Tangent 1 in a Series of a Gazillion!

So I've been hammering away at my keyboard trying to figure out Java and am making progress. I'm one of those annoying methodical types that stops after each page and dreams up all kinds of ways of implementing the knowledge gained thus far. Sure it makes for slow progress but I'm happy that I feel like I'm properly digesting the stuff I'm learning.

Meanwhile I've tried out one of the hello world apps on the Android Dev page with no major hiccups. 

Reason for this post is just to harp on about how great I feel to have finally interacted with my phone meaningfully (my girlfriend complains, but baby steps). The ability to install a non-market .apk is probably my number one favourite thing for developing. No need for special developer hardware, just stick it on and see what happens.

Unfortunately it seems that AT&T across the pond is limiting this great feature for cod knows what reasons. 

That SUCKS!

I stand by my opinion that any modern smartphone is not measured by its hardware nor even its software but by its performance as a platform for developers. Nokia and Blackberry outsell the competition but are virtually invisible from a media perspective because they rely on internal innovation whereas the iPhone and Android can tap their developer user base for innovative feature enhancements via the apps that are available on the platform.

The modern smartphone is not a standalone device, but a skeleton which is customised and built upon by the end user with the help of developers. 

By kneecapping this feature in Android a barrier to entry for budding developers (like me) is erected. Let me repeat for emphasis...

That SUCKS!

In the end we'll just have to see how the market lets this one play out, there's not much developers, or even Google, can do about it. The relatively open source nature of the system and its concomitant customisability are both its greatest pair of features and its greatest weaknesses. 

Tangent complete.