Yeah, we're a bit delayed - 300 people getting N900's did reduce the pool of immediate contributors . The good news is that we're actually moving forward, for instance, connectivity on the new desktop:



A N900 image will also soon be ready. Remember, Mer isn't just a Fremantle backport for some devices. There is power in a Maemo5 hildon-desktop with Ubuntu underneath on a N900.

Think of Mer as a 100% open source community-controlled distribution of the Maemo platform with some closed bits depending on HW type in use.

Sorry for the OT, but you seem to be comparing a subsidized phone price to an unsubsidized phone price.

Yeah, you're right. But, in my case, I really don't want the contract or the BIG monthly payment. I could be persuaded, however, if the power of the phone and the cost of the plan was cheap enough.

I was glad, however, to see stkeeps reply, and that my supposition is correct. If you look at all of the activity on these talk boards over the past years, you could plot a chart and show the sharp drop in posts by those that got one of the 300 demo units. They must be pretty good, otherwise they'd be putting them down and logging in, maybe even to help with Mer.

For me, Mer is a last effort to keep my willingness to not buy a new device. My N810 was my xmas gift last year, I wanted an MP3 player with video capabilities, and found it for 125 bucks on ebay. Little did I know what I was really getting into, as now I have Linux on all of my machines at home, along with vista :-().

Right now I carry an mp3 player (sansa fuze), a net10 cell phone that costs me 15 bucks a month, and my N810. I'm feeling like it's time to consolidate devices, but was waiting for these TI drivers to see if they could help hold me off from a purchase until I start seeing N900's on ebay for 200 bucks. There are too many powerful MIDs out there that are a little bigger, that are in the 400-600 range. I'd buy one of those before an N900. I'm sure there are plenty of others out there just like me drooling for that all in one device with no contract, or maybe a minimal contract if you want just basic phone service. I'm fine with spotty wifi when traveling, along with good wifi at home and work.

I tried Mer 15, and thought it was very promising, .16 didn't install cleanly so I bagged it hearing it wasn't much different than .15, and then I read about the TI drivers so I think I'll wait...but not months.

..and actually Mixu, you make a very valid point about the pace. How many NIT users that could be satisfied for a while longer are going to jump ship because they gave up waiting for prime-time Mer?

I agree about the pace of Mer (or lack of it) - and reading that an N900 image is now being worked on as well makes me worry about lack of focused activities (or maybe Mer was ALWAYS intended for Fremantle as well and I simply missed that).

I logged in #Mer but unfortunately I had to leave at that second so I will reply here

Yes, there's Ubuntu underneath and all but for me that doesn't mean much. I mean, I don't care what is underneath as long as it does what I need. Of course, for some people (actually for many if we make gallup here) it matters much more that that software is 100% open.

Maybe I just haven't really understood what all the changes under the hood means. There should be a page that compares device's original OS to Mer so that stupid people like me (that don't know anything about Linux) understands. With Diablo you get this, this, this and with Mer this is better and that is just done differently etc. Or if there's such page already, please point me to right direction.

If I had time, I would really like to study Mer/Ubuntu and maybe even participate on development. Unfortunately I'm working full time (UI designer in .Net project) and trying desperately finish my master's thesis and studies so I probably cannot participate for another 6 months.

Reason for N900 image is simple. There are going to be developers coming to N900 who never had a N8x0 or 770 who will want to try and move towards a more open source system. And why not try and channel this energy into improving Mer core for all of us?

Also, it will enable people to test directly on their new N900s.

Keep in mind a port of Mer doesn't take much effort. You take the core system, put it on a device, put hardware support scripts on top and work from there.

Most work in Mer goes on in the core.