Comments on: Thoughts on desktop Linux incompatibilities with iPhone and Android

By: stella

stella — Thu, 21 May 2009 09:08:21 +0000

Exactly. More and more cases of rejected apps, because the “duplicate” Apple apps. What’s that? Developers get screwed for their hard work. On this point, Google already made s statement: Anyone can sell his software on their marketplace. Nice posting, and so true.

By: Mark Arvidson

Mark Arvidson — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 14:29:09 +0000

Your article is dead on. Doing ANYTHING to interface with iTunes, either server, client or content is only reinforcing the growing monopoly that Apple is building. Likewise goes for all other glitz and glamor of the iPhone. The only long-term true option is displacement of the product with a FLOSS product solving the same problem space. The best truly and completely FLOSS option is Openmoko (http://wiki.openmoko.org).

Besides hype, the iPhone provides a tightly integrated, friendly interface, hiding the complexities of a mobile computer from the user. This is an area where all other mobile devices have failed. In order to be independently accepted by the community at large, the device must not be complex, regardless of functionality. Most smart phones try to tout their capabilities with a complex, hard to navigate array of options. This is a deterrent to non-tech users, who represent a large majority of the market.

The drawback to FLOSS developers scratching their own itch is that the iPhone scratches everyone else’s itches too.

By: harnir

harnir — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 19:05:54 +0000

How about OpenMoko and it’s phone, Neo FreeRunner? It took off recently, and already some forks are popping up: OpnMokast – http://openmokast.org/, NeoPwn – http://www.neopwn.com/.

Yeah, maybe the software is in very eraly stage of development, and hardware is not cutting edge technology, but it’s open. You can build on that and make the next version great. And no one will stop you for making support for it in your desktop OS.

http://wiki.openmoko.org/