BlackBerry Themes & Animated Graphics

[luckysol]

Understood. No hard feelings. And to answer your question about export control, you're right. You set the compatible devices when submitting the theme for review, along with the minimum OS. The themes I've released have only been for OS6 devices, but this conversation made me remember an email thread I exchanged with RIM vendor support a month ago when I first started developing. I'd just gotten my first incompatibility refund request and I was asking support how the user was able to download the theme when I didn't release it for their device. The answer I got was that some users had managed to download OS7.1 and that there are no filters in App World to prevent those devices from downloading incompatible apps/themes b/c 7.1 is not officially released and is still in beta, which is why I mentioned that earlier. And looking back at the responses I've gotten, they've all been from 7.1 users. So, maybe this explains why those users are falling through the cracks. But, again, I appreciate you clarifying that 7.1 devices are not OS6 compatible, I will definitely notify those users and tell them they don't have the option to downgrade to OS6.

[micjenks]

As a full time theme developer and one of the first posters on this thread, I find this whole conversation tragic.  After the 2011 Developers conference this complete lack of support and sub-par(we'll go with this instead of swearing which is the only way to properly convey how bad the tools really are) from RIM just shows that all their talk of building relationships has nothing to do with this passionate group of theme designers.  Face it, RIM doesn't care about us.

On top of the blatant disregard for us as developers, Alec Saunders the man that replaced Mike Kirkup(someone I have a lot of respect for) as VP of Developer Relations, seems to be ok with lying to developers.  I know this from personal interaction with the man and other RIM personnel.

For these reasons as well as a few others, I have moved on to develop themes for Android full time.  I respect a lot of people in this group and truly hope that RIM comes through for you and proves my personal feelings and misgivings wrong.  I should also mention that both the 2009 and 2010 Developers conferences had workshops for Theme Design...... 2011 didn't even have the word theme in the entire content guide.  If that's not writing on the wall.......

[EnoughIsEnough]

Bottom line is that there is no excuse for RIM's inability to get TB7 out.  I don't  buy the whole waiting for QNX thing, which is a mgnitude more difficult to do.

This is why RIM is failing.  The people in Waterloo are headed down the loo.  Too bad.  i hate iPhones and the BB is just flat out boring.  Themes are the primary interface between the user and os7.  This should be obvious to RIM.

[Juggalo20]

Their response was "liquid graphics broke theme builder" not "waiting for QNX". Basically it's "we refuse to hire/contract a windows developer to fix our .exes"

[micjenks]

"liquid graphics broke theme builder"

Alec Saunders tweeted this BS the same day he told me in the press room that he was sorry there was no news regarding theme studio on the last day of DevCon.  I later found out that they hadn't even started development on it and were "considering" outsourcing the work.  GOOD LOOKIN' OUT RIM!!!! 

[Sashko]

luckysol,
Not sure when you contacted RIM regarding this issue having received the response in question, but at least as 10 days ago, carriers have been releasing official versions of 7.1. You can find the first article I was able to find on the topic here: http://crackberry.com/official-os-710219-blackberry-curve-9360-bell

Alex

[luckysol]

Hey, Alex. I was in contact with vendor support regarding 7.1 a little over a month ago when I first started developing for App World.

[Sashko]

luckysol,

 I see, that would explain it then, as at that point only the leaks were available. However now that it's been officially released, I am hoping that that means that your issue should be taken care of :-)

Alex 

[Juggalo20]

His issue had nothing to do with OS7.1 being official or not. It was just he was unaware that OS7 devices (99xx/9810/9850/9860/etc) had no OS6 compatibility.

[Sashko]

I understand that, however RIM's explanation as to why people were contacting him with devices that weren't listed as compatable with his theme (ie the OS 7 ones) is no longer valid as of 10 days ago or so ;-)