Subject: Re: ASU software - pre-pre-release impressions
Date: lun 19 mag 08 11:10:50 -0600
Quoting Travis Tabbal ([EMAIL PROTECTED]):
> On Mon, May 19, 2008 at 10:49 AM, Carlo E. Prelz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> > Those apps are the heart of the phone, and I would not want to have
> > C++/QT versions running on my phone.
>
> I really don't understand the sentiment there. If the app works well and
> gets the job done, why does it matter what language it's written in or what
> widget toolkit it uses? I could see not wanting a closed app on OM, but it
> sounds like there is source available.
There are two levels here. One is the ethically-justified desire to
run open software. The other one is the concrete possibility to dig
into the code and actually adapt the operativity of the code to your
specific needs.
The first level is clearly satisfied.
With regards to the second one, things differ from person to
person. For most of its life, the openmoko project has been based on C
and GTK, which I happen to be reasonably versed in. The switch to QT
*requires* the abandoning of C in favour of C++, a language that I
personally find unsuitable for use.
> Or, you could pick up the older GTK apps and finish them up. It sounds like
> the shipping apps are a placeholder to get a nice working phone for shipping
> Freerunner. It's an open platform, so switch them out if you want the other
> ones. Or improve the new ones. Or write new ones from scratch in Ruby.
> Whatever. :)
This could come to be true, given enough free time. Nevertheless,
there is a big difference between having the core applications of a
phone maintained and updated by Openmoko and having to depend on my
scarce free time or other voluntary work for the same core apps.
Later on, if I read that the GTK apps are usable, I may eventually
decide to buy the phone. I just wanted to let Openmoko know that it is
because of this switch (which I only learned about yesterday) that I
won't be an early adopter.
Carlo
--
* Se la Strada e la sua Virtu' non fossero state messe da parte,
* K * Carlo E. Prelz - [EMAIL PROTECTED] che bisogno ci sarebbe
* di parlare tanto di amore e di rettitudine? (Chuang-Tzu)
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