The Open Palmtop Integrated Environment (Opie) project to develop a free graphical application environment for Linux handhelds and webpads has released a software development kit (SDK) based on the KDevelop3 open source integrated development environment (IDE). The Opie SDK provides tools for developing open, professional-class applications for Linux based mobile and embedded devices running on the Opie… platform, according to Opie hacker Oliver “Groucho” Fels.

What is Opie?

Opie is a fork of Trolltech's Qtopia, a palmtop application stack popularized by Sharp's Zaurus line and other PDAs and handhelds. Opie features a sophisticated personal information (PIM) framework as well as several other productivity apps, extended multimedia capabilities and document model, networking and communication tools, and support for more than a dozen languages.

Fels claims Opie to be “the most complete and sophisticated open and free graphical platform for Linux-based embedded devices, PDAs, and smartphones.” Opie is distributed with reference implementations (feeds) for HP iPAQs and Sharp Zaurus PDAs, as well as for SimPads and Ramses boards.

Opie 1.0 was released in August, 2003.

The SDK

The Opie SDK contains the API and “full integration” into recently launched KDevelop3 IDE, according to Fels, through templates for applications and plugins. Additionally Python bindings are available (PyQt) as well as support for easy deployment and packaging.

Opie and the Opie SDK are available now for download from the project Website.

 
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