Q: desktop software?

[Robert Michel]

Salve Bryce!

On Mon, 29 Jan 2007, Bryce Leo wrote:
> >I would like to use FreeNX to use the Neo1973 from
> >a Workstation, and to have video projctor presentation
> >live from a Neo1973.
> 
> That sounds like a fantastic idea. It should be pretty simple to get
> something like FreeNX up and running on the device.
> 
> >Then a full emulation to use the full Neo1973 power
> >(beside the touchscreen) on a workstation as well.
> 
> Other than the touchscreen what sort of power are you referring to?

Primary the touchscreen and that curser and the Neo GUI should
make visibel that a "virtual" finger has touched a button 
so that it is more intuitive to understand what happens.

Than screenrecordings with visuable virtual fingers and spoken 
comments would be nice, so that beside of live presentations,
people could get impression how the Neo and it's software is
used.

> I'm probably thinking to literally as desktops are far more powerful
> than a handheld.

Routing of Sound would be a task as well - that the sound of the
Neo will transmitted with FreeNX to the workstation which is connected
to the fix-room-installed PA (room sound system).

> >So when the Neo1973 would get lost, lay at home/in the car
> >only access to any (trustworthy) workstation would be ok
> >to use the Neo1973.
> 
> Remember for as trivial as that may be to set up for slightly more
> technical folks, imagine if a very non technical person (i'm thinking
> of my mother right now) were to have to buy a new computer and found
> herself locked out of her phone. Now it's simple to say that they
> should read the manual(s) that come with the device, however we do
> know that "no one" reads them and everyone loses them.

The documentation of OpenMoko/Neo1973 should be on the Neo itself.

> I will say that I would love love love to see that as an option!
> 
> >Then do I think that client/server solution would become
> >more important then device/desktop software one, even for
> >normal user.
> 
> I think that the client/server solution is far more powerful and
> flexible, however the simplicity of "Hotsync" the one touch backup of
> your palm device is what made it so popular in the first place. I can
> take my Treo 650 home every day, connect a cord, press one button, and
> It's connected, now that's convience. I feel that that's the sort of
> conveince and simplicty that we  should shoot for. One touch backkup
> is a fantastic convience and a big +1 when it comes to deciding on a
> phone.

This is a possible way but think about this

- installing new software
  you know apt-cache search IRC, apt-cache show epic3, apt-get install epic3
  so when there is a graphical solution that the very non technical
  person could choose directly on the device what he whants to
  installl...
  
- back up
  because the Neo1973 has a USB host and device mode, it would be
  possible that the usr can define a virtual USB memory device.
  a Backup software on the Neo could behave like this:

  Backup 
  Welcome to your OpenMoko Backup tool.
  Your Backup will create 54 MB big file,
  which you could copy from the Neo1973 
  to your PC when you connect them with your
  No1973 via
  [USB] [Bluetooth] [GPRS]
  please select.

The file will be generated and you can copy from any other maschine.
The Neo1973 will reconginice that you have copied the backup-file
complete.

The same for storing the backup back... start the Restore tool and
copy back your backupfile.

Ah you mean there are users can't work with a shell or a filemanager?
A small application for copy 
c:\OpenMoko\Backup-RoberMichel-070129-15.bz2 
back to the USB memory device with the name "OpenMoko-RobertMichel"?
A small Program that creates a Internet Routing for the Neo, when it
is connected to the PC?

I would like to see solutions as much as possible independent of the
Workstation systems and installation from the Neo1973 (maybe with 
autorun from USB-Stick) then from a CD-ROM.
And to do this on a secure way, that you can backup/sycronice
in an internet cafe with your server, your NSLU2 at home without
any risks and any problems due the restiction of normal Internet Cafes.

I think from smart client/server solutions will profit even non
technical persons.

Greetings
rob