Trollteck Press Release: The acquisition of Trolltech will enable Nokia to accelerate its cross-platform software strategy for mobile devices and desktop applications, and develop its Internet services business. With Trolltech, Nokia and third party developers will be able to develop applications that work in the Internet, across Nokia’s device portfolio and on PCs. Nokia’s software strategy for devices is based on cross-platform development environments, layers of software that run across operating systems, enabling the development of applications across the Nokia device range. Examples of current cross-platform layers are Web runtime, Flash, Java and Open C.
As a long time GNU/Linux user, I know Trolltech mainly as the company that makes Qt, the fundation of KDE, a desktop environment for Linux.
As a reluctant cell phone user, I know Nokia as a cell phone maker. I have never owned a Nokia phone. I had a Qualcomm and then a Sanyo
So why is a cell phone company buying a Linux desktop environment company? It turns out, the Trolltech also has a mobile device line of product called Qtopia. It is that line of product that Nokia wants.
What does this acquisition mean for KDE? I don't know. I myself am not a KDE user, so this really doesn't affect me. However, with Qt owned by a cell phone company, I doubt they will care too much about the KDE users. So my prediction is that KDE evolution will slow down, which will also slow down the evolution of its competitor GNOME, which is the desktop environment I use.
I don't think I'll like that.
Now I have a question for all the cell phone companies: How many development platforms do you want? I mean, there are already plenty of them out there, why are you buying up PC desktop environment companies?
My guess is that they are making too much money.
Wait a minute! There are money to be made in the mobile devices space? I'll take a look there.
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