Op 08-12-10 19:37, Werner Almesberger schreef: > Christoph Pulster wrote: >> My suggestion is to strenghten the cartridge idea as mentioned on the >> Wiki. Ready-to-use microSD cards with self-installing applications which >> make the "basis unit" to a Wikireader, retro gaming console, PDA etc. > > So how would that work ? I.e., where would be the benefit for the user, > compared to other means of installing software ?
In the case of Iris, it would mean it could work without touching the installed system. I can also imagine some software requiring a certain kernel version to want to run this way. In general, anything that can't run on the "normal" kernel can use this approach. And also: > Would you sell the device as a, say, Wiki reader, bundled with the Wiki > reader "cartridge" ? There may be some benefit in this for users who > don't want to bother with software updates and the like at all. Not > sure if the rest of the product looks "polished" enough for such users, > though. Maybe not, but that's something to work on. ;-) > Of course, you could just sell it with the Wiki reader software and > data preinstalled. So the cartridge doesn't really seem necessary. Some users may find it more clear if the cartridge turns their machine into a certain device. Changing the cartridge is more intuitive than navigating a menu. > You'd have the update problem in both cases. If you have online > updates, both are the same. If you offer new cartridges with updated > content, you could indeed satisfy the needs of those supposed hardcore > luddites, but then, are there enough of them around who'd use this ? There're two things: 1. Updating a cardridge simply means "save these files on it". It can be done on any computer with a card reader, and doesn't require even setting up usbnet. 2. Supporting this is really easy: if a certian file exists on the card, for example "kernel.bin", boot that; otherwise boot from nand. > I doubt many users would want cartridges as a way of switching function, > given that they could just as well have a system that had everything > installed in parallel, without fumbling with cartridges. If users don't want cartridges, they are of course free to not use them. A cartridge would be like a live CD. You can install things to your computer, or run them from a CD. Both have advantages. People who don't like one option can simply use the other. Thanks, Bas
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