I agree, it's a real pain to sign applications. From numerous sources I've heard that signing freeware can take months (!) and I learned the hard way about the hassle of signing apps for one IMEI.
I wish they'd just come up with a quicker and easier way to get it done. A first step would be to remove the necessity for a publisher ID in the Open Signed Offline process. That would save developers time and money.

It really depends on the nature of the application and who the target is. But, I agree developers shall not release unsigned version of their application. Ordinary users will have difficulty signing it.

This will end up in chicken-egg situation. Developers are starting to release unsigned version because of freeware signing can take months. If the process is much faster; there is really no point releasing unsigned application.

I agree with you that developers should not release a unsigned application as the end users may have problems to sign it. Thats True.

But suppose a developers want to distribute freeware, will he go through all the lengthy and costly and tedious process of getting it signed? And then release it? I mean what and why will he do that for? He will prefer releasing the unsigned application and will leave it to the end user for signing.

As Antony said if the process is faster there is no point of releasing unsigned applications.

I am fully prepared to accept that the freeware signing process does not work. I'm just trying to make the point that what seems to be the easy way out may prove to only worsen the situation.

How about putting together a queue in the wiki, where every developer will add its freeware submission date, and the day it get the application signed or a rejection message.

That way everybody will know how many applications are there really in the signing queue, how well the process goes and how big of a problem the freeware signing really is.

Could it be that the problem is not really as big as it seems? Could it be that some developers are exaggerating the problem?

I'm thinking for say goodbye with Symbian application development soon because it takes too much effort for make even freeware application.

In developing process, To test my application in my device, I have to sign it via Open Signed online everytime I build new version. I believe that every developers know that may be more than 50 versions are built in someday. That mean I have to sign via open signed online more than 50 times per day. Wow, really not good.

And in release process, as all of you said, freeware signing process take too much time. Developer can't wait for this.

It would be great if Symbian think for new method of signing freeware or Symbian may die soon. I'm serious.

Open Signed (Online) is just a reaction to DevCert abuse. Not the best solution for the problem unfortunately.

Anyway, I find it hard to believe that an independent developer doesn't have already a valid devcert, valid still for a couple of months. So the problem should not be as acute at is looks at first glance. You just may have to stick to your old phone, at least for testing purposes.

In time, with proper release behavior and with Symbian Signed listening to developer's needs it can all be solved and the process put on the right track.

"How about putting together a queue in the wiki, where every developer will add its freeware submission date, and the day it get the application signed or a rejection message."

@Lucian : We could probably do this so that an approximation can be drawn out.
I personally feel that Symbian Signed will be listening to the developers yells and may do something soon.

Here is some Proof + Hope :

http://developer.symbian.com/forum/ann.jspa?annID=36

They say they are providing defense mechanisms to ramp traffic and will phase the changes soon..

But in either case developer has to wait. No worries for who already have a dev cert that has not yet expired. Do you have one?

I do. ;)

So sad that I don't have dev cert for my current device since I have to change device all the time to test my application in different model.

That's why I'm so worry about my project.

Please Symbian please, please quickly find another way out of this bad dream or developer will find the way out of this platform instead.