Maybe getting back on topic, what have the 300-400 or so prototype owners tried in terms of getting USB enabled? Not too long ago, people were talking about being able to force host mode via a software "TEST_MODE" flag. Any luck with this? Can anyone smarter than me (with or without a device) post a script for adventurous users to try?

Personally, I wouldn't feel too bad about having to carry around a little powered hub with some sort of batter pack hack to get this working.

Yeah I would appreciate it if nobody else posted whining, this-is-a-dealbreaker nonsense. We've got several hundred of those posts now. Yeah we get it.

If you don't have solutions, or at least suggestions for solutions, there's really nothing more for you to say here.

Could someone compile the drivers I linked to a while ago? That would be helpful.

Actually, and surprisingly, it doesn't sound like you do get it. Perhaps you (falsely) believe that it means I/we will abandon Nokia. No; It just means waiting until the fixed hardware so we don't have to purchase twice. At $500 it certaintly isn't nonsense to wait a little while for the fix.

You clearly don't get it either. I DO want to rip media. But how can I do that without USB? I'd have to have an entire extra computer just for ripping - I have other plans for my current one and N800. So if my choices are

1) Pay $500 now, AND maintain another computer for ripping, and other USB tasks, AND pay $500 more when the fix arrives.

2) Wait a bit and just pay $500 once and not have to keep/maintain another computer for ripping/etc.

It's not irrational that some people prefer #2. Qole, when USB is fixed, are you going to want to pay another $500? I'd rather wait.

What's with all the pressure to censor this forum? Everyone who would rather wait a little while for the USB fix and save $500 let it be known that this is important.

Qole and everyone who seems to (for reasons I don't understand) have an emotional issue with my/our choice: CHILL!

If ligitimate posts are triggering some kind of child-hood issue or something, DON'T READ THEM! But ask yourself why a post is causing you such anxiety.

--
I'll iterate one more time because I don't believe you are catching the content:

1) I have another use planned for my current computer and N800.
2) I want to have USB so that I can do things like rip media.
3) The N900 apparently doesn't support USB in that way.
4) But a soon pending model probably will.
----------------------------------------
Therefore, I'll EITHER have to buy an extra N900 when the fix arrives,

OR I can wait a little while longer which is a significant financial advantage for me.

--> I'm not abandoning Nokia.
--> It isn't irrational
--> Letting Nokia know of the problem is helpful to them.
--> The apparent "postophobia" some have IS irrational.
--> So drop it.

After playing back some videos on the TV I realized it would have been sort of 'natural' to hook it to a DVD drive and play stuff from there, too. Yes, I know, DVD players are dirt cheap. However, they cannot do all the funky subtitle/video/audio stuff you can do with good ole mplayer. So there, not a dealbreaker, but I do miss it as with the video-out we gained a few more use-cases for the thing.

Drink !

BruceL: I really don't care about your use cases, or whether or not you buy the N900. Seriously. There's no emotional issues there at all. You do what you feel is right for you.

I just have come to terms with the fact that the N900 will not have USB host mode, at least not out-of-the-box from Nokia. Maybe some future device will have it, but that isn't what this thread is about, and telling everyone that you aren't going to buy the N900 just isn't useful here.

I'm a long-time USB host-mode user on the tablets. I find it very useful. I'd like to see some of this functionality on the N900 too.

I'm just really bored with the complaining. Why don't we all start trying to see what we can do to fix things, instead?

But as JayOnThaBeat pointed out, this isn't do.maemo.org, it is talk.maemo.org.

So carry on.

(Here's a link to my post requesting some drivers get compiled, for anyone who wants to try to do something.)

Quit the whining "compile my drivers!" posts

I'm with you on that Qole. But it IS useful to register that the issue is important to people. I am resigned to the USB situation as well and I haven't actually canceled my pre-order.

But language like "whining" and "silly" and "nonsense" that appeared to apply to my (not silly at all) concerns solicited my response because I don't want the message that USB is important in the future to be watered down. And, it seemed like a personal attack.

Cheers!

Hogwash: You're so mean. I hate you.

BruceL: No, no. No personal attacks intended. It's not you, it's me. Let's just be friends, OK?

qgil has already spoken... read the thread.

What you say is also already addressed. I've read the microUSB spec a bit (the revision). Not every device with microUSB supports A and B mode. For starters, the plug has to support both to support both A and B. Furthermore, the spec says it is not allowed to support both powering via microUSB as well as host mode. This is limited on hardware layer.

If you Nokia N900 wih USB host mode you're wanting something which will probably never be possible. Don't count on it. Change your priorities.

Can someone edit the first post with clarification linking to qgil's post. Or add that post in the first post. We're getting the same arguments based on misinformation over and over again.

Done. Indeed, both Quim Gil and Igor Stoppa were already linked from the first post. Now they are explicitly quoted.