attila77 | # 11 | 2011-03-03, 17:11 | Report

There are no two versions, and the two teams are doing different things, the common ground being the N900 itself.

To repeat - MeeGo as such is a base. It's not the end product. Just like 'downloading Android' from Google is not something that you can apply directly to an Android device.

What the hardware adaptation team does is to bring all the necessary drivers/middleware to the N900 to be able to run MeeGo and it's services at all. Their goal is thus providing as much functionality as possible so developers can work on MeeGo itself. They don't (and shouldn't) care if the dialer in the reference UX is broken or such, since the goal is just to provide an environment for MeeGo developers.

This project, however, will focus on making a MeeGo build that is (at least somewhat) usable on a daily basis. Thus, they are fairly complementary to the first team. In essence, they will put up the rear view mirrors, lights and everything needed to make it actually drivable someplace other than the developer test circuit. This might also mean holding back functionality that is simply not ready yet (again - for development purposes, a bug that requires a reboot is an annoyance, but for daily use, it's a showstopper).

Please understand that (as sad as it is) the goal of the MeeGo project never was to produce an upgrade for Maemo5/N900 (this discontinuity was announced last June), but a basis for future devices.

m4r0v3r | # 12 | 2011-03-03, 17:29 | Report

So am guessing this developer version will not be use able, as the Full release of Meego

Garcel | # 13 | 2011-03-03, 18:04 | Report

Hmm.... Is it too much to ask for a dual boot on the next firmware update?

I just hope they can do something that we'll experience a little bit of meego even if its limited. Just as long as its usable so we can get a better idea on meego on what will looks like on the incoming devices.

Stonik | # 14 | 2011-03-03, 18:17 | Report

Nokia will release a MeeGo device this year. It's called N900.

jnack95 | # 15 | 2011-03-03, 18:38 | Report

So...of course the burning question is: Who has tried it and what is your impression? Can you make a call and send a text? Also curious if Cordia is up to snuff to have a semi-usable build yet.....guess I'll answer my own questions when I get time....

droitwichgas | # 16 | 2011-03-03, 18:54 | Report

It seems Nokia have announced something they were already doing anyway i.e. making a developer version of Meego which can be used on a daily basis by developers and so depending how it developers could become the o/s of choice for N900 users or may never approach maemo's useablility.

http://forum.meego.com/showthread.php?t=2856


Not sure why Jukka's "excited" by his announcement as I was always under the impression that meego 1.2 would be available for the N900 in April and that would be almost useable on a daily basis for developers?

stenny | # 17 | 2011-03-03, 19:27 | Report

connman has been under development for a very long time, even back when intel had 'moblin' started up. they started it because notworkmanager is very crappy and unreliable, and extremely hard to extend. connman was designed from the start to be more of an event-based manager, far more suitable to mobile use than notworkmanager's polling garbage.

if you think connman is slowing down meego development, you're way off base.

Stskeeps | # 18 | 2011-03-03, 19:31 | Report

The existing work (N900 adaptation team) was very closely linked to being a reference device for MeeGo, ie, we didn't really touch much in core (beyond maintaining ARM port), existing as a development target for people to test their applications on and Handset UX was mainly Intel developing this.

When you add MeeGo Core + Handset UX (with reference apps) together + N900 adaptation you don't end up with something that's somewhat usable - it's mostly just a platform demo with obvious lacks.

And that's where DE work fits in (fwiw, I'm only technically leading the hardware adaptation which is what I'm good at. DE is a "productization" effort, managed by Jukka Eklund). To take the platform, add improvements so it's actually (somewhat) usable on a day to day basis, for "developers" or "hackers" or "power users" or what you call them. People who wouldn't call Nokia Care about it or expect any kind of support or care they don't have Flash

Stskeeps | # 19 | 2011-03-03, 20:20 | Report

You'll be pleased to know that I had exactly the same question when getting told about this too.

After thinking it through, it makes very much sense. It looks absolutely crazy, but is actually a good idea for Nokia to be involved in meego.com this way. This is of course speculation, but it's how I can make sense of this.

Consider this:
* Harmattan is the basis of next device, not meego.com Core - see this post - let's leave this device out of the equation to understand this announcement, there's other people dealing with this one.
* There will only be one MeeGo device in 2011 (according to CEO/CTO)
* There was supposed to be a significant benefit cost wise by going for MeeGo.com as to no longer have to maintain and develop your own Linux distribution inside Nokia. This would have been an expected cut in R&D costs. Going back to maintaining your own distro would be stupid. So using MeeGo.com or something else would be only possibility.
* Since the 770 Nokia has been working to create a Linux platform, tried many many different UIs and toolkits, but now we're at a state where we have a lean and mean Qt+Linux platform that you can practically make any kind of UI on easily (QML, off-the-shelf Linux components) for any kind of device. As an example, we remade the MeeGo Dialer UI in 2.5 hours in QML, previously made over several months in MTF.
* MeeGo is going to be used for future disruptions supposedly. To make future disruptions, you need a solid platform (read: you need to contribute to it to make it such) that you don't have to reinvent the wheel and write thousands of components to even get a UI up on each and every time you make a product. This is obviously MeeGo.com. It would work with same APIs on all sorts of devices ranging from TVs, to netbooks, tablets, mobile devices and so on. Take a off-the-shelf device capable of running MeeGo.com, start prototyping and inventing. Innovate fast.
* Having a basic handset experience that just works properly enables other vendors to see the benefit of MeeGo.com and perhaps make their own devices.
* Having a cheap, small mobile computer (please note that I say mobile computer, not 'smartphone') that runs MeeGo.com is a needed thing for prototyping/innovation/general development as well - for both research, companies and individuals. Considering an Aava runs at 2000 EUR something, it's an obvious benefit
* Use ability to do fast hardware adaptation with MeeGo.com Core to decrease time-to-market for innovative new devices (take chipset vendor HW adaptation + add your customizations + MeeGo.com Core + your stuff = quick product).

In the end: DE is good way to keep MeeGo.com involvement going from Nokia side as well as provide ability for Nokia and even other companies to create future disruptions using MeeGo.com in long term.

I personally don't believe the future of computing is a walled garden. You would need a open ecosystem, open standards and open platforms to make something like this "A day made of glass" video work in practice.

So - consider this a great chance to get involved with MeeGo.com and shape the future of your devices and environment the way you want them to be like.

---

Last edited by Stskeeps; 2011-03-03 at 21:00.

jakiman | # 20 | 2011-03-03, 20:21 | Report

Well, this is somewhat good news. But I hope Jukka reads this:

1. I hope it is as fully useable as possible as an everyday device. At least Phone, 3G, WiFi, SMS, Web browser with flash and very importantly, Music and Video playback is a must. If it's for power users and if it's supposed to "keep" us to help Nokia, make us be able to use the N900 everyday and to promote to others. Less crippled = the better we'll respond. So please, surprise us by showing us what MeeGo is capable of on the N900.

2. I hope it's overclockable. N900 is a slow device for Meego. Many power users / hackers overclock to squeeze that extra performance out of our beloved device. It makes a huge difference so let us tap that potential at "our own risk".