PalmSource Intros OS 5 Compatibility Program

Posted By: Ed Monday, May 13, 2002 12:50:35 PM

PalmSource has announced an updated version of its Palm Powered Compatible Solution program. This allows developers to post a logo on their applications that certify that they are ready for Palm OS 5. In order to qualify for the logo, an application must pass rigorous testing by an independent lab proving that it is compliant with Palm OS 4 APIs and therefore will run on Palm OS 5. This testing isn't free but PalmSource will provide a free kit to help developers get ready.

The readiness kit contains a Palm OS 5 simulator, tips, troubleshooting guides, and instructions on how to apply for the Palm Powered Compatible Solution logo and submit a product for testing.

The enhanced compatibility program and readiness kit will be available for developers in early summer, at the same time as the launch of Palm OS 5. The cost of the test will be announced in early summer, too.

OS 5 marks the introduction of ARM-based processors, replacing the current Dragonball line. Normally this would mean no current applications are compatible with the new handhelds but PalmSource is including an emulator in the new operating system that will allow old applications to run on the new processors. It is this emulator that apps need to be compatible with.

Applications that aren't compatible violate one or more of Palm's rules for creating apps and do things like directly access the hardware. The Palm OS Emulator (POSE) has been warning developers for years that not following the rules will cause problems in the future and OS 5 is the point where these apps will no longer work.

Many current apps will run just fine under OS 5 with no modification. According to Steve Sakoman, the CTO of PalmSource, about 80% of current apps should make the jump, which, according to him, is about the same number as made the switch to OS 4.

Quality Partners, which will perform the testing, has been providing independent quality assurance testing for more than eight years, serving some of the technology industry's largest software companies.

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Interesting Idea

Taqi @ 5/13/2002 1:18:18 PM #
Can PPC users (strong arm) flash their ROMs with the OS5 and have a working Palm/PPC hybrid?

RE: Interesting Idea
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/13/2002 1:21:42 PM #
This a little bit like asking "Will a flying car fit in my garage?" There's no way to know for sure until OS 5 is out and someone has tried it. I don't think it will. The OS has to be compatible with a lot of hardware, not just the processor. The OS might not even support the screen. I don't think OS 5 has virtual Graffiti.
RE: Interesting Idea
c_blue @ 5/13/2002 1:38:54 PM #
could be nice to have a dual boot PDA, but please, don't allow M$oft to take control of the OSloader!!

=)

C_Blue

RE: Interesting Idea
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/13/2002 1:55:59 PM #
if somebody writes a DAL for the PPC, the Palm OS could talk to the hardware.
RE: Interesting Idea
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/13/2002 1:58:57 PM #
could be possible, Lunix has already been ported to many PPC devices www.handhelds.org. Palm could release a versions modified for current PPC on the market, since they are splitting the compnay into two one for software and the other hardware. The software portion can reap in the profits of selling just OS 5. Perhaps now that OS 5 supports Intel's Strong processor maybe companies like Compaq might want to load OS 5 instead of the inflated PPC.
RE: Interesting Idea
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/13/2002 3:05:19 PM #
steal ppc machine and put something useful in it ehhee
RE: Interesting Idea
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/13/2002 3:41:33 PM #
If dual boot is the aim, why bother with Palm OS, since iPAQ can dual load with PPC and Linux on a 1 Gig microdrive.

With the option of several Palm OS emulator on PPC and Linux out there, one can have it all, with exception of native 5.0 OS.

RE: Interesting Idea
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/13/2002 5:31:18 PM #
Then make it triple boots!!!
RE: Interesting Idea
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/13/2002 5:59:48 PM #
I guess you don't quite know how a 1GBs Microdrive drives the battery to dead...
RE: Interesting Idea
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/14/2002 12:54:36 PM #
tale a look at this picture, comparing m500 and the latest PPC. Pretty scarry huh?

http://pcweb.mycom.co.jp/news/2002/05/14/14el.jpg

RE: Interesting Idea
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/14/2002 1:30:21 PM #
how thick is it? how heavy? and the battery life please!
RE: Interesting Idea
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/14/2002 2:05:22 PM #
I suppose this will be something worth trying after Microsoft finally admits Pocket PC is a failure and drops it.. Its losing bad in both retail and corporate sales.

www.palminfocenter.com/view_Story.asp?ID=3459

With a dead OS, I can see wanting to get some return on the hardware.

RE: Interesting Idea
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/14/2002 4:40:36 PM #
Microsoft admit Pocket PC is a failure? I haven't read their press release on it yet, that would be something if they indeed says that.

Tho' the way Palm is touting it's sale every other week than debunked by other data is pretty embarassing.

Emulator

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/13/2002 1:58:35 PM #
>>Normally this would mean no current applications are compatible with the new handhelds but PalmSource is including an emulator in the new operating system that will allow old applications to run on the new processors. It is this emulator that apps need to be compatible with.

My understanding is that this is not really 'including' an emulator - but rather Palm OS 4.0 API functions will side-by-side with later version APIs and that the lower level functions that the OS 4 API uses, will provide the emulation layer. This is different than a typical emulator in that it will integrate into the OS at a much lower level - providing much greater efficiency (and compatibility) than, say, a typical emulator program.

RE: Emulator
bcombee @ 5/13/2002 5:02:18 PM #
The emulator is an instruction set emulator for 68K instructions. They get translated at runtime into ARM code. Whenever the 68K code makes an OS call, the actual operating system functionality is performed by ARM-based code. The OS sets up shadow data structures so OS objects appear in both the simulated 68K address space and in the real devices ARM address space, and the compatibility layer in between the OS and the device handles swapping bytes to deal with big-endian 68K and little-endian ARM.

Palm's simulator they are shipping in the compatbility layer is Palm OS 5, but compiled for x86 with a Win32 device abstraction layer. You can't run ARM apps on it, but you can test the 68K compatibility layer pretty well.

Lots of details at http://www.palmsource.com/events/pdf/100.pdf

--
CodeWarrior for Palm OS technical lead
Programming help at www.palmoswerks.com

This stuff is boring

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/14/2002 2:28:20 AM #
Im tired of lame Palm news.
RE: This stuff is boring
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/14/2002 2:57:33 AM #
...then go somewhere else!

will current SD/MMC cards work?

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/14/2002 11:40:10 AM #
Anyone have any idea if current SD/MMC cards like the Rand McNally Atlas or Language Translator Card will work on OS 5?
RE: will current SD/MMC cards work?
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2002 3:25:41 AM #
Yes.
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