Re: Sailfish OS on Sony Xperia (official)
 

This board is really not that active and there isn't so many of us here so I don't see any harm in somehow constructive off topic.

Re: Sailfish OS on Sony Xperia (official)
 

We don't really have any tangible news :( so all we can do is speculate

Re: Sailfish OS on Sony Xperia (official)
 

Well, there might be some people lurking (like me). I don't really like all of the aggressive ranting, it serves no purpose.

To keep to the topic. As I have understood it, the actual promise so far by Jolla is that there will be an Xperia X image available for download on the Sony page in June 2017. Nothing more. I'm fine with that. If they actually sell some Sony devices like they did with Jolla C, that would be a bonus. Correct me if I am wrong.

Re: Sailfish OS on Sony Xperia (official)
 

It's unclear so far.
But, while for existing users and a few interested guys from XDA, that option would work I'm still hoping for Xperia X with sailfish OTB. Because current ways of getting sailfish on non-sailfish device won't attract new users. Ever. Even if the image is perfectly tailored and everything just works.

Re: Sailfish OS on Sony Xperia (official)
 

Can someone explain to me why Sailfish OS is better than Android (without GAPPS)? I have tried LineageOS and Sailfish on a Droid 4 and they both work fine.
SFOS is indeed different but tbh not that different. Not even sure if something totally deviating is possible on any modern phone with a capacitive screen. They all feel roughly the same to me.

Personally I would prefer a Debian install with a phone gui - still hoping to see something like that on the N900. I basically want my phone to behave as much as possible as my deskop.

The Xperia X seems to be a standard phone so the difference and appeal (at least for this community) should be the OS. The apps are not a selling point, Android and IOS are just too dominant so you can't expect Jolla to compete in that area.

The only reason for me to install it was curiosity and disliking Android with GAPPs and IOS. For me that seems to be the only 'valid' reason to start using SFOS.
Not trying to step on anyone’s toes though or being unappreciative for the work that is done to port SFOS or development done currently.
I love that there is more choice so kudos to Sony, just wondering what the 'selling point' is of SFOS.

Re: Sailfish OS on Sony Xperia (official)
 

@kinggo: I would disagree. That's the way I started using SFOS - coming from ported device N4 and now rocking OPX. I have never owned any official device, so I don't know what I am missing in terms of Android support and some others add-ons. Actually, OPX port and the hardware is that good that I am not planning to get Sony yet (N4 hardware was a bit weaker and getting old as well, unfortunately). However, I am happy that Jolla managed to start this effort and even if only the image is downloadable, I would have considered it as good as a version that I get preinstalled by the shop, on the bigger scale of things.

As for why use SFOS: its great to have full Linux stack available. While not in apt-get or emerge world, its still quite usable. If you are used to Android, it takes some time to start appreciating that you could do many things "desktop" way - backup via rsync, ssh in/out, to name few aspects. Curiosity and a wish to have proper Linux was a start for me as well, just give it 1-2 month to properly grow into it. It also helps if you approach with an attitude - if something is missing, I can do my best to develop or fix it.

So, coming back to Sony / Jolla - I think its a great news and great development! Its for sure will expose SFOS to people that are interested in trying something different by giving them at least some supported option. If we only attract developers through this - its a great win already.

Re: Sailfish OS on Sony Xperia (official)
 

In just 3 words; glibc vs. bionic

Which is exactly the reason why you want SFOS; it has the same userland as your GNU/Linux desktop.

Re: Sailfish OS on Sony Xperia (official)
 

SFOS was indeed 'sold' as being a proper Linux OS but doesn't feel like that, for me probably due to the lack of 'apt-get' and just being a non hardware keyboard focussed OS. I am certainly going to give it some more time as you suggested. I like playing around with different technologies.
I have installed Termux on android and was pretty impressed with the ability to apt-get some of my favourite Linux programs and as far as I know rsync, ssh are available as well.

GPL vs BSD or is there more to it?

So I guess in theory easier to port existing programs? Emacs seems to be still 24.3 in openrepos (latest version of Emacs is my personal OS litmus test ;) ) . Even my good old N900 has 25.1 :)

Re: Sailfish OS on Sony Xperia (official)
 

@rinigus well, I said "a few....". But how many people do you know that would be willing to go through that process just to try new OS?

Re: Sailfish OS on Sony Xperia (official)
 

I think people are looking at this all wrong.

Sony is looking for new ground to differentiate itself in the smartphone market. Their "open hardware" wing is working closely with Jolla to provide OFFICIALLY SUPPORTED images for Xperia X and several other models in the same Xperia family. This is a test, nothing more, to determine whether or not they want to release branded devices with Sailfish already baked in.

If either dumped everything into it without gauging interest, well... you know how that would go. Jolla and Sailfish would have another mark against them and then this chance will have been wasted.

I for one am very excited to get Sailfish on modern hardware. Even if that means doing it myself with officially supported images.