First small steps toward free GSM firmware

[Michael Spacefalcon]

Norayr Chilingarian <norayr at arnet.am> wrote:

> Why not add information about free fw and loader to the mentioned wiki page?
> So that people who are not in this mailing list, may know about this fw
> and a free fc-load tool.

Adding the info to the wiki would be a good idea indeed, but there
would be several difficulties with that:

* Editing the wiki requires a login account; I don't have one and
  don't feel comfortable asking for one.

* Most of the Openmoko community sees my FreeCalypso work as being
  illegal, because they have voluntarily chosen to live and/or accept
  citizenship in repressive countries which deem it to be so.  I
  suspect that the power-keepers of the Om Wiki would not want to have
  anything to do with my illegal project and its equally illegal
  fruits.

> Also, it would be good to have step by step instructions like get this
> source here,

These 3 tarballs contain everything one would need:

ftp://ftp.ifctf.org/pub/GSM/FreeCalypso/leo2moko-r1.tar.xz	-- the source
ftp://ftp.ifctf.org/pub/GSM/TI_src/wine/installed-env.tar.xz	-- build tools
ftp://ftp.ifctf.org/pub/GSM/FreeCalypso/loadtools-r1.tar.bz2	-- free flasher

> compile it like that,

The leo2moko and loadtools tarballs contain README files with
compilation instructions.

> get another source there, compile it,

See above.

> and run this command with these arguments.

The README file in the loadtools package tells you how to run
fc-loadtool as well.

I will grant though, that my current instructions are written assuming
a highly technical user, and it would indeed be beneficial to have
another, more hand-holding version for more novice users.  What we
need for that is a community volunteer who would be both able and
willing to produce one.  I.e., we need a community volunteer who can
work with someone like me on one end (understand my instructions etc),
and also be in touch with more novice users on the other end.

Anyone wants to volunteer?  All you would need to do is to go through
the process of compiling and flashing my GSM firmware into your GTA02,
become comfortable with the process, and then document it for others
who would need more novice-friendly hand-holding.

If you or anyone else would like to give it a try, you can start by
downloading the 3 tarballs listed above and then attempting to follow
the steps in the README files inside.  Tell me where you get stuck,
and I'll help you navigate that step.  If you can go through the
process once, even if it requires a lot of hand-holding from me,
chances are good that you would then be able to document the process
for others at the less technical level.

VLR,
SF

P.S. If anyone manages to get as far as the loadtool> prompt, please
give me a shout before you type any flash erase or flash program
commands - I would not want you to ruin your device by wiping out its
very hard-to-recover RF calibration data.  If you succeed in reaching
the loadtool> prompt, stop there and ask for further assistance - I
will then tell you how to save those precious RF calibration values.

There is no possibility of damage until you reach that loadtool>
prompt and type a flash erase or flash program command though, so
prior to reaching that point, there is nothing to worry about - please
play freely!