Slashdot post but no web store?

[Jisakiel]

It breaks my heart to hear such news on the current state. As a matter of fact I'd be one of those developers trying to build software on it (just been researching lately while trying to choose a platform), but it certainly sounds as quite broken and not nearly finished enough to base some software on it *right now*. I underscore that: it's not that it couldn't become something huge, is just that it's not ready yet. 

- I understand the only problem precluding it as a DAP player is the speaker not muting? Or *with headphones* it is mono? I understood GTA02 to have a single speaker but to be stereo capable with headphones... I'd be devastated if wrong, or if other severe quality issues existed (such as perhaps a noisy codec, or an insufficient sampling frequency, or who knows); the problem reported on the ticket sounds at least as "doable", without knowing
 anything else. 

- Not having 3G is something unimportant for me, and I'd guess I'm not the only one. To call over 3G network just chews more rapidly the battery, and data charges are outrageous, while having a wifi solves the internet access part for me quite well - specially hoping aircrack to be ported to the moko as they are quite a match ;). 

A different problem would be if the GSM is unreliable, or the mobile phone burns through the battery because it doesn't suspend well ;) . For me (a personal opinion again) 2 days on standby with a year old battery is acceptable, although clearly not optimal (as I've been using symbian mobiles for a long time ;)); however 5 hours is clearly *not*. I think common sense rules here; nobody expects the spanish...^W^W a week of battery on a smartphone, but it has to stand a day outside with some talking. 

Although I understand those to be "solvable" problems -at least in principle; I was never able to reliable suspend my old laptop-, trouble is that while they are not done the platform is not solid enough to base serious development on it. Specially on a phone, where
 usability counts so much more, if you cannot use it you cannot test properly anything running on it, or at least it's quite tougher to *sell* your program on that platform. *Sell*, as in *to your examination tribunal*, which is which worries me right now (and sorry for the egocentrism).  Just as with my laptop, which I wasn't able to use linux on it for much more than toying with it until those issues got solved (actually until I changed my laptop; only when it suspends *every time* you close the lid you can start selling the virtues of free software to the common man). 

I understand -and believe- stabilizing the API and solving those problems must be  #1 priority right now, and giving some sleepless nights to more than one ;). API must be a huge nightmare, being that the nice thing on standards is that there are so many to choose from (old gtk apps, qtopia with it's associated software layers, and the new framework being developed which I don't know when will it be
 ready). 



Yes, I know: if I want it to work, I'll better get my hands dirty. And I ceirtanly will, as soon as I get my hands on one of them (any known retailer in Spain?). I just fear that a commercial developer - or a CS student doing its final university project with a couple of extra souls ;)- cannot trust yet on the platform to make a heavy investment (on time, on money, whatever) expecting returns, as it seems not solid enough. Of course, no pain no gain... 

As well, as another poster said: GTA02 was supposed to be the consumer grade version on its mass sale date (ID4 :P), with GTA01 being the hardware beta. I guess that didn't go as planned (or perhaps I am terribly uninformed - but july seems so close... :P). 


--- El jue, 26/6/08, Kevin Dean <kevin at foreverdean.info> escribió:
De: Kevin Dean <kevin at foreverdean.info>
Asunto: Re: Slashdot post but no web store?
Para: andyfrommk at gmail.com
CC: "List for Openmoko community discussion" <community at lists.openmoko.org>
Fecha: jueves, 26 junio, 2008 12:44

In all fairness, I don't think he's a troll, it just appears that the
device doesn't meet his needs. Let me put something out there that is
VERY VERY clearly stated. The Freerunner is not ready for a consumer
grade device today. The hardware that will be available soon is
intended for DEVELOPERS to build their applications on the Openmoko
platform so that when the device is launched to end-users, there will
be a wide selection of usable
 applications. If you buy a freerunner
before the mass market launch, do not feel upset that a feature isn't
there because this stage is intended for people writing those
features.

That said, advanced Linux users, or people who just like poking around
at cool things can have a ton of fun with these devices at this early
stage too. :)

Point by point:

**
old TI GSM modem, recamping once a minute(!) to the mobile station,
eating battery like crazy and very unreliable. A TI engineer asked me
if they (openmoko) got the chips for free, as they are so ancient - no
EDGE, GPRS w/ 2KB/s. Openmoko is likely the last buyer.
**

This may actually be truish. From what I understand, 3G GSM modules
are essentially 100% "closed", non-free or restrictive. Take your
pick. Openmoko's goals are openness and the current landscape doesn't
allow that to be met with 3G. This is why there's a
 potentially
"ancient" system. The Model T got people around. :) This ancient GSM
module makes calls and sends SMS messages just fine.

The battery thing is being dealt with, it's a matter of the software.

***
audio quailty on the headphone is lousy due to a hardware bug - as mp3
player useless
***

A bug I reported (http://docs.openmoko.org/trac/ticket/1377) means it
fails at being a personal audio player for now. The headset that came
in the box with the 1973 and the Freerunner aren't particularly good,
but that's ENTIRELY a subjective thing. I connect my 1973 to my car's
AUX input and it sounds just fine. The issue he has is with the
headset, not the jack. Either way, his assessment is true - headset
quality and audio issues make using the Freerunner as a DAP impossible
today.

***
headphone only mono. i.e. only one side works
***

This is wrong, mmontour corrected it it on
 Slashdot.

***
headphone unusable for making phone calls due to EM-interferences
***

Not sure if it's EM interference, but all the software I've used
simply couldn't route the GSM stuff to the headset. I'm assuming
it's
a software issue but this is true in my experience, the included
headset can't be used to make calls.

***
no bluetooth headset support
***

Again, a software issue. There is a bluetooth profit to play audio
through headsets, I'm assuming that can work on Openmoko hardware but
hasn't been adapted to do that yet.

***
no bluetooth keyboard support (dropped since last version)
***

Software issue. ScaredyCat's images do it quite easily. But the ASU
(latest version) and the FSO do not.

***
graphics sluggish and even slower than Neo 1973 despite 2D accel chip
***

Fact.

***
GPS has >10 minutes TTFF - yes, in 2008 where every cheapo GPS
 gets a
fix in 45secs
***

I've not gotten a fix EVER on the GPS - it's a software issue, I
assume because I've gotten the GPS hardware to respond while poking at
it.

***
developer community alienated by Lauer & Co. GNOME knew why they
kicked Rasterman out.
***

Actually, this one might be trolling. I don't know about social
politics, and frankly don't care. True or not, it's not relevant to
the hardware sucking or being amazing.

***
so called ASU software is pre-alpha and reinventing the wheel once again
***

Fact.



On Wed, Jun 25, 2008 at 6:17 PM, Andy Selby <andyfrommk at googlemail.com>
wrote:
>> That said, Openmoko is getting a lot of attention right now because of
>> that article, so it's probably a very good thing to have some form
of
>> anticipation building message or teaser product there to keep the hype
>>
 going...
>
> Not all of it good, If anyone has mod points on slashdot can they mod
> this guy down? http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=595147&cid=23939209
> He's obviously registered that account just now to troll on the
project.
>

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