At 10:36 AM 6/13/2005, you wrote:
Let's go even further: If the POL framework is that elaborated, smoothly integrated and powerful as stated, why didn't PalmSource consider an integration into PalmOS 6.0, i.e. provide a contemporary object oriented API?
When I was at PalmSource, we did talk about POL a bit. However, Palm OS Cobalt has its own C++ layer underneath the Protein API, so the thinking was that once the tools stabilized and there was a standard C++ ABI, those objects would be directly exposed. There was some talk about getting POL ported to Protein, but we never started business discussions about this. I expect with the move to Palm OS for Linux, the C++ API discussion will be opened up again within PalmSource, but I don't know if anything will be exposed to developers.
Somehow I am hesitating, I am embarrassed to add an additional layer to my software: Is it my bug or is it in the layer, which documentation do I have to consult (POL, Palm), ...?
I really like programming with POL, and I'd probably not do a complicated program for Garnet without it right now. However, it does need some new features -- I had to alter my local sources to get five-way navigation to work right on the Treo, and it's never been updated to handle the dynamic input area as part of the framework.
Finally, as the POL sources are available: Wouldn't GNU be a logical next step?
They still have value. Until recently, Metrowerks was selling a product that had POL as a feature. The better place to discuss the future of this is www.pollib.com, since that's where the author and rightsholder Maks is.
-- Ben Combee, Senior Software Engineer, palmOne, Inc. "Combee on Palm OS" weblog: http://palmos.combee.net/ Developer Forum Archives: http://news.palmos.com/read/all_forums/ -- For information on using the PalmSource Developer Forums, or to unsubscribe, please see http://www.palmos.com/dev/support/forums/
