More HW from OpenMoko

Wed Jul 2 19:27:55 CEST 2008

Thanks for the links.

I agree the main challenge is the UI.
 I think there is another challenge in defining the limits of the target
implementation and the (not-too-wrong) selection of the appropriate
scientific software to reuse.

There is plenty of existing implementations to get inspiration from for
the UI (all the real scientific calculators everyone used during his own
studies); but none of these had the computing power and available
mathematical software that modern Unix systems can have readily
available. Is it possible (realistic) to have an UI flexible enough to
take advantage of all these opportunities?

<joke> Ah, if only the Freerunner was a closed computing device with
only one supplier of computational software... </joke>

Well, maybe we could ask to some real mathematician: do you think a
student should have raw access to Matlab+Mathematica+Octave
+any-other-thing-you-can-thinkof or should be given a more uniform shell
for scientific computations (with its inherent limitations)?

Professors would probably say: different software (for different
students and different grades). But well, I would certainly try to avoid
implementing several UIs...

<endless-dilemma> Sadly, I am both an engineer and a teacher. Argh...
</endless-dilemna>

Rodolphe

Le mercredi 02 juillet 2008 à 12:41 +0200, Jose Manrique Lopez de la
Fuente a écrit :
> That's the reason I was posting about XCAS[1], a Computer Algebra
> System that runs in ARM devices, and the main developer know about
> programming for restricted resources devices (calculators).
> 
> The main challenge is the User Interface (hardware and software):
> - Hardware: keypad?
> - Software: It must be easy and fast for first time users
> 
> There are many other options[2],
> 
> [1] http://www-fourier.ujf-grenoble.fr/~parisse/giac.html
> [2] http://code.google.com/p/sympy/
> 
> 2008/7/1, steve <steve at openmoko.com>:
> > Mathematica would be cool
> >
> >
> >  -----Original Message-----
> >  From: community-bounces at lists.openmoko.org
> >
> > [mailto:community-bounces at lists.openmoko.org] On Behalf Of Rodolphe Ortalo
> >  Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2008 10:16 AM
> >  To: community at lists.openmoko.org
> >  Subject: RE: More HW from OpenMoko
> >
> >  Given the freerunner hw, you can certainly do much better than that!
> >  I would expect something like "mathematica in your pocket"... ;-) (In fact,
> >  you sort of have already the rpn calculator via "dc".)
> >
> >  Hey, that's what I wanted as a second project after doing the current
> >  "simple" calculator. But I was short of time for trying to do it (plus the
> >  fact that it is not easy do decide between doing something entirely new and
> >  porting an existing software).
> >
> >  Rodolphe
> >
> >
> >  Le samedi 28 juin 2008 à 11:36 -0700, steve a écrit :
> >  > RPN please.
> >  >
> >  > Actually it would be cool to do retro versions of the old HP
> >  > prgrammable calcs ( 12 etc etc) Hehe, like donkey kong on the PC.
> >  >
> >  >
> >  >
> >  > -----Original Message-----
> >  > From: community-bounces at lists.openmoko.org
> >  > [mailto:community-bounces at lists.openmoko.org] On Behalf Of Jose
> >  > Manrique Lopez de la Fuente
> >  > Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2008 8:39 AM
> >  > To: List for Openmoko community discussion
> >  > Subject: Re: More HW from OpenMoko
> >  >
> >  > Why not a powerful handeld graphic calculator?
> >  >
> >  > 2008/6/28, Al Johnson <openmoko at mazikeen.demon.co.uk>:
> >  > > On Saturday 28 June 2008, Robert Schuster wrote:
> >  > >> Hi,
> >  > >> Mickey writes: "Openmoko is selling hardware products."
> >  > >>
> >  > >> Heck, why must OpenMoko only sell mobile phones?
> >  > >
> >  > > That's all they've sold direct so far, but it was said a long time
> >  > > ago that non-phone products may be in the pipeline
> >  > >
> >  > >> I like Linux-based devices that are free as in freedom. So I would
> >  > >> likely also buy a device from OpenMoko if it is a wireless router,
> >  > >> a SOHO NAS (think NSLU2), a PDA or perhaps a gaming handheld.
> >  > >
> >  > > I would prefer Openmoko to fill holes where there aren't already
> >  > > free devices available. Most of the areas you mention already have
> >  > > hardware available that's as open as the Neo1973 and Freerunner:
> >  > >
> >  > > Routers - wireless or not:
> >  > > PC Engines ALIX series - http://www.pcengines.ch/ MicroTik
> >  > > RouterBOARDs - http://www.routerboard.com/comparison.html
> >  > >
> >  > > SOHO NAS:
> >  > > http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS5637467946.html
> >  > >
> >  > > Gaming handheld:
> >  > > Pandora
> >  > >
> >  > > Then there's the Neuros OSD which really needs a successor with a
> >  > > better output than composite video, but is otherwise rather nice.
> >  > >
> >  > > The PDA is one area there's a gap I would like filling. I want a
> >  > > modern incarnation of the Psion 5. I'll just have to see how the
> >  > > Freerunner plus a bluetooth keyboard do as a replacement. It might
> >  > > just be
> >  > close enough...
> >  > >
> >  > > I would also like a less power-hungry version of the Chumby,
> >  > > available outside the US.
> >  > >
> >  > > _______________________________________________
> >  > > Openmoko community mailing list
> >  > > community at lists.openmoko.org
> >  > > http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community
> >  > >
> >  >
> >  >
> >  > --
> >  > J. Manrique López de la Fuente
> >  > http://www.jsmanrique.es
> >  >
> >  > _______________________________________________
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> >  > community at lists.openmoko.org
> >  > http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community
> >  >
> >  >
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> >  >
> >
> >
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