Qt will remain among the primary frameworks for Symbian application development for the years to come as Nokia has already announced that they will support the platform at least until 2016.

Qt is probably one of the most dynamic and stable pillars at Nokia. Do not underestimate the role of Qt in the ‘next billion’ strategy. If that is too vague for you then something more tangible are the 45 positions open right now at Nokia Careers [nokia.taleo.net] containing the word “Qt”.

Look at it that way: Microsoft wants people to port their existing apps to WP7. Surprise. It’s one option among several. And there is a valid use case for the guide: apps that were specifically written for Nokia devices, e.g. for operators. The need to be redone now.

This guide is made to help people who want to – or have to – port their apps to the new platform. It’s not an attempt to push everybody over the fence.

Besides, Nokia Developer has a whole section [developer.nokia.com] about porting apps from iOS or Android to Qt.

@qgil: I agree with you. And in a general point of view I don’t think that Qt will be abandoned as rumors says. But despite of this, I think that Nokia may notice this in a clear way, maybe a good idea no?

qgil wrote:

Qt is probably one of the most dynamic and stable pillars at Nokia. Do not underestimate the role of Qt in the ‘next billion’ strategy. If that is too vague for you then something more tangible are the 45 positions open right now at Nokia Careers [nokia.taleo.net] containing the word “Qt”.

Please do not misunderstand me. I am enjoying developing with Qt for Symbian, MeeGo, MeeGo Harmattan and Android but I am a bit disappointed that I have to rewrite my apps from scratch if I want to make them compatible with Windows Phone 7.

@leon: I am not so sure. I have not read yet the document (not time, I am developing with Qt :)) but I think that if the code is written in a good way it is not so difficult to extend it to a new platform. Just a new knowledge that enrich our experience.

@Alexandra: we have already discussed about “rumors” in your blog. And here I agree perfectly with your point of view.

Just and example: I am Intel developer too and aim to port something from Qt for Nokia to the Meego app. I was contacted from and Intel regional manager that is helping me to find what I need to develop some projects in the Intel environment. Well, I discussd with him about three weeks ago about the ideas of Intel supporting the Android develpoment on theri hardware platforms (e.g. tablets). He answered that just during his last meeting this was not in their plans.
Few days ago I read a news about the Android os running on Intel platforms. So I asked him what does it means – almost sure of the answer –

Hi Enrico,
Intel remains committed to MeeGo despite recent rumors, and developments with Google and Android.
We are expecting an update on the future of MeeGo at the end of September, but I don’t have any more details in that respect.
My advice would be to wait and see what happens.

This was his answer. Totally different from the “rumors”. I am a tehcnical journalist by about 30 years and one of things I have learned is that the worst things that you can read are the technical reviews. Editors NEEDS scoop. So – as I suppose in this example – if Intel presented a tablet with compatibility over android – it was so simple to interpret the news as the journalist wants.

We are in a privileged position with a trustable point of view, despite those that are writing about the questions that are part or our concerns.

I have read so many idiocy on how N0 will be that you have no idea. There are a lot of “high reputation” papers and sites that are writing things on N950 and N9 that – we have seen, tested, developed – the only reasonable response is to ignore them.

Alicemirror wrote:

@qgil: I agree with you. And in a general point of view I don’t think that Qt will be abandoned as rumors says. But despite of this, I think that Nokia may notice this in a clear way, maybe a good idea no?

Since #feb11 we have seen Stephen Elop, Marco Argenti, Daniel Kihlberg, Lars Knoll and many others saying explicitly that Nokia stays committed with Qt. There have been 2 Symbian releases all based on Qt’s glory and changing radically the Symbian UI for good. There was the N9 launch where the role of Qt was also clearly expressed. There was a first hint about specifics on the “next billion” strategy which was all about the role Qt will play there. There was a deadline published for the openly governed Qt Project where the Nokia commitment was again expressed…

I agree that there is a problem of perception but I don’t think the lack of Nokia official words and facts is the cause of that problem.

Back to the original point of this thread: I agree with Alexandra. WP is a platform owned by Microsoft and aiming to ease the work of developers targeting other platforms. Anybody surprised? All serious platforms have similar porting guides and docs to attract developers from elsewhere – Qt included. Then developers learn according to their goals and make their choices. Qt will be there as a choice, regardless.

Sure these are not lacks of Nokia. These are partial point of view. Because peoples needs to create news. That’s all.

N9 ? it seems clear -reading what Nokia and Elop said – that there is no futur at all !!!

Regarding next billion, for now we only see Symbian …. and the end in 2016 ( and before for example in USA) …

It’s very sad to see that Qt known for its crossplatform sdk seems to be easily portable to Android, Ios , WP7 … and it’s not pushed because of commercial problem … What need developer is an easy way to program (Qt is fine ) and a crossplatform Mobile/Desktop solution … I know since 11 Februar the all done response is “Open governance : If you wants, you can do it … it’s open !!!”

An advice to any Qt lover: be consistent on the scope of your concerns.

If you worry about Qt now then look at all the growing stats on SDK downloads, mobile apps developed, the progress on Qt 4.7, 4.8, 5, in different industries, OS and form factors… If you worry about Qt in the future then look at the Qt Project, Qt 5, Nokia’s “next billion” strategy…

In the past months we have seen many discussions exactly like this one where any constructive comment about the current situation is answered with “sure, but what about the future?” and at the same time any constructive comment about the future is answered with “sure, but what about now?” :)

No matter how we look at it the progress of Qt in 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 4.0 and now 5 is consistently incremental. Sure, there are some challenges but how is this any different from Qt in the past or any other cool technology in these speed crazy times? Actually this is part of the adrenaline and excitement of working in cutting edge tech.

@qgil: it-s true and is coherent iwht what @qtnext says, despite of his point of view about.

@tanext sayd:
bq. I know since 11 Februar the all done response is “Open governance : If you wants, you can do it … it’s open !!!”

This means that all those developers of Qt (in a real growing number) has nothing to be worried. As a final judgemnt are the choices of the developers that defines the market application and the development platforms.

There was to be worried if Qt was closed ad a commercial applicaiton, not if it will be full open

leon.anavi wrote:

Please do not misunderstand me. I am enjoying developing with Qt for Symbian, MeeGo, MeeGo Harmattan and Android but I am a bit disappointed that I have to rewrite my apps from scratch if I want to make them compatible with Windows Phone 7.

Then just don’t. I for myself have decided that there won’t be any applications ported to Windows Phone 7, more specifically to the Windows Phone 7 SDK. I might release applications for a community-driven Qt port (Windows Phone 7 is Windows CE after all) for rooted devices.

An ecosystem with less than 2% market share and no indication that this will change in the future is far from interesting for me – even if it is Nokia new prime platform. Time invested in improving applications on supported platforms will gain more revenue. And we are not talking about a port here, we are talking about a complete rewrite of existing software (including documenting, testing and so on), a complete second support chain and two seperate codebases of the same project which have to be serviced.

As things are now the Windows Phone 7 ecosystem desperately needs applications, but applications do not need the Windows Phone 7 ecosystem. I wouldn’t bet on the current prohibition of native code and once it is lifted all those who ported rewrote their applications are the … you know … again.