distribute demo outside ovi?

[developer 123]

If I publish to ovi store for example Trial and Full versions of my application, is it possible (and is this legal?) to get my Trial SISX file out from my publisher account and distribute it outside from ovi store (for example on softpedia.com) in order to draw more attention to the Full version?

[symbianyucca]

if the trial is signed by Ovi, then do read the additional terms etc. that you have signed, AFAIK they should express this thing.

If you have signed the applciation by yourself, then you of course can also distribute it throug any other channels.

[RomanAge]

In the case of Nokia free signing: it is true that publishing the Trial version somewhere else would draw attention and potential sales to the Full version which is in OVI (and only in OVI), so OVI may benefit from it. But I think it is clear in the T&C that this cannot be done.
Put it this way, it would at the same time draw more downloads to another store (albeit free content), using a Symbian signed file which was paid for you by Nokia.

So for me, on paper, it goes against the T&C for Nokia free signing, but you may still ask support though.

[developer 123]

Ok, I see the point.
Another question: Is it legal to have, lets say Trial2, downloadable from softpedia - which is "exact copy" of my Trial1 "owned" by Ovi Store, the only difference will be in my own UID and my on selfsigned cert for Trial2?

[RomanAge]

I once asked almost the same question to Nokia support, but didn't get any reply. The only difference is: I wanted to use Nokia free signing since I was only targetting OVI, but I also wanted to make sure that if I was to change my mind and decide to publish somewhere else, I would be able to do so by going for Symbian Express Signed (with my own UID), while the version on OVI would still be the one signed by Nokia with the UID they provided. Finally, I did not do it as my request was ignored.

When you say "my on selfsigned cert ", do you mean self-signed or Express signed? If it is self-signed, it is very easy to do so (and free), provided that the store Softpedia you mention accept "unsigned" applications (or self-signed should I say), you then need an unprotected range UID otherwise it will not work.
If you mean Express Signed, you get a protected range UID from Symbian Signed, then it is a bit more complicated and rather costly.

[petrib]

You can publish your own code via Ovi Store so that Nokia has it signed, and then distribute those packages only through Ovi Store.

However, there's nothing that prevents you from also signing your own code yourself via Symbian Signed (and different UIDs), and distributing those packages any way you wish.

[juhauta]

So if I want a simple signing cert from symbian signin (no advanced options) what model is it? Express signed?

And when I send that content .sis to ovi store, what do I select in the Symbian Signed Type drop box ?

[RomanAge]

You would use Express Signed and submit to OVI store selecting "Express Signed" as the type of signing.

But you have to consider that signing your file via Symbian, even as Express Signed which is the simplest option, costs some money: 200 euros for a Symbian publisher ID, plus 10 euros per signing. And you need to be a company (more to the point, it means being VAT registered).

So again, the free option would be to use Nokia free signing for OVI, and still distribute your content somewhere else, but since you are not allowed to use the signed file from OVI, use a self-signed version and distribute to channels that don't require applications to be signed.
Hope it's clear.

[tamhanna]

So again, the free option would be to use Nokia free signing for OVI, and still distribute your content somewhere else, but since you are not allowed to use the signed file from OVI, use a self-signed version and distribute to channels that don't require applications to be signed.
Hope it's clear.

You would be permitted if you get written permission from Nokia (read the t&c).

The issue is: I am not sure how to get the permission. YOu can of course ask at Ovi QA a few times and hope you catch an officer who is asleep on his desk and who replies yes

[mdwh]

A related question I had - whilst I understand you can't distribute the Nokia-signed file elsewhere, is it possible to use the same UID for both the Ovi version and versions distributed elsewhere? (And by possible, I mean both in the Terms&Conditions sense, and a technically possible sense.)

Requiring different UIDs has the risk of having to remember to repeatedly update/change the project file every time you release - it would be easy to slip up. Also it seems a problem for users, if there are two versions of the same application out there, which use different UIDs (and hence, their phone will treat them as separate applications)?

[symbianyucca]

the UID requirement comes from Symbian signed rules, which means that you can not use ovi signing with your own UID, nor can you use your own publicer ID when using Nokia UID

[mdwh]

the UID requirement comes from Symbian signed rules, which means that you can not use ovi signing with your own UID, nor can you use your own publicer ID when using Nokia UID

Thanks - is that a "may not" (against the Terms and Conditions, or that contract we have to sign), or a "can not" (not technically possible)?

I know that Ovi QA are meant to reject it if it has the wrong UID, so that's taken care of. The bigger issue is having to maintain two separate UIDs in the project file, and making sure that the wrong one doesn't slip out if distributing elsewhere. (Note, I speak just as an individual freeware/open source developer.)

Is there an easy way to obtain the UID of a sis file?

Also, are there any end user issues with having two UIDs for the same app? (I suppose it just means that upgrading won't work, they have to uninstall the old one if they don't want both versions installed?)

[tamhanna]

Hi,
it is a may not - the files signed by Nokia are fully Symbian Signed and could be distributed fully.

Re finding out the UID - I think that this service could be useful:
http://tamss60.tamoggemon.com/2009/0...-sis-analyzer/

[mdwh]

Thanks for the link. Oh, I know that you can't distribute the Ovi-signed files elsewhere. I'm wondering about the question of using the Nokia-supplied UID in the project file, which then gets used in a distribution elsewhere (either you leave it unsigned, or you sign it by paying for Symbian Signed yourself).

This is also a question of what to do for open source software - normally one should distribute exactly the same source, including project file, as the binary. But this would have the Nokia-supplied UID. And whilst distributing the open source with a different UIDs is possible if it's your own software, I do wonder if this would be legal if say you'd ported someone else's GPL application (since AIUI the released source must be exactly that used to generate the binary).

[tamhanna]

Thanks for the link. Oh, I know that you can't distribute the Ovi-signed files elsewhere. I'm wondering about the question of using the Nokia-supplied UID in the project file, which then gets used in a distribution elsewhere (either you leave it unsigned, or you sign it by paying for Symbian Signed yourself).

This is also a question of what to do for open source software - normally one should distribute exactly the same source, including project file, as the binary. But this would have the Nokia-supplied UID. And whilst distributing the open source with a different UIDs is possible if it's your own software, I do wonder if this would be legal if say you'd ported someone else's GPL application (since AIUI the released source must be exactly that used to generate the binary).

Ad a) Not any more. Symbian Signed recently mandated that you have to own the UID3 of every app you want to sign.
Ad b) I see no issue giving out the original .pro file with the UID.