On Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:59:18 -0600 Eric Olson <e...@ericanddebbie.com> said:
> Carsten Haitzler (The Rasterman) wrote: > > On Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:41:24 -0800 (PST) Rafael Ignacio Zurita > > <rizur...@yahoo.com> said: > > ... > > > > i'm getting at the fact that the hw side is stuck - it wont work without a > > pot of gold. the hw side that WORKS are the big companies with lots of pots > > of gold already. if you want to make something work - work with them on the > > software side... but you are free to ignore this advice and continue with > > your idea that you "need to work on the process" as you'll be working on it > > without anything being produced for a veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery long time (read - > > never) unless you find a pot of gold. it's the hw side that has these > > costs that unlike software, can't be replaced by someone simply spending > > their time on evenings/weekends. it costs real money - get your pot of gold > > and it can happen, or ork with those who already have the pots of gold - > > and produce hardware. until then you're an armchair sportsman. you can yell > > about how that pass was bad or whatever... you won't affect the game - > > ever. you'll just cover your tv with spittle. :) > > > > > > Doom and gloom :) > > I still like the idea of a modular 3g modem in your phone. Design your > next openmoko/qi/openwhatever linux pda and leave in a usb port and a > cavity for the smallest 3G usb stick. Maybe place it on the end of the > phone and reduce the case size later. It's not perfect, but it allows > replacement of the cell module which gives you lots of flexibility. > Similar things already happen -- QI's Ben gets wifi for free with an SD > card slot. It just became much more useful. This is just an example > that you don't need a pot of gold for everything. > > These solutions aren't for everyone, and neither is GNU/Linux on the > desktop, but for some it will be the preferred choice. > > Open hardware is still fairly new -- and you _can_ make progress without > pots of gold. You won't be able to get everything, but you might get > more (look at GNU/Linux's progress, although I know big companies > support some of its development now). Thank you to gta02-core, QI, and > other people for working on open hardware. as ken young said - 95% of your gnu/linux market just went away if the above is your solution. 95% of already a small market. they are interested in a real production-level device that is in the same ballpark as everyone else in price,, design and features... BUT that runs linux (not android - android is not linux and very far from it). and that linux needs to be open enough to not get in the way - if u cant recompile a kernel or cant fix a bug .. then thats bad. the people who demand open all the way to the bottom including hw schematics are tiny subset (the 5%) and suddenly your niche market just got a hell of a lot more niche - and thats going to kill most models. but if thats what you like - good luck and enjoy. you will have a very limited selection of devices - if any and be always fighting against the grain. your costs will be high. choice low. :( but.. to each their own. the vast majority of those interested in om were interested in the above - and that included me. the rest (open hw) is just an added "ooh nice" but not a necessity. -- ------------- Codito, ergo sum - "I code, therefore I am" -------------- The Rasterman (Carsten Haitzler) ras...@rasterman.com _______________________________________________ Openmoko community mailing list community@lists.openmoko.org http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community