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Sendo Can't Get Microsoft Source; Ditches Windows
Posted by
michael
on Thu Nov 07, 2002 12:40 PM
from the shared-source-ha-ha-ha-ha dept.
from the shared-source-ha-ha-ha-ha dept.
An anonymous submitter wrote: "Just when you thought the award-winning data leech Microsoft had become invincible... cellphone manufacturer Sendo, in a statement on the front page of its web site, announces the termination of its Z100 smartphone development on the Microsoft platform, licensing the rival Symbian from Nokia instead. (Further reports by ZDnet and Heise.)"
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Sendo Can't Get Microsoft Source; Ditches Windows
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The way to change things (Score:5, Insightful)
~S
Re:The way to change things (Score:5, Funny)
Re:The way to change things (Score:5, Funny)
I can actually choose OpenOffice without going to jail. I can use Mozilla without violating the Internet Explorer licensing. I could install Linux or *BSD without having to register as an OS offender. I can even use KDE instead of GNOME!
Nah... Too much responsibility. I'll just join a class action suit against Microsoft.
M$ finally gets screwed! (Score:4, Funny)
Re:M$ finally gets screwed! (Score:4, Insightful)
From now on, every IT vendor knows: if he turns away from Microsoft and uses other's products, an article describing this will be immediately published on /. and his Web site will be immediately slashdot'ed.
This will obviously stop those IT vendors from doing such a crasy thing.
Not using Windows? Are they insane?? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Not using Windows? Are they insane?? (Score:4, Funny)
<sarcasm>It's no surprise that Ford relies on Microsoft products, because Ford sure knows quality. [google.com]</sarcasm>
I can't help but wonder how delighted their customers must be, when they have to bring their Focus back into the dealership for yet another safety recall every month or so.
Ford ought to be partnering with Microsoft to put a "Critical Update Notification" [microsoft.com] feature into next year's model: "...Simply plug a phone line into your Focus every night, and the car will dial into Ford's headquarters and download a list of that day's newly-discovered critical safety flaws that you'll need to have repaired immediately..."
Thankfully, I don't own one of the little beasts, but one of my friends does.
~Philly
Re:Not using Windows? Are they insane?? (Score:5, Funny)
(Aside from the tree that drove into me, and the minibus that reversed into me, and fell apart, at a red light)
Re:Not using Windows? Are they insane?? (Score:5, Funny)
After Windows ME, it couldnt really get worse could it?
mirror? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:mirror? (Score:5, Funny)
(Flock of Seagulls tune here...)
Big deal, Windows is the wrong paradigm for cell (Score:3, Insightful)
This is also why Windowing software is also the wrong paradigm for industrial strength routers. The reason CICSCO certified people make such great money compared to test passsing MCSE monkeys is that the Cisco OS is all commandline/terminal driven, when you're routing a T3, you don't the overhead for pretty graphics.
Re:It IS a big deal (Score:5, Informative)
I work in the auto industry as a sysadmin, and I can confirm that last one for y'all if you're sitting their scratching your heads. I picked up an automotive industry trade rag one day and there it was, in big letters on a yellow BMW: Microsoft Windows CE for Automotive. Had the Windows CE logo and everything. I'm not even kidding. I wish I were.
Re:Big deal, Windows is the wrong paradigm for cel (Score:5, Interesting)
Of course Stingray (Windows for cellphones) uses an underlying RTOS. I interviewed with that group. We talked about it. All of the fancy UI/Windows stuff is in a low-priority task.
Just like with the Palm OS. The "Palm OS" doesn't actually run the PDA. It runs on top of a small RTOS kernel that handles interrupts, hardware drivers, and other real-time things that have little to do with the UI. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the same Palm OS runs on different RTOS kernels. In fact, I can almost guarantee you that the Qualcomm Palm thingy they had a few years ago likely did not use the same RTOS kernel as my Palm Vx.
And you comment about Cisco Certified Internet Engineers and Command-line interfaces is a joke, right? A CCIE doesn't make more money because he or she can use a terminal instead of dragging icons. They make more money because internetworking is more of a niche and is arguably more complex than setting up Windows. It also costs much more to become CCIE than MCSE. Trust me, Cisco's next generation routers will be configured remotely through a graphical interface. I guess when that happens, CCIE's will be making just as much as a MCSE, huh?
Re:Cisco router configuration (Score:5, Insightful)
When that day comes, Cisco will feel the pressure and follow suit. Why pay a CCIE $80,000 to do your configuration when you can pay somebody $35,000? Same reason why many companies choose Windows instead of Linux. I'm not saying its right or even cost effective, but its a lot cheaper (up front) to hire someone to set up a Windows server than a Linux server. Especially for simple things like file and printer sharing.
There will always be a place for a CCIE expert, however their choice of places may become fewer.
Slashdotted - Karma capped, just trying to help (Score:5, Informative)
Company Statement
Sendo has terminated its Smartphone development program utilising the Microsoft Windows Powered Smartphone 2002 software.
As a result, Sendo regrets to announce that it will not be shipping the Z100 Smartphone.
It has been a very difficult decision for Sendo given its leadership position in the development of smart devices. We are disappointed that we will not be able to ship the Z100 given the high level of interest shown in the device.
Although a set back, we are pleased to announce today that we have licensed the Series 60 platform from Nokia for our smartphone category. We believe this will create the opportunity for us to continue as a lead player in the development of smartphone products for 2003.
SENDO CHOOSES NOKIA'S SERIES 60 PLATFORM FOR ITS SMART PHONES
Thu Nov 7 2002
Sendo, a British mobile phone manufacturer, today announced that the company has decided to license Series 60 Platform from Nokia for its smart phone category. The Series 60 is a software platform for feature- and application rich smart phones that Nokia licenses to mobile handset manufacturers. The platform is optimised to run on top of the Symbian OS. Sendo joins as the newest member to the Series 60 licensing community with Matsushita, Samsung, Siemens and Nokia.
"Earlier this fall we reviewed our smart phone strategy. While our mission of providing customers with feature-rich and ubiquitous devices remains unaltered, seeing that the Series 60 fully embraces both our mission and the new strategy we decided to approach Nokia," said Hugh Brogan, Chief Executive Officer of Sendo Holdings Plc. "The platform utilises open standards and technologies, such as MMS and Java , jointly developed by the industry. The platform is robust, yet uniquely flexible, bringing great benefits to licensees, operators, developers and consumers."
"We welcome Sendo, a pioneer in smart phone development, to join our Series 60 community. We see that a combination of Sendo's technical expertise and growing market presence will bring significant contribution to the mobile market with Series 60 devices. Interoperable solutions that are built on open and common industry standards are proving to be the winning formula in meeting demands of business users and consumers alike," said Niklas Savander, Vice President and General Manager, Nokia Mobile Software.
Nokia licenses Series 60 Platform as a source code. The model enables licensees to contribute to the development of the platform while fully executing their individual business strategy, brand and customer requirements in fast developing and highly competitive mobile communications market. Licensees will be able to include the Series 60 into their own smart phone designs, thus speeding up the rollout of new phone models at lower costs.
The Series 60 is a comprehensive software platform for smart phones, created for mobile phone users that demand easy-to-use, one-hand operated handsets with high-quality colour screens, rich communications and enhanced applications. The Series 60 platform consists of the key telephony and personal information management applications, the browser and messaging clients, as well as a complete and modifiable user interface, all designed to run on top of the Symbian OS, an operating system for advanced, data enabled mobile phones.
Sendo (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Sendo (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Sendo (Score:4, Funny)
I think Sendo was a character in Star Wars. You know, the black dude who sold Hands Soloing out.
This is
Didn't somebody post the other day that Knuth was a Simpsons character, and Turing was an Elf? Or something?
Can't get source? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Can't get source? (Score:5, Informative)
He said one reason for the switch was that Sendo could get access to the source code for Nokia software and therefore customize products. It could not do that with Microsoft.
The Reg has it (Score:5, Informative)
BTW, What happened to theregus.com? It seems to be gone.
I wish Sendo the best of luck... (Score:5, Interesting)
Sure, it must have been a hard decision, but unless they made some huge fkup working out the per-device costing (did they forget to license windows?
But, as I said at the start of the article... good luck to them
Now, not only have they "wasted" millions, they will probably have the beast on their back
Re:I wish Sendo the best of luck... (Score:4, Informative)
One of the first things you learn in business school is that cost already expended should have no influence on your future actions.
Failure to understand this is sometime called "Throwing good money after bad".
Lots of reason not to launch springs to mind, Support cost being an obvious one. Once you sell the first unit you need to support it.
Second Economy of scale. If you can't sell enough units you will not reach the required production cost. You loose money (variable cost) on each unit you sell. Better not to sell anything at all. Lots of other reasons, so I think the people running Sendo has business acumen. It actually takes guts to do what they have done. (Maybe this is a ploy to get code and whatever they else they want. Maybe they want to be acquired by MS and act as their development arm. Who knows)
the last thing we need (Score:3, Interesting)
It doesn't matter what features you pack in to a phone, if the interface sucks, most people are not going to buy it. Everyone I know who has switched from Nokia to another phone in order to get the latest gadgetry has regreted it. I just wish nokia would get their ass in gear and release some of the phone that are available in fscking Africa in the US.
A little bit of research.. (Score:5, Informative)
Don't just dismiss this as unimportant! (Score:5, Insightful)
Contrast this with MS, who have no platform, no 3rd party developers (as far as I know), and very little to offer over the established brands. The other mobile makers already have software to sync their devices with Windows/Linux/Mac OS', and they're pretty reliable.
MS is going to have a very very hard battle trying to convince anyone to buy their phones, even moreso than the XBox - which isn't doing well compared to the competition.
This is a good thing
Re:Don't just dismiss this as unimportant! (Score:4, Informative)
Um, no. I hate to burst your "I bought an Xbox, so it damn well better succeed" bubble, but Microsoft is demonstrateably nowhere near having brought in $1 billion in revenue from the Xbox. Look at their last few quarterly reports. You'll see two things. First, they group Xbox revenue in with revenue from MSN subscriptions, PC games sales, and consumer software. Basically everything microsoft makes that's not Office, Windows, or a server product, and all the revenue (not profits, revenue) from MSN. Second you'll see that they bring in under $2 billion a year with all those things. There is NO WAY that Xbox accounts for half of Microsoft's non Windows/Office sales, especially since those numbers aren't significantly increased from the previous year when Xbox didn't exist. Not only that, but revenue figures don't take into account the expenditure for building each device.
Estimates I've seen tend to agree that Microsoft must sell between 10 and 20 games to break even on an Xbox sale. How many games do you have for your Xbox?
The xbox is selling very well
Again, bullshit. There's loads of market research that shows Xbox in an uphill battle for second place. http://www.instat.com/press.asp?ID=390&sku=IN0200
You need to shell out $3k for the numbers, but it's not to hard to figure it out from the abstract. If sony sold >20 million consoles in the last 12 months, 31 million consoles were sold overall, and Nintendo and Microsoft have sold roughly equal numbers of consoles, you can see that the Xbox is not selling very well compared to PS2. That means there are 40 million PS2 in people's houses, and ~5 million Xboxes out there. Also, if you head over to NPDFunworld [npdfunworld.com], you'll see that for the last 6 months Xbox has had on average 1 game in the monthly top ten based on sales. That's not anything to write home about, especially when there are typically 6 PS2 games and 3 GBA games on the list.
Maybe someday there will be enough good Xbox exclusive titles out there to get more people to shell out the $200 for an Xbox, but with microsoft already planning on releasing Xbox 2 in just over 2 years, and 90% of the good xbox games being available on other platforms, Xbox sales may not be picking up anytime soon.
Forbes on Fox (Score:5, Funny)
I've had to agonize with Microsoft on my computer, I certainly don't want them on my cell phone."
It was an unexpected comment and I couldn't stop chuckling.
Misleading title (Score:3, Insightful)
Another win for Open Source (Score:3, Interesting)
Quick look at Series 60 and Programming for it (Score:5, Informative)
Book description of "Programming for the Series 60 Platform and Symbian OS" here [digia.com]
Paradigm Shift (Score:5, Interesting)
I worked for a telecommunications company that had started using NT 3.51/4.0 for embedded system work, because we were using off-the-shelf industrial servers, and at the time, Microsoft' Systems Architect for NT was gearing things toward being fairly decent as an embedded system. When the latter iteration of NT 4.0 and then 2000 came out, they had clearly changed their intent, and our product, to use a technical term, was "fucked". Ultimately, an investor with cold feet spelled the end of the company, but it was taking quite a long time to adapt to the new platform, and this was seen as a big problem.
We had trusted Microsoft to keep the platform stable for our uses, and they failed to do so. Had we had the source code to the OS, we could have potentially rewritten the parts that we needed to make things work, while still giving them their licensing fee for the newest product. We never (obviously) had the chance.
Now, I work for an organization that has to maintain a massive database, and while we bought the software that we use, we also received the source code, so we actively maintain our end. We and our vendor work to determine what changes we as an organization made, and sometimes these changes are rolled back into the next release or step of the product, if they're universally beneficial. Others aren't, and we simply have to go and check the new versions to make our changes. This approach works very well.
Even if 'open source' isn't the answer to everyones' problems, simply having the source at all can be very beneficial. Hopefully, more and more medium to large companies and organizations will realise this, and that this, rather than lawsuits, attacks, etc, will cause people to abandon Microsoft.
Another one... (Score:3, Funny)
I hope I can get the source code to a Symbian and hack on it to improve the vibration modes, the "gooey" interface, and even make it go faster.
Oh, that's a Sybian. Never mind.
It is news.... (Score:5, Interesting)
I'm really excited about MS on cell phones (Score:5, Funny)
Just think of all the new capabilities we'll have! Helpful users (especially those swell guys in eastern europe!) will no doubt quickly create vbscript autodialers. Heck, my phone will probably call my friends more often that I do!
And that's the Microsoft Promise: "We do things so you don't have to!"
Submission? (Score:3, Interesting)
Excellent Point by Dan Gillmore (Score:3, Insightful)
The one chance is for people to realize what's at stake and do something difficult: Make choices that mean less convenience today in order to have liberty tomorrow. Americans are lousy at this, but a lot is now at stake. You may not care. You should.
Yup. Americans ARE lousy at this, at least nowadays. We are the proud, the free, willing to fight for liberty justice for all, as long as we can do it with a remote from the couch. Today's America is a golden land of opportunity for anybody who can figure out clever ways to exploit our overriding aversion to inconvenience. That's the problem. Come up with a good solution to that, and the rest is details. My great fear is that fixing our sheep-like mentality is going to take something starkly real and immediate, like guerrilla warfare in our streets or an economic depression on the scale of the 1930s.
911 (Score:4, Funny)
I'm Ellen Feiss, and when this sucking chest wound heals, I'm like, getting a Nokia.
Hmmn (Score:5, Insightful)
Cant get the source for windows CE? (Score:3, Informative)
Pay attention: It's OSS and Java (Score:3, Informative)
It doesn't say anything directly about Linux.
So the editors would be blithering idiot OSS/Java fanboys.