Re: My prediction: Nokia Internet Tablet will falter in 2009 and beyond
 

GA, he did add the disclaimer "AFAIK". That indicates lack of malice.

Re: My prediction: Nokia Internet Tablet will falter in 2009 and beyond
 

Hilldon is open, and Mer will provide an open image as well as one with value-added closed components. (http://wiki.maemo.org/Mer_Blueprint) Most of these are, I think, platform-dependent, so they would be replaced in a port anyhow.

The iPhone, or rather the iPod Touch, would actually be quite a logical target -- it's quite popular, has a Linux port underway, and is generally suited from processor and external perspectives, with a touchscreen and enough buttons to make a powerlaunch UI work out. The missing D-pad is the only real handicap.

Re: My prediction: Nokia Internet Tablet will falter in 2009 and beyond
 

The general tone of troll threads tends to lead me to believe the worst.

Re: My prediction: Nokia Internet Tablet will falter in 2009 and beyond
 

SD69 is no troll. He shouldn't be lumped in with the OP.

Re: My prediction: Nokia Internet Tablet will falter in 2009 and beyond
 

It would still be interesting to see someone thoroughly evaluating the 1) developer, 2) manufacturer, 3) media and 4) user/public mindshare and perception differences - and respective strategies - between Maemo and Android.

All the four elements above are important to successful platform-building.

I'm not expecting the existing Nokia hardware or the community around it to vanish in thin air, but for a (relatively) long-time pioneer Nokia/Maemo platform does *appear* to be losing ground/momentum/mindshare here and it would probably help everyone involved to understand why that is.

In 2009 there will be a major watershed between the current and the new "N900" hardware and if Nokia (and it does appear to be just Nokia behind the Maemo project at the moment) doesn't do absolutely everything to get heavily discounted or even free hardware in the hands of developers then I could easily foresee the Maemo platform and Nokia's tablets treading water in comparison to competive software and hardware platforms.

Torch the messenger if you will, but I'm really just trying to be helpful by raising these issues (or alternative unpopular opinions?).


As the "Community Council chair" you'd do well to avoid shooting from the hip and instead concentrating on positive community-building. IMHO.

Re: My prediction: Nokia Internet Tablet will falter in 2009 and beyond
 

While there are often specific niches within larger markets, devices providing similar functionality do compete on many levels; for 1) developer, 2) manufacturer, 3) media and 4) user/public mindshare and money/effort spending power.

The strengths and weaknesses analysis should go much deeper than simply looking at (potential) hardware capabilities.

(Although your concentration on unlocking the capabilities of N8x0 hardware are very much appreciated!)


All these issues should be looked at in comparison with Android or whatever is de facto competing with Nokia/Maemo for available resources.

If Nokia's Maemo infrastructure can't keep up with Android then maybe efforts would be better/wiser spent on jumping on the Android train and using available resources on Maemo'izing and Hildonizing that for optimal experience on Nokia's hardware?

I'm not saying it should happen but just urging people to consider possible ways of achieving maximum momentum (and synergy; a dreaded term but..). And application availability. And long-term usefulness of EOL'd hardware...

Re: My prediction: Nokia Internet Tablet will falter in 2009 and beyond
 

I didn't denigrate anyone. In fact, I ASKED for clarification of the licensing status of Mer.

Re: My prediction: Nokia Internet Tablet will falter in 2009 and beyond
 

Pretty simple really:

* Upstream is Ubuntu/ARM (so we inherit any licensing status from that)
* The components we use from Maemo are all open source/distributable and published as such.
* When we will publish images containing closed source components for HW support and other tablet value-added things, there are discussions to do this through maemo.org (see http://wiki.maemo.org/Task:Community...e_distribution and attached mailing list discussion ) - until an agreement is in place we're not publishing images with the closed HW bits and just generally relying on having access to /mnt/initfs

Re: My prediction: Nokia Internet Tablet will falter in 2009 and beyond
 

Nokia has run a discount program for developers following the release of each previous major hardware revision, and there's been no indication that they won't be running a Developer Device Program again this time. Indeed, folks from Nokia have stated that they'd like to work with individual developers to try to get prototype devices in their hands well in advance of the commercial release of the next device. Since access to such prototype devices is usually reserved for corporate partners, it's not clear how, or even if, something can be arranged for individuals, but the fact that Nokia's even investigating the possibility speaks volumes.

Re: My prediction: Nokia Internet Tablet will falter in 2009 and beyond
 

The real reason behind threads like these is that so many people can't resist telling "the losers" that they've "seen the light" and are "moving on". Yada yada.

Just move on, OP. No one will miss you, here.