FreeRunner delayed a further 6 months?!?!??

[Mark]

Michael Shiloh michael at openmoko.org
wrote on Mon Mar 17 17:34:14 CET 2008:
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Very well put, Michele, and others who have said similar things.

I was describing this project to a friend, and for awhile he thought
this was just another cellphone or PDA. Then suddenly his eyes lit up
and he said "Aha! I see. It's much more than a phone or a PDA".

It's people who have that insight that are best suited to the developer
release. Not because they possess special intelligence, but because
seeing the potential gives them the patience to put up with difficulties
like the tricky build process, daily changes in software, and our the
delays in manufacturing.

Of course we're happy to sell the unit to anyone, but if all you want is
a replacement for your PDA or cellphone, and if you want it in a hurry,
you should just go out and buy an existing device.

This distinction is not meant to disparage anyone. Those of you who want
more than a cellphone or PDA are in no way better than those who want an
open cellphone or PDA that just works. It's just that the goal will help
you put up with the hardships. Remember, once we start manufacturing and
shipping Freerunner, the challenges aren't over - in fact, for you, they
just begin!

Perhaps another distinction is this: If you look forward to the
challenges of making the Freerunner much more than a cellphone or PDA,
then please join us. If you have little interest in putting up with the
frustrations that will surely follow, you will do best to wait for the
consumer software to be ready.

Michael
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...in other words, it *is* intended strictly as a developer's plaything,
and you have no interest whatsoever in selling to consumers. Because
with these attitudes, even if you do eventually come out with a
consumer version, they won't be interested. This has been my point all
along: what is your goal? If you ever want to sell this thing to
consumers, you're going to have to aim in their direction, not strictly
at developers. If you think you can suddenly start wooing consumers
after all the development is done, you have a rude awakening ahead...