[Qt-qml] QML if Nokia goes WinPhone7?

[Charley Bay]

Jason H spaketh:

> Qt-interest has had a thread on this, and engadget has several posts.
>
> However on your points:
>
> "Specifically, through this deal, Microsoft effectively has primary control
> of the Qt product line."
> is absolutely false. The git repos are open, and will remain that way.
> Someone in qt-interest said keep with the main branch until they stop
> accepting contributions, then fork away.
>

We agree that the git repos are accessible, and an LGPL fork is always an
option.  In that sense, the code won't "disappear".

However, the assertion is that the Nokia<==>Microsoft deal gives Microsoft
strangle-hold control over the Nokia product line (operating system and
development tools pipeline), and Nokia no longer has business interest in
Qt.  Microsoft will use this influence to "embrace and extend" Qt (e.g.,
"break" or otherwise coerce Qt to rely upon "convenience" features in
WinPhone7), or coerce Nokia to abandon future Qt efforts (because Nokia has
no longer controls its own OS).

Thus, absent new information, the Qt/QML codebase will merely grow stale,
unless a new party "picks it up".  But, that party will *not* be Nokia, and
will *not* be Microsoft.  (My unsupported assertion, I'm not affiliated with
either company, except as a commercial Nokia customer.)

Qt and MeeGo are still essential to the tablet line. WP7 won't ever be on a
> tablet because MS wants a full Win7 license for it. So MeeGo is it.
>

We'll see how excited Intel is about Meego as time marches on.  However, I
don't expect any serious effort by Nokia on Meego going forward.


> We'll still have what we want, but my bet is that the enhancements will
> come slower.
>

Slower, yes.  The question is whether it becomes "stale".  If so, it's
merely no longer a viable development platform.  (New development would in
that case not reasonably consider it as a viable development platform.)

IMHO, that was (almost) entirely Microsoft's goal (competitor elimination).


> QML is absolutely awesome and is likely immensely important to the tablet
> endeavor. So I think its here to stay.
>

We agree QML is absolutely awesome.  We disagree it will be awesome under a
slower/lower development effort (e.g., without full-throated institutional
backing).

I really do hope I'm wrong.
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