Backwards compatibility? Don't count on it

[From Jared Keith Spurbeck ] PalmOS has been going for more than 10 years now. And it's accumulated more than its share of legacy cruft, to the point where pretty much the whole thing is old and worn out.

Now Palm has introduced the Pre, their new "WebOS" device. Based on Java, CSS and HTML, WebOS apps will be easy for web developers to write. But what about PalmOS apps? I think it's safe to say that there aren't going to be too many more of those, because PalmOS has just died. Even if they could make the Pre backwards-compatible, they wouldn't, because it'd destroy their seamless user interface.

So what about their existing market? What of it? How much market share does PalmOS have? Even Palm has already started making Windows Mobile devices. And while apps like iSilo are still essential to certain professions, it's just seen its first iPhone release. Even Astraware is developing for other platforms. The few of us who still use and adore PalmOS are a rounding error compared to the potential market for the new Palm Pre.

I just got a new Centro for Christmas, and it came with a two-year contract. So I'm staying with my beloved PalmOS for a while longer. But the rest of us may want to start making plans for our migration ... if we haven't been already!