Originally Posted by ysss

It's not just about targeting us 'geeks'.

In the n900 case, it's about limiting the audience to those geeks who are willing to spend a LOT of time tinkering their phones; because without tweaking, the n900 is severely limited in its capabilities and completeness.

Fortunately in this case, I believe you CAN have your cake and eat it too.
Make a full featured 'people friendly' phone with sane presets, a lively 'ecosystem' AND still leave the phone open and FOSS friendly.

So I still don't understand.... why don't they do that?

Originally Posted by Ken-Young

I suspect you can't have your cake and eat it too, in this case.

Consider personal computers. It is something of a historical accident that large fraction of the world's population now owns general-purpose computers which they could, if they wished, program themselves. They own a computer to get on the net, to watch videos, and to run a few well polished programs. Most PC owners do not have the time, the inclination nor the ability to improve the software they run. Yet they have machines which can compile and run any program they come up with. What I believe Apple is trying to do is change this. Apple believes (obviously this is just my opinion) that consumers would be better off not owning general-purpose computers. They are moving their customers to machines which are locked down as tightly as a drum, and which will be able to run only software that Apple has carefully vetted, and which Apple can disable if serious problems are found. I think that will be the direction the industry follows, not only because many consumers would be better off if it were impossible for them to inadvertently install malware, or just accidentally screw up their OS, but also because content owners will be more willing to strike deals with Apple, because Apple will provide the most secure DRM via locked down hardware. Most of us on TMO want pretty much the exact opposite of this on our phones.

Originally Posted by ysss

Yes, yes, but what if a company makes a clone of the iPhone, yet still leaves doors open for us to access the system?

Heck, Nokia is already halfway done already with the N9.....

Originally Posted by Daneel

I don't think anyone has a problem with Nokia trying to design an iPhone killer, i am just annoyed they are forgetting about us

Originally Posted by Ken-Young

Because the act of making the phone easily hackable for <10% of the buyers will make the phone less robust for the >90% who just want something that works reliably, and who could care less about FOSS.
Do you think the experience of most iPhone owners would be improved if they could download software that allowed them to overclock and mess with the voltages on their processors?

Originally Posted by Texrat

This geek would have loved to have used the N900's FM transmitter, but in my area there was too much interference on available bands. Sounded like crap.

So, yeah, this is a feature that IMO could be safely dropped. Cars are increasingly equipped with bluetooth anyway.

Originally Posted by Ken-Young

Because the act of making the phone easily hackable for <10% of the buyers will make the phone less robust for the >90% who just want something that works reliably, and who could care less about FOSS.
Do you think the experience of most iPhone owners would be improved if they could download software that allowed them to overclock and mess with the voltages on their processors?

Originally Posted by Frappacino

While it does not overclock and mess with voltages...

... how many % of iPhones are jailbroken ?

Originally Posted by daperl

Wow, if I actually cared, I could rip your points a new one.

If I actually cared...

Anyway, ysss is right, there's no good reason why we all can't have our cakes and eat them too. All of us. Even Hollywood execs.