Nokia, I can now be assured, isn't going to give us the ability to flash our 770's from the device itself.

Although they gave us an independent OS through Debian Linux, which was genius, it seems that they are now changing directions. The new 2006 installer is now a live-download-and-install only system now. You have to be actively connected to the internet, actively connected to Nokia through their new proprietary flasher.

What they are doing is creating dependancy upon them. If they wanted us to have indepenence, they would let us flash the 770 through our mmc cards at boot up as suggested. This new system of theirs is even more locked down. You can't even download your own binary now unless it's for Linux or OS X... but that may soon change, given their new direction here. Either they think we're idiots and can't find the right binary to flash, or they want to control us.

Perhaps the next version of the 770 won't be open-sourced anymore. So what's the plan here, Nokia? Create a base of loyal 770 owners, and once they're hooked in, change directions and take back all of your power and control? Make the Devs pay to license their FREE software on the 770?

I don't want to think this way, but it's happened before. Look at Apple!

Nokia, I'm watching you.

I think your guilt-free-no-sugar-no-carbs-energy-drink has one nasty side effect : paranoia :-)

(bit tired of seeing the ad in that sig, BTW...)

Yeah, you still can download firmware from http://www.maemo.org/downloads/nokia_770 if you wish and windows flasher still can flash that image from disk. True that it can now also download directly from net and firmware image is deleted after flashing but I suppose this is only due to 'modern' way of thinking - everyone has broadband now so it only takes few seconds to download those 70MB, why would anyone keep it on disk ;-)

There... softened it up for you. Didn't realize anyone even noticed it since I got 0 hits anyways. Heh.

There, at least you got mine by way of thanks. Not that I'd ever dream of drinking that stuff, mind you, and I'm on the wrong side of the Pond anyway :-)