Why not a new distro?

[rogue_ronin]

Hey all!

I've seen a few different attempts out there, particularly the debian armel thread below. What are the main issues with a different flavor of linux on the 770?

Is it a driver issue? The armel processor? I have an Asus EEE and distros are coming out of the woodworks daily. They've managed to overcome the wireless drivers, etc.

I'd really love to use something other than the brain-dead keyboard, and the silly browser, etc. but that's a little off-topic.

What are the obstacles?

Thank you, o oracles (and power users... and programming gurus...)

m a r

ps: I liked the WindowMaker/OpenBox/Rox stuff that was done by penguinbait, but it didn't seem 'clean' enough, if you understand me.

[Hedgecore]

In all honesty, the biggest issues are probably people power and the user base. ARMedSlack is out there, and Linux is testament to devices being picked apart until their inner workings are discovered... but the tablet market is still relatively small and it'd be a huge undertaking.

[barry99705]

There's not enough "openness" in the nokia firmware for third party os developers. Some of the bootloader stuff is binary only with no source available. At least that's what I infer from the oesf forums.

[Karel Jansens]

I think the main problem is that TI is full of bungholes who seem to believe that they can somehow make more money by not opening the specs of their chippies.

Seriously, someone needs to crack the hard drive of one of their clients and throw the whole mess on the Intertubes. That'll teach'em.

Mmmhh... what's the IP of Nokia's disc again?

[Rebski]

It makes me appreciate just how spoiled I have been as a Zaurus owner. How many os’s do we have? I lost count.

But isn’t that what being ‘Linux open source’ is about?

[free]

Here's one
http://labs.vivi.eng.br/blog/?p=36

[Rebski]

Has anyone seen Mamona running? YouTube maybe?

I love the Spanish connotation in the name.

[Hedgecore]

In this case, I think Nokia just went with Linux because it would be easier to exploit a community of developers willing to do stuff for free. It's like a symbiotic parasitic relationship. We suck at their hardware teat, while funelling free apps back that makes their stuff more usable and attractive to buyers.

[bartsimpson123844]

In this case, I think Nokia just went with Linux because it would be easier to exploit a community of developers willing to do stuff for free. It's like a symbiotic parasitic relationship. We suck at their hardware teat, while funelling free apps back that makes their stuff more usable and attractive to buyers.

Couldn't have said it better myself. :D

Making us do all the work (well, you guys, not me) :rolleyes:

[kotzkind]

Nearly every extreme user would use Debian on n8x0, if it would be available. They wouldn't create new apps, and that would be the death for the it

[bartsimpson123844]

Here's a vid of Mamona I found: http://youtube.com/watch?v=KAi531YZ9L0

[Karel Jansens]

Here's a vid of Mamona I found: http://youtube.com/watch?v=KAi531YZ9L0

Mamona might turn out to be nice, but without a useful (and no, ssh-ing into the tablet is not what I consider "useful") input method, its value is at the moment at best a curiosity.

[barry99705]

I threw the google phone distro on my Z the other day. It's a pretty good looking gui. Not quite usable on the zaurus yet, but neat to see running.

[drydiggins]

Couldn't have said it better myself. :D

Making us do all the work (well, you guys, not me) :rolleyes:


The recent thread about an N800 being sold as an interface for a room controller makes think that this symbiotic relationship could create opportunities for handheld controllers in any number of vertical markets.

[Hedgecore]

drydiggins: And a useful dictionary for executive-speak! ;) (Nice that the device is occupying several silos and leveraging it's openness to synergize with other plaforms.) :D