How to successfully start development for N900

[kornicameister]

I have bought N900 some time ago and I decided now that it would be good to try and check out how developing and deploying application process works for N900
As far as I am concerned, N900 runs under Maemo control...
but before I start do anything, I would like to know, what I should know

would that be
-> OS version
-> related SDK version
-> what kind of software to ..."install" application by myself
-> environment for safe testing

[AlexSudnik]

I think this should help:

http://www.forum.nokia.com/Develop/Qt/Tools/

[kornicameister]

yeah, I already have Nokia SDK installed on my Windows 7 based machine and even managed to deploy an application (simpler than possible) on my nokia.
but I am confused by the fact that there are Nokia SDK (which from my personal experience) allows to write,compile,build,deploy working applications
but from the other hand there is a Maemo SDK (which for now I have working on virtual machine, as I have some major problems with installing it on Squeeze 64bit version)....

which one to choose as there are two ways ?

[Zlatomir]

Well Nokia Qt SDK (this one) already contains the Qt SDK for Maemo and Qt SDK for Symbian.

[kornicameister]

Aha, that is the one I have installed

by the way I just found an interesting quote on this page saying

What can I do with the Maemo 5 SDK?
The SDK supports development of Maemo applications using Qt 4.7.0 and the Qt APIs for Mobile Development, as well as C and C++ (using the Maemomm C++ bindings). However, Qt is now the recommended development framework. Qt offers the advantage of the ability to create applications that can be compiled for Symbian as well as a number of desktop and mobile platforms.

The SDK provides the Maemo 5 applications and features delivered on devices. This enables you to explore the rich UI and appreciate the unique user experience offered by Maemo 5.

which means what ? That I should completely abandon the idea of MaemoSDK and turn to NokiaSDK ?
how about the rest of things written there in other headlines like, for example, in this one What’s included in the Maemo 5 SDK??

[wysota]

To develop for Maemo using Qt (the default Maemo toolkit is GTK) you need Linux with Nokia Qt SDK. If you want to develop on Windows, there is a possibility to do that using a so called "remote compiler" but it's probably easier to run Linux inside VirtualBox or even as your main OS for Maemo development. Nokia Qt SDK also contains parts of Maemo 5 SDK, namely an environment called "Madde". It might not contain all the GTK stuff by default.

[kornicameister]

so basically, you advice to install nokia sdk on linux and do everything there rather than on windows, am I right ?

[wysota]

so basically, you advice to install nokia sdk on linux and do everything there rather than on windows, am I right ?

Yes, that's correct. With such a configuration it just works. For other configurations you need to play with settings, plugins... Windows is the recommended environment for developing for Symbian, by the way.

[kornicameister]

that's the surprise... although I hear many times, do not do any code under Windows, to developing it is unworthy, well this statement has it's power now
by the way... do you think that it would be reasonable to write under Linux and than build under Windows (via virtual machine) or do everything under virtual machine with windows ?

so @wysota, I will go soon and check it out
still I can make myself belief why Maemo SDK is also available (except for it is available since meamo 2.x version as far as I'm concerned) even if Nokia advice to use NokiaSDK instead of it?

[wysota]

that's the surprise... although I hear many times, do not do any code under Windows, to developing it is unworthy, well this statement has it's power now
by the way... do you think that it would be reasonable to write under Linux and than build under Windows (via virtual machine) or do everything under virtual machine with windows ?

Maybe I will explain why you want to develop on Linux for Maemo and for Symbian on Windows. The reason is very simple - there is no Maemo cross-compiler toolchain for Windows and no Symbian cross-compiler toolchain for Linux At least none that really work. To override this limitation you can do a remote compilation using a compiler farm forum-nokia offers but it's really much simpler to reboot to a proper system. Of course using virtual machines is ok too.

still I can make myself belief why Maemo SDK is also available (except for it is available since meamo 2.x version as far as I'm concerned)

Because the default toolkit for Maemo 5 is not Qt. Qt is only an addition to Maemo 5 although it should be available on every device running PR1.3+. Still the core of the OS and UI do not use Qt.

even if Nokia advice to use NokiaSDK instead of it?

It's only an advice. You can still create (and maintain) applications that do not use Qt.

[kornicameister]

It's only an advice. You can still create (and maintain) applications that do not use Qt.

maybe I can, but I find Qt easier to learn that GTK which I see as typical matrix (according to the movie) I do not no why, but it's a fact

Because the default toolkit for Maemo 5 is not Qt.

I noticed that, couple minutes ago, when I managed to overview this Eclipse mode in Maemo virtual machine...

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Added after 39 minutes:

there is no repository with that, right ?
i need to download it and set it up manually ?

[wysota]

maybe I can, but I find Qt easier to learn that GTK which I see as typical matrix (according to the movie) I do not no why, but it's a fact

You do but people who are used to GTK will likely want to use GTK and not Qt.

there is no repository with that, right ?
i need to download it and set it up manually ?

NokiaQtSDK? You need to download it from Forum Nokia. A link is on our home page.