>I don't even want to get into the "i-mode is proprietary" argument
>because I find it pedantic. HTML and Java are about as open as it's
>going to get. A hell of a lot more accessible to the general population
>of contents developers than WML.
>r e n
But what if DoCoMo manages to copyright the libraries that are in
the mobile phone in such a way that they eventually are not able to be used
by
non-DoCoMo customers?
I absolutely agree that HTML and Java are in itself an open standard.
However, the proprietary HTML-tags and the proprietary classfiles created
by vendors and others are definately not.
You can argue than that a programmer should then not use these
tags/classfiles.
But if 80% of the sites are using them and these sites can only be accessed
by DoCoMo customers, it will be a huge problem for other the other
network operators.
Compare this for instance with the lock-in that IBM has with Websphere
and BEA with Weblogic. Both are J2EE compatible, so JavaBeans and
Enterprise JavaBeans should be transportable. However, real functionality
is brought to you by vendor specific classfiles. If one does not realize
this when programming application, the application itself will not run
on the other platform.
This is my major concern with the recent announcement of DoCoMo, KPN & TIM.
I don't believe that I-Mode technology as it is now will become succesful in
Europe.
There are hardly any GSM handsets supporting it, other network operators
will be
reluctant to install I-Mode Gateways, there is no content since nobody
will create I-Mode sites when there already is a large WAP customer base,
I-Mode technology has no added value compared to WAP (just for the record,
I am convinced that at least some of the I-Mode business models have to be
used!!!).
But what if they manage to get the handset manufacturers lined up, create
network operator specific Java classfiles, and then try to lock-in the whole
content industry into 'their standard' for classfiles? This in itself has
little to do with I-Mode technology, or WAP, but is something to be watched
by those who oppose closed standards.
By the way, please don't reply "the handset manufacturers are free to
do what they want" since in Japan this is definately not the case!
Best regards,
Paul
Please note that this mail does not reflect in anyway the opinion of my
employer.
[ Did you check the archives? http://www.appelsiini.net/keitai-l/ ]
Received on Tue Jan 30 18:43:30 2001