I enjoyed reading this article, and there were some smart comments. Some comments seemed less smart, but they revealed a lot of peoples fears about the platform.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/entelligence-will-android-fragmentation-destroy-the-platform/ My answer is, no, fragmentation will not destroy the platform. Fragmentation is a problem, and it has to be addressed through multiple strategies. But Android feels to me like it was designed from ground up to be prepared for fragmentation. Google also seems to be directly dealing with the issue. I applaud the strategy of sending free phones to developers. I loved my Google Ion. Google seems to be taking the steps necessary to put the newest firmware in the right peoples hands. It's also interesting seeing different peoples and groups perception of Android. I well remember mobile development before Android. I can't thinking of a compelling reason for me to develop for another platform (I'm a java developer). Android allows for a phenomenal amount of code re use, and also really encourages developers to right code for the ages. It has made real a lot of Java's promise. For any given line of code I write, one of my definitions of success is the number of times that line will be run. I think Android will help greatly in helping code I have already written succeed ^_^ This group seems to have a large number of vocal independent Android developers. People that can speak freely and have a real impact on the direction of the platform. If you choose to only test your code on the emulator, or on certain devices, that has a real impact on the direction of the platform. If you list your app as 2.0+ or 1.5/16 only, thats a strong statement. There are 4 other groups that have a vested interest in Android. Google does, of course. The handset manufacturers do, of course, they choose which Android OS to put on which handset, what to contribute back to the platform, etc . The carriers do, they see most of the customers money, they spend the most on marketing, and they have the most to lose. Lastly there is the consumer, who is marketed to from all of the above, and who in the ends votes with their $, their 2 year commitments, and their clicks. Android is a different product to each of these groups. They each control a different aspect, have a different level of investment, and have different competitors. I love it ^_^ I can't see any other product/platform/OS capturing my attention the way Android has. It really feels like it was made for me. How about you? My 2 cents, Matt Kanninen -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Discuss" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-discuss?hl=en.
