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It all started innocently enough. The notebook didn't fit in my pocket, and my N93 was already there.

New Start2Finish Blogs at Forum Nokia

kevin_s2f | 16 May, 2007 16:08

With this post I’m happy to introduce a new type of blogging for us here at Forum Nokia. All our blogs so far focus on people. Some of the people are Forum Nokia Champion developers, other people are Forum Nokia experts, but all the blogs are very personal in nature and open to whatever topic the person chooses to share, whenever they feel like sharing it. Read through these blogs and you’ll see a great mix of code tips, reports from conferences, and overall rants and raves about life on the creation side of the mobile lifestyle.
Start2Finish Pic
Photo taken with a Nokia N70 by sillygwailo. some rights reserved 
 
Start2Finish blogs will take a more structured approach to the process of creating mobile experiences. Each blog will follow a particular project from start to finish. They will begin with the spark of an idea in a developer’s imagination, end with some realization of that dream in executable form, and walk through just about every step along the way.
 
The blogs will also link to one or more Wiki entries where you can find the code under development. Follow the blogs to understand the pathway; check out the Wikis to see the destination.
 
Think of Start2Finish blogs as a very public expression of an engineering journal. Just like an engineering journal, they will explore architectural considerations, technology choices, tooling, coding, debugging, and ultimately preparation of the proof of concept package for installation on real devices.
 
Like an engineering journal, these blogs will contain not only the final polished result, but all the details that it took to get there. False starts. Dead ends. And how to overcome problems using all the resources Forum Nokia has to offer.
 
Unlike a paper-bound engineering journal, though, these blogs are a community resource. Engineering journals are private documents, with legal standing in many countries when it comes time to defend intellectual property rights. Start2Finish blogs are a public tool for the Forum Nokia community to collaborate and reach a common goal. The code developed and the skills learned are free for anyone in the community to use.
 
Over the next several days I’ll introduce the experience I want to develop. Let me confess right up front I am no expert mobile developer, and that’s one of the benefits we hope to bring to this style of blogging. I’m an engineer, I’ve spent years doing system design and integration in industrial automation, but I will bring to this project considerably more passion than mobile expertise. I also bring to the project a great understanding of the public resources of the Forum Nokia community, and a considerable personal network of Nokia contacts. Where I find myself using private channels to information, I will do my best to make the information public so we can all benefit from it.
 
I will make mistakes along the way. That’s how we learn. If you see me doing something that doesn’t make sense to you, please let me know by posting a comment. I may be doing something recommended by an expert member of the community – in which case I’ll get the expert to point us both to the reasoning behind the decision. I also may be making a decision that I will come to regret later – in which case I will be grateful if you point out my mistake before it costs me too many late nights later in the project.
 
So if you’ve got a great idea for a mobile experience but you’ve never quite known how to get started, come with me through this project. Along the way, feel free to ask questions and we’ll figure it out together.
 
If you’ve got friends who are looking to expand their skills or applications into the mobile space, do them a favor and send them a link to this blog. I’m going to learn a lot along the way, and hope you all do to.

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Comments

Re: New Start2Finish Blogs at Forum Nokia

coultonp | 17/05/2007, 11:28

coultonp This sounds like its going to be fun. I for one will follow it

Re: New Start2Finish Blogs at Forum Nokia

william_j | 17/05/2007, 16:40

This blogs could be very useful. But people don't like to share their great ideas.

Re: New Start2Finish Blogs at Forum Nokia

kevin_s2f | 17/05/2007, 18:18

kevin_s2f Sharing is difficult, but I've been quite impressed with the willingness of the Forum Nokia community to share insight, both the Champions here on the blogs and the wider community over on the discussion boards. I hope we'll get enough people sharing enough information to make this a good experience for all of us.

Even where people aren't willing to share their great ideas, I know they'll be willing to share their biggest questions. As I (and eventually others) work through our projects, I hope others with similar interests will work along with us. I can tap not only the Forum Nokia community, but a substantial network of internal contacts I've made over the years.

So, share ideas, or share problems. Either way this should be fun.

Re: New Start2Finish Blogs at Forum Nokia

rathodavinash | 13/06/2007, 12:14

Come on start a project, I'm waiting.

Avinash Rathod.
http://symbian.avinashrathod.com

Re: New Start2Finish Blogs at Forum Nokia

kevin_s2f | 13/06/2007, 19:44

kevin_s2f I'm anxious to get started, too. But I'm glad I didn't jump right in and start working in C++, as had been my expectation. Python will be a much better environment for me.

I'm on my way to Singapore now for a couple of weeks, but when I get back I'll finally start coding the project.

Re: New Start2Finish Blogs at Forum Nokia

bharat.bhusan | 17/06/2007, 18:59

Hi,

I want to know, as to what kind of ideas would be shared here and would be taken for
implementation ? Applications on Nokia platform series or newer ideas / features for the
future phone ?

There are many ideas, rather necessities that needs to be converged to mobile phones.
And we are seeing them happening. They all arise from the day today needs / necessities.
So are we going to take these ideas one by one ?

Please clarify ?

Thanks,
Bharat Bhusan

Re: New Start2Finish Blogs at Forum Nokia

kevin_s2f | 18/06/2007, 10:33

kevin_s2f Hi,

Good question. Here we will talk in some detail about HOW to bring one idea at a time to life. The first idea as you can see is a multimedia tasting journal. When I started I knew it would involve learning how to control cameras, recorders, players, and basic database and UI features. I now know it will involve learning Python (at least it involves that for me) and will involve soon the installation of the Carbide.c++ Express IDE and the PyDev open source Eclipse plug in.

If you or anyone else has suggestions for other application DEVELOPMENT projects you would like to see us tackle, this is the place to ask.

If, on the other hand, you are more interested in WHAT ideas you want to see come to life, then kindly check out the S60 wish list here http://www.s60.com/life/application/wishlist/wishMainPage.do The wish list is the place to post ideas for features, applications, and features you would like to see in your S60 device. It is also a place that developers and device designers look for clues to what consumers want in a device or add-on application and service.

Re: New Start2Finish Blogs at Forum Nokia

stickershock | 13/07/2007, 01:56

As an avid reader of the forums and someone who has bet his reputation on mobile internet future with nokia at the lead, I'll certainly watch closely any development that goes on in a clear manner. I'm devoting a programmer exclusively to Symbian development and have placed large emphisis in the mobile connectivity in my current network and kiosk applications.

Certainly any development geared to getting my people inline with the future of symbian development will be greatly appreciated. I guess my only real hope it would be less of the fluffy "hey look we can shoot a photo remotely" stuff and more of the connectivity and content distribution issues.

Perhaps I can get a blog for the guy I am getting online with Carbide. Today was the first day he heard of it so perhaps watching him would give you folks inisght to the issues new developers have when it comes to getting onboard.

Good Luck and thanks in advance,

David

http://discussion.forum.nokia.com/forum/showthread.php?p=323564#post323564

Re: New Start2Finish Blogs at Forum Nokia

kevin_s2f | 13/07/2007, 02:20

kevin_s2f Hi David,

Thanks for the offer. I have forwarded your comment here and your DiBo description to my managers. I'll let you know what comes of the offer.

Either way, I hope the development cycle goes well for you and the people you've assigned.

Re: New Start2Finish Blogs at Forum Nokia

kevin_s2f | 26/07/2007, 21:43

kevin_s2f David

I have talked to the right people, and we think this is a great idea. Please contact me at ext-kevin.sharp at nokiadotcom and we can work out the details.

Re: New Start2Finish Blogs at Forum Nokia

stickershock | 21/08/2007, 18:02

Hello Kevin,

Following up on this thread, I wanted to say thanks for your support of the ideas we put forward. I think the project is both large and very interesting, if not for spanning several operating systems and languages to provide a connectivity solution for native applications using TCP/IP over bluetooth then by allowing for authorization of network access via Radius.

As promised, I've assigned a programmer full time. He's got some PHP stuff to finish over the next few days. Also the project will be open source and will have a public CVS system.

people interested in joining the project can go sign up on Source Forge:

http://BluSPAN.sourceforge.net

a little bit about what we are planning to do can be found here

https://blogs.forum.nokia.com/view_entry.html?id=674

Again, I'd like to thank Corporate Nokia, Kevin Sharp and Konstantine Voytenko. I know a lot of good is going to come from this work. I'd like to thank in advance the Forum Community for support of this complex and large project.

Best,

David

Re: New Start2Finish Blogs at Forum Nokia

kevin_s2f | 21/08/2007, 18:54

kevin_s2f David,

My pleasure, and thank you for agreeing to develop this project open source. I look forward to followign the project and doing what I can to help it move forward.
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