Some thoughts on MobileOrg and its development ....

[Alexis <flexibeast@gmail.com>]

Hi all,

In light of recent discussions about 'MobileOrg' - which seemingly
actually constitutes two distinct projects for two different platforms -
together with the apparent relative lack of activity of both projects,
despite demand for them, i can't help but wonder if the 'MobileOrg'
endeavour needs a reboot.

More specifically, it seems to me that rebuilding MobileOrg as a single
project on top of Apache Cordova:

https://cordova.apache.org/

might be a way forward, for several reasons:

* It would help ensure that basically the same set of functionality is
  available across platforms, modulo specific limitations/issues with
  specific platforms. And when people add or modify core functionality,
  that functionality would more easily become available to people across
  platforms, rather than the functionality being initially implemented
  on platform X, and people on platform Y having to wait for it to be
  implemented in its entirety.

* Overall, only one lot of end-user documentation would need to be
  maintained.

* It would enable MobileOrg to be made available for mobile platforms
  other than Android and iOS, such as Windows Phone and Blackberry.

* The number of people available to assist with development might well
  be greater, due to the core development environment involving HTML,
  CSS and JavaScript. Barriers to entry for both regular and occasional
  committers would be much lower.

i'm aware that Cordova has various limitations,
including-but-not-limited-to the lack of native 'feel' of Cordova-based
applications. However, i feel that the above advantages, combined with
the my notion that Emacs users are probably less concerned with a
perfectly slick UI than with having access to functionality they
need/want, probably outweighs such limitations.

Unfortunately, due to other existing commitments, i wouldn't be able to
take point on such a reboot. But i'd definitely be willing and able to
help out!  Particularly in the area of contact management and syncing,
of course. :-)

Thoughts/comments/criticisms?


Alexis.