Why don't programmers prefer Symbian OS?

[kaissa]

I plan on upgrading my phone and as the chess software addict that I am, want an OS that will cater most software. According to market reports, Symbian OS is the market leader with around 45% market share, Blackberry second with about 17%, Microsoft third at around 15%, Apple fifth around %10s and Palm a distant sixth at about %1.

If we look at the professional chess software for these phones, Symbian has only ChessGenius, Blackberry none, Microsoft has ChessGenius, Shredder, Hiarcs, Apple has ChessGenius, Shredder and Palm has ChessGenius, Hiarcs and ChessTiger.

Palm has the most options but the only phone with PalmOS is Centro and that phone is not appealing to me. There are a lot of phones with Symbian OS but only one chess software.

Why don't chess programmers prefer Symbian OS?

Regards,

[Gian-Carlo Pascutto]

Because having to program for Symbian causes severe braindamage. It is the most misdesigned, misguided and gross piece of crap I have ever layed my eyes on.

Reportedly it has been cleaned up in recent versions, but of course we can't know for sure, because no sane programmer will ever get near a Symbian phone again in his lifetime. Just mentioning the word usually gives them cold shivers.

Note that Symbian phones might have Java ME support which allows you to run things like Shredder Mobile. Java ME shields the developer from Symbian, and hence, some decent software has been written for it. Of course, Java ME exists also for non-Symbian phones.

[mclane]

symbian wants money if you make a chess program for symbian OS.

For symbian there is only Genius as serious chess program.
So why don't you try Genius ?

Java engines are not that strong like Genius.

[smrf]

Some people continue requesting (mostly free) software for different OSs and different purposes like Chess.

But nobody yet has given me for free e.g. such a working type of phone and appropriate development material.

[mclane]

genius is not expensive.
and it plays very strong depending on your mobile mhz speed.

e.g. genius on my nokia makes 350 mhz.

[Gian-Carlo Pascutto]

But nobody yet has given me for free e.g. such a working type of phone and appropriate development material.

In the case of Symbian, that's something to be happy about!