On Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 8:11 PM, Lon Lentz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > For quite a while now I've been reading comments from people saying > that this issue or that issue is a "deal breaker". I've been reading > hardware requests and demands that stretch the gambit from quaint and > interesting to just down right silly. If this is the environment in > which all FOSS is developed, it's amazing we have a kernel to run it > all on. I'm all about presenting and discussing ideas. But the making > of demands in this environment is extreme.
This is the same environment. You'll see the same divide between "consumers" of software and "developers" of it. Community driven development and thick skin go hand in hand. > > FIC and OM have come up with a hardware platform to meet a > predetermined need and market. If someone thinks some major item is > missing, create a competitor. Fork the hardware. Forking is a bad word in "open source" but it's the lifeblood of a free market. :) I think the release of the CAD files was a pretty clear indication that Openmoko wants to see, but doesn't want to be the burden bearer, of customization and innovation in the hardware and associated accessories. There's NOTHING wrong with that. Before starting to look down and say "You people complain too much" keep in mind that most people "voting with their $currency" understand what's happening. Openmoko will get my money without a pink/blue/red/green/cloaking case. > > In all fairness though, I think calling the release of the CAD files > under appreciated is a little premature. I think that's a fair assessment. Very few people really understand the signifigance of that action. Motorola makes quite a bit of money around their branded accessories and frankly, they're not always top quality. The same can be said for many others. Openmoko is doing hardware and software and community building... Let the community and the fabricators and the entreprenuers do the accessories. I think Openmoko has the potential to tap into the "Mac Cult" behavior that Apple taps, though on a smaller scale at first. I've already got my "bouncing guy in a spinning circle" windshiled decals being die-cut, anyone want some? :P > Accessories companies are > going to wait to see what the adoption of this phone will be like. > Then they will make business decisions about risk versus benefit. If > the phone does become "successful", that is moving enough units to > make it profitable for FIC and the accessories makers, we will see the > CAD files be put to use outside of hobbiests. Absolutely. Something I really hope to see is companies like iGo (I have to admit, I like their products!) adopt the "Openmoko Freerunner compatible" sticker. For some of these manufacturers they can adopt and "certify" a brand for a few man-hours and the price of a sticker. They win as they sell sexy, glowing products and Openmoko wins as free software based phones are adopted by the marketplace. > > > > > On Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 4:45 PM, Hugo Mills <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > On Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 10:07:18AM -0700, steve wrote: > > > One goal of freeing the CAD , freeing the flesh of the phone, was to > enable > > > others to seize these opportunities. > > > > > > So, the CAD files for the FreeRunner are out there, before it has even > > > shipped. I think this decision is > > > underappreciated. > > > > From reading this thread, I think you're right. > > > > _______________________________________________ > Openmoko community mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community > _______________________________________________ Openmoko community mailing list [email protected] http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community
