Maemo training material/Getting Started/Introduction


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= Introduction =

= Introduction to maemo Getting Started =

On the 25th of May 2005 Nokia released the first version of maemoTMsoftware development kit to the public. After the first release, multiple updates have been made to the SDK. The SDK is meant for software development with the new Internet Tablet-class devices and this is the first time that a major company is basing their commercial product so much on free software. Since the underlying software in the devices consists of mainly open source software, this makes the devices an attractive platform for which to write software. Basing the SDK and the device on open source software also means that porting existing software is fairly easy.

This material covers the basics of installing the maemo SDK version 4.x.

Pre-requisites for using this material effectively are: knowledge of C programming in Linux-environment, basic knowledge about Debian command-line tools and utilities used in software installation and development in Debian based Linux systems.

The SDK contains a broad range of software which is in use in a lot of free software projects. The material will however only cover the minimal amount required to get you up and running with maemo development.

The material starts by covering the basic environment of the target devices and then covers the range of tools to use and their best uses in software development.

Where applicable, the material will also note the recommended development and design practices, since the target devices are not "ordinary PCs". If your background is working with restricted resource device environments, you'll already know most of these rules, but there are also some additional hints sprinkled throughout the material.

More information about the maemo training material is available from the maemo training wiki pages (maemo.org/community/wiki/maemoTraining) maintained by maemo community. Notice that the information in maemo wiki is not verified by Nokia and thus Nokia cannot be responsible of that information.

We hope that you will enjoy the environment, your imagination is the only thing stopping you now!