Salve! I'm a student and for years interested in Gnu/Linux(Debian) and mobile communication. By thinking what a modern phone could do and what a user realy can do with such phones (developed for the network provider and the prospects of the phone sellers...) makes me realy sick. ;(
So I descided to do not spend my time on developing software for such resticted devices and to wait for a free open phone. Even the first Linux based phones like the A760 from Motorola does disapoint me, because the published only the kernel (after a long fight to do this) but modification woul'd not be easy, because so much isn't published or documented. Because of the power of the network provider I didn't expected a free open (linux) very fast and thought the first free Linux phone would be a selfmade one with the combination of PDA and a GSM card. Surprises of the year: #1 Trolltec anounced some month ago the "green phone" for developers. With 700$ quite expensive and AFAIK not realy free - it belongs to licences with trolltec and probably to use binarys from them. #2 FIC announced on 2006_11_07 at the "Open Source in Mobile Conference" in amsterdam their phone Neo1973 and their open Linux developer plattform OpenMoko: http://www.openmoko.com Presentation slides: http://www.openmoko.com/files/OpenMoko_Amsterdam.pdf When I saw this slides via internet, especialy slide #6 ;) ---------------------------- Oh and well, one more feature. An adaption of my favorite command in all of computing. root at filebuntu:~# apt-get install _ ---------------------------- By reading this, I was 100% shure that the people behind this project are the right on and that a dream has come true. Then I found out that also Harald Welte (you know him from gpl-violations issues) was involved in starting this project: http://gnumonks.org/~laforge/weblog/2006/11/08/ :)))) And he already hacked with the A760 and opentom... ;))))) So there have been real and good GPL hacker, who have conviced a hardware producer (FIC) to use the power of Linux(Debian) for their devices and open it like a PC, giving the user the freedom which OS to install and which applications and that this could now become true (with linux): smartphone = mobil PC + GSM/GPRS (+ Asissted GPS) Because the GSM part is on an external chip connected via serial interface to the System on a Chip (Samsung s3c2410) and controlled with AT-commands like an external device - the kernel could run without close source binaries and the phone will be a trustworthy device. (As much as you can trust the SoC *g*). For raise the security level, especialy for the end user market, the linux-vserer technics would become IMHO *very* interesting. The core functions (GSM/GPRS...) could become protected that even when an badly programmed application runnig wild - the phone would still be usable for basic functions (calling, espeicaly 911/112 emergency calls) ... - close source applications or application from lower trustworthy source could become own sandboxes - applications with a hight security demand "server administration with ssh", telebanking could have also a own sandbox - with "guest suspend to RAM" applications could start faster and could run at the same point they have been "paused" like applications on the palm pilot ;) - other users could get a vserver account to run their scripts on the mobile PC - the owner could limited and log the BT/GSM/GPRS access... Example: an NGO, a university, a company could please their members to run their programms... when they pass a BT station they can transmitt informations... So the guest system could get a limitation for GPRS traffic or limitation of CPU power... Or just share vserver accounts on your mobile with your friends (With integrated Wifi and 433Mhz receiver it would become much more interesting what to do with this...) No question, vserver on a smartphone could be usefull. :)) Now my questions to you ;) - I know that vserver does not have the same hardware demand like xen or user mode linux - where can I get informations about using linux-vserver with arm9 (portable devices)? - Does somebody of you have experiances and could tell me or the openmoko community about how much effort/work needed and performace would cost to run linux-vserver on the Samsung s3c2410 SoC powered linux smart phone Neo1973? And of course when you like the idea of an open GPL/Linux plattform for (GSM/GPRS, AGPS, .. ) mobiles, too - I would like it very much when you would participate or just give ideas to the starting OpenMoko community, in which ways linux-vserver could power up the securty, potential and usability - for experts but also for normal PC|phone users. :) Cheers, rob PS: Community mailinglist archive: http://lists.openmoko.org/pipermail/community/ Preliminary Specification Note: These are _not_ final. But since we've had so many questions on our mailing lists, it's probably best to post them in one place: Hardware * 120.7 x 62 x 18.5 (mm) * 2.8" VGA (480x640) TFT Screen * Samsung s3c2410 SoC * Global Locate AGPS chip * Ti GPRS (2.5G not EDGE) * Unpowered USB 1.1 * Touchscreen * micro-sd slot * 2.5mm audio jack * 2 buttons * 1200 mAh battery (charged over USB) * 128 MB SDRAM * 64 MB NAND Flash Software * Dialer * Contacts * Application Manager * Calendar * More... Price: 350 US$ + shipping _______________________________________________ Vserver mailing list [email protected] http://list.linux-vserver.org/mailman/listinfo/vserver
