On Mon, 11 Feb 2008, Werner Almesberger wrote: > Mike (mwester) wrote: > > Yes, if you send the modem [EMAIL PROTECTED], it powers down > > Great ! That moves the problem from "impossible to power down" to a > mere software implementation issue :-)
The problem which I have at this point that I see a lack of a responsible project (or product) management which sees the product as a combination of hardware and software which plays together and does not expect everyone to build his own images and find out how to patch gsmd in OpenOmbedded in order to fix such issues yourself. In a development environment which I would expect after having invested 450 Euros (this includes shipping and duties) into this device, and a lot of time to set up OpenEmbedded on my system before I found that it's just to much hassle for me to fix all the issues like this in my own, I would expect something a different response from OpenMoko, given from a manager (not from you, you are not responsible for management issues) after you made him aware of the issue: "Dear GTA01v4 buyers: We apoligize that we have did not put prioritize this problem (despite everybody saw hints on the lists that the modem is not powered down on power-off) by giving it management attention and a clear deadline (as there is no uncertainity involved, it just has to be done) after which we had informed you of the progress, but we'll do so now and make it a blocker item for the next OpenMoko GTA01v4 base development system image snapshot which is sheduled for the end of this month." Failure to make the openmoko GTA01v4 base system useable for real-world use to make it a feasible basis (as it was evangelized) for further high- level software development is for me the biggest disappointment with FIC/OpenMoko so far. Having highly outstanding developers like you Werner and FIC understanding what Open Source means is not enough to make a successful product. To have a basis for impementing fancy high-level applications like those Sean Moss-Pultz dreamed of in his presentations, the low-level parts of the system (combination of hard- and software) have to work in a way to make it feasible to use, otherwise there can be little motivation to do interesting stuff if there is no prospect of FIC getting all the damn little (but important) details right. I'm sorry for sounding so negtive, but at least I am talking about it and not just ignoring it at the moment, which should be better than just silence. I do not want to blame anyone personally but pointing out that OpenMoko still seems to lack a positiion of a proper product/project manager who is deeply comitted in changing the promises which GTA01v4 was marketed with by Sean to come a reality. best (but so far in an overall view so far disappointed) regards, Bernhard PS: This is an expression of my private opinion, not related to any commerical interest which there could in theory be for a working OpenMoko device from a company like which you mighty notice in the from-address if this mail. PPS: I would like to help - I recoginize that there is little which one can do from the outside without joining OpenMoko, but for this someone would have to "pull" me into OpenMoko and convince me that there is will to put structures in place which allow OpenMoko to make commitments to the community and not an explicit no-commitment policy like we have from OpenMoko now.
