OK, ok, fair enough - I see your point.
I appreciate your illustrating Palm's problem - they basically feel that the positive
effect of having a lot of software work on a
new device when it is released is outweighed by the negative effect of their
competitiors getting advanced warning of their upcoming
product releases. (Beyond what they'd learn at a Palm conference, which I assume is
mainly performance metrics and such.)
But I still hold my request that at least in the case of the ARM, Palm makes available
a physical "reference device" if possible.
It doesn't have to reveal special device features or style and feel of the final
devices as long as core hardware behaviour is the
same. Let's face it, Palm competitors know palm is making an ARM version, they'll
know when it's near relase time, and competitors
already have ARM based PDAs. So how much would Palm really stand to lose?
I won't beat a dead horse. The situation just hit me by surprise because this is the
first platform I've developed for with this
philosophy. Not that other companies didn't broadside their developers with surprises
- but they made available advanced hardware.
As you mentioned below, he futility of product secrets is a fuzzy line - odds are one
in five Palm executives is a Microsoft plant
anyway. ;)
"Scott Johnson (Bellevue)" wrote:
> > From: DIAMOND JEFF [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> > It deals not as much with knew OS releases as with new devices.
>
> Is it time again for _this_ discussion? :-)
>
> > I assume that it is Palm's faith in the Emulator
> > that puts us in the unusual situation that we developers
> > only get new devices at the same time the public gets them.
>
> As has been covered in previous versions of this thread, Palm Inc. has their
> own valid business reasons for keeping new products secret, not all
> revolving around the needs of the developer community.
>
> > (Laughably, we are even told they don't exist
> > right up to the public launch.)
>
> That's not accurate. Their standard answer in this forum is basically "no
> comment on unannounced products" which is not the same as saying they don't
> exist. I don't recall any instance of our Palm friends saying anything that
> turned out to be a deliberate lie. They are smart people who choose their
> words carefully.
>
> > I have a friend - no connection with Palm -
> > who was trying out an English M505 MONTHS before
> > the first emails came to us developers telling us
> > the M505 was only a rumor.
>
> What a great example of why Palm Inc. may want to clamp down even more
> tightly on pre-release information, rather than loosen up. Your friend
> violated a confidentiality agreement by telling you this, right? If so, why
> should Palm bother showing new devices to any outsiders at all? It
> certainly shows the utter impossibility of sharing such information with the
> wider developer community without suffering leakage.
>
> And again, "rumor" does not mean "false".
>
> -slj-
>
> --
> For information on using the Palm Developer Forums, or to unsubscribe, please see
>http://www.palmos.com/dev/tech/support/forums/
--
For information on using the Palm Developer Forums, or to unsubscribe, please see
http://www.palmos.com/dev/tech/support/forums/
