Thread: Mer v0.7 release, and community firmware contents discussion
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2009-02-02 , 17:50
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#15
EDIT: Don't reply to this post until you've read the replies below, thanks!

Originally Posted by Stskeeps View Post
...we would like to ask the members of this forum a question, since we will be bringing Fremantle components to the N8x0(W), 770 devices. There are quite interesting discussions with Nokia going on about being able to provide community firmware images through maemo.org to Nokia tablet users, which could include closed source applications, drivers, etc. (see http://wiki.maemo.org/Task:Community...e_distribution). Associated with that we have to provide a list of what packages/applications, bits and pieces of Diablo we would like to distribute as part of these images, for legal discussion.

We would then like to ask you users, what you would expect as part of these future firmware images, and to write why these ought to be part of the community firmware images - why are they important for you to have on your tablet.

Please restrict yourself to the closed source components as part of your answers. If you know of a proper open source replacement for a closed source component, you are welcome to write these as well so we can consider these for inclusion in the standard images. If they are OK to just to be downloadable through the Application Manager, note this as well.
Ok, I guess I wasn't very clear; I'll try again...

Why are we being asked to justify every closed-source component? I would think it would be a more simple case than that; can we have the closed source bits for Mer? Yes? Thanks!

It seems weird that Nokia is saying, "Yes, you can have closed source bits, but you have to work for it; you have to justify each one -- why do you need that one? And why do you need that one? Are you really, really sure you need that one? Show me how much you want it. Oh, come on, you can live without that one."

It seems obvious to me that the Mer team isn't asking for closed source bits because they're lazy; you guys are pouring a lot of sweat into this project. Anyone looking at the project can see that you're doing your best to find open source components wherever possible. So it seems kind of insulting to ask you to justify your need for each component. If there were good, easy-to-find open source replacements for these bits, wouldn't Nokia use them instead of developing closed-source versions?

I say you build Mer using as few closed bits as possible, but without losing any functionality found in Diablo. After you've built the thing, tell Nokia what you've got in there, and they can argue with you over the stuff you've got.

If anything, I'd like to see Nokia ask the Mer team, "Have you tried project x instead of our closed-source component y?" I'm pretty sure Nokia's developers looked at the open source offerings before they started in-house development, and the developers probably know all of the alternatives out there. They'd be your best bet to suggest an alternative.

Is Nokia worried that you could build a viable competitor to Maemo 5? They're afraid that they're handing you the weapons that will destroy them?

Naaahh... that's silly...

Or ... IS IT???
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Last edited by qole; 2009-02-02 at 20:38.
 

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