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-   -   Bug: modular Linux-PDA (https://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=11269)

kotzkind 2007-11-02 18:52
Bug: modular Linux-PDA
 
http://www.buglabs.net/
http://www.golem.de/0711/55803.html (german article about bug)

The bug tries to be Open Source only. Interesting Concept.

TabulaRasa 2007-11-02 21:12
Re: Bug: modular Linux-PDA
 
Wow. That's like a PDA made entirely out of Handspring Springboard Modules!

Naranek 2007-11-03 12:47
Re: Bug: modular Linux-PDA
 
It might be a great companion for the Internet Tablet. You could built up a bug with the added GPS, GSM, FM Radio or what ever rings your bell and use the tablet as a frontend / screen for it. Have the ugly bug in your backpack and use all the hardware wirelessly over bluetooth...

benny1967 2007-11-03 14:05
Re: Bug: modular Linux-PDA
 
What a fascinating idea. No more "oh no, why does the N810 have a keyboard instead of an accelerometer" - you just put together the components that are right for you. Or, even better: that are right for you for this one day. And replace the GPS with a camera tomorrow. Whatever. LEGO computing! I'll buy one ;)

(The only thing thats not really clear is how free the platform will be. Saying "open source" means nothing, it has become a marketing buzzword these days. We'll have to look carefully at what they do, if there are any proprietary components etc.)

Karel Jansens 2007-11-03 14:34
Re: Bug: modular Linux-PDA
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by benny1967 (Post 90232)
What a fascinating idea. No more "oh no, why does the N810 have a keyboard instead of an accelerometer" - you just put together the components that are right for you. Or, even better: that are right for you for this one day. And replace the GPS with a camera tomorrow. Whatever. LEGO computing! I'll buy one ;)

(The only thing thats not really clear is how free the platform will be. Saying "open source" means nothing, it has become a marketing buzzword these days. We'll have to look carefully at what they do, if there are any proprietary components etc.)
Well, the marketing drones can buzzword open source as much as they want, it still means that the sources have to be available.

Although... Without something like a hardware version of the GPL to back that up, "open source" may mean a lot of things.

benny1967 2007-11-03 15:23
Re: Bug: modular Linux-PDA
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Karel Jansens (Post 90239)
Well, the marketing drones can buzzword open source as much as they want, it still means that the sources have to be available.
Even with the sources available, it doesnt necessarily mean its free. I remember cases in which the sources were open but the license did not allow you to change the code or propagate the program in any way, changed or unchanged. So it could even be "open source" but have licensing issues.

(This is, btw, one of the reasons I dont like the term "open source" any more. Experience told me that Richard Stallman was right after all: it is better to call it "free software".)

Anyway, its much too early to speculate now. Lets see what they come up with (and lets wait for the price :D ).
At least one thing they did not do, apparently, is starting some kind of developers program, or did they? I would have expected such a project to try and get some community support before launch...

Karel Jansens 2007-11-03 16:36
Re: Bug: modular Linux-PDA
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by benny1967 (Post 90254)
Even with the sources available, it doesnt necessarily mean its free. I remember cases in which the sources were open but the license did not allow you to change the code or propagate the program in any way, changed or unchanged. So it could even be "open source" but have licensing issues.

(This is, btw, one of the reasons I dont like the term "open source" any more. Experience told me that Richard Stallman was right after all: it is better to call it "free software".)
I firmly believe anyone is free to do with their sources as they wish. If "open" means I can look at it, then that's already better than closed. The one advantage of open code, even if you're not allowed to do anything with it, is that it'll be available, even if the platform is abandoned. It's not much, but at least it's something.

Quote:
Anyway, its much too early to speculate now. Lets see what they come up with (and lets wait for the price :D ).

At least one thing they did not do, apparently, is starting some kind of developers program, or did they? I would have expected such a project to try and get some community support before launch...
Give them some credit: All there is at the moment, is a few prototypes and pictures. Surely, a developer program for a hardware program requires at least a couple of devices?

benny1967 2007-11-03 17:15
Re: Bug: modular Linux-PDA
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Karel Jansens (Post 90285)
I firmly believe anyone is free to do with their sources as they wish.
Agreed. - The same way I'm free to always prefer free software over proprietary software.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Karel Jansens (Post 90285)
If "open" means I can look at it, then that's already better than closed. [...] It's not much, but at least it's something.
Agreed. - Its not much... ;)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Karel Jansens (Post 90285)
Give them some credit: All there is at the moment, is a few prototypes and pictures. Surely, a developer program for a hardware program requires at least a couple of devices?
I read they wanted to start selling (!) the thing before the end of 2007. Not much time left, so I guess they should have some hardware to let devs play with. ;)


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