So the question is, with whom we (this community) are competing?
E.g.
* QtMoko & SHR vs. Android & iOS & Win Mobile etc.!
* GTA04's flexibility and hw-modifiability vs. any commercial device!
* the art of self modifiable 3D-printed case vs. take what you get!
imo, android _is_ the main opponent.
let's face it, "openmoko" has left its mark in the archives and everything
in it's wake will inevitably evoke those reminiscences, thus linking any
further effort to the "geek phone" (and as we all know, it's not entirely
unjustified).
i am convinced that people readile buying symbian, baida or windows phones
do not even remotely consider purchasing a GTAxx -- the user base GTAxx
are targeting to a large extend intersects with those buying an android
phone intending to jailbreak it (or whatever the right term may be, i am
not familiar with the scene's vernacular ;-)
those are people somewhat prepared to take a risk with their phone and to
invest time to make it fit their demands.
taking myself as an example, i currently own an n900 and without any
intention of replacing it in a near future, look around for devices
qualifying -- and any possible device runs android, just because it is
closest to being "open".
i am not that much satisfied with maemo's openess, but it's still better
than anything i've seem from android so far, and android's openess is much
better tahn anything else on today's amrtphone market.
despite supporting the open hardware idea and cherishing its ideals, i
don't think the vast majority of potential GTAxx customers value it so
high as to let it tip the scales in favour of GTAxx -- so for anyone not
just looking for a truly open device, GTAxx can't really compete with
today's middle class devices (apple, samsung), or rather, GTAxx shouldn't
be pitched against those devices, but rather see itslef as a class of its
own.
so, to conclude and repeat, software-wise android is the main opponent --
hardware-wise it's better to see GTAxx as class of it's own w/o real
competitor.
if GTAxx runs android, it will be just another android smartphone, albeit
with the advantage of faster updates and longer support, since you're not
forced to wait for the vendor to release newer firmware or even to decide,
if that device should recieve updates at all anymore.
supporting fsfe's "replicant os" initiative might be interesting, but
besides other questions, i fear it will peter out soon without noticeable
effect ...
cheers
ps: maybe my english is too limited, but "self modifiable 3D-printed case"
sounds like it would modify itself, morphing into ... odd shapes ;-)
--
"Schon vor dem Come-Back von Modern Talking wusste ich:
Dieter Bohlen ist der Preis der Freiheit."
Heinz Rudolf Kunze
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