m is a programming language consistently designed for developing applications on mobile phones. The IDE mShell even supports the entire development cycle on the phone: from interactively exploring the APIs to coding, testing and debugging, and eventually to creating the distributable installation package.
m offers a rich library of functions. These provide access to most communication channels (Voice calls, SMS, MMS, E-mail, Internet, Bluetooth, Infrared, USB, WLAN), Data (Contacts, Calendar, Messaging), Sensors (Camera, Microphone, Acceleration, GPS, Touchscreen) and Output Devices (Audio, Video, Vibra, Light). Writing an m script using this wealth of powerful features requires little effort.
m implementations and mShell currently exist for Symbian platforms: S60 2nd and 3rd edition, UIQ and UIQ3. m scripts and compiled programs are platform independent and can immediately be used on a large number of phones.
Actively Developed and Maintained
mShell development started in 2004 at infowing. Since 2008, airbit develops and maintains the mShell project. But the people behind mShell are still the same. airbit was founded by former infowing software engineers with the goal to provide continuity for mShell and mVNC.
A Gate to the World of Software Development
As of October 2008, we estimate that close to 4'000 programmers are working frequently with mShell. The number of installations and registrations is of course much higher. Despite the registration via SMS being optional we get around 200 registrations daily. Meanwhile we got mShell registrations from almost any country - a fact that clearly pleases and motivates us. The most active users seem to be in Russia, Ukraine, India and more recently in China.
m users frequently report to have written their very first computer program with mShell. It has always been our intention to simplify mobile phone programming by providing mShell. But we never assumed m to have an influence on the career of technically talented people - especially in emerging countries. The well structured documentation with many ready to use examples clearly plays an important role here.
