Re: Future of OpenZaurus

Dnia środa, 13 grudnia 2006 11:54, Nicolas FR napisał:
> > > - having a working card applet

> > find someone to hack one

> Shouldn't that be the distro team duty?

It could be. The problem is that we lack devs. For example I usually just 
pop card off when know that it is not used so I do not need such applet (I 
disabled/removed most of them). And cards are automounted so also do not 
feel a need for it.

> Do not get me wrong, I try to collaborate as much as I can (I am not a
> developper, I just like to play with the zaurus in my spare time and
> tried to contribute some OE recipes), but the thread title was
> "Openzaurus future". 

And I understand you (atleast trying to).

> I was just thinking that even after 4 years Sharprom still has
> userfriendly features that more recent distro cannot provide (card applet
> is one, a decent browser is another,  

OPIE will rather do not get such stuff. X11 environments maybe will get 
newer browser when someone will finally find out what is wrong with 
firefox from our builds. We will provide newer dillo with some nice 
improvements (tabs, frames). But to get new soft someone need to get it 
working first.

> no even talking about the suspend/resume bug of hostap cards - I know
> this is tough bug to solve).

This one need checking. And it occured in 2.6.17 and newer iirc.

> So the question that I was raising was: how could that be improved. If
> the answer is: "do it yourself", or "find someone to do it", this
> means to me that I am right to stick with sharprom. So now the
> question becomes: what are those alternative distro usefull for?



> > > - a wireless assistant with WEP/WPA support
> > wpa-gui provide one for GPE
>
> I tried wpa-gui. This is not the idea I have of a userfriendly app.

I tried it only once. There are few other tools in feed - for example 
wifi-radar. OPIE will rather lack good tools for WiFi because there is 
nearly no developers for this platform.

> This takes me back to the point of my post: isn't making a distro more
> than packing softwares?

For me it is making base images working and providing amount of software 
for people which want to use it, extend it and maybe even help with it. 
Due to fact that I have 2 machines at home which can not do WPA (tosa and 
progear) I'm stick with WEP.


> How would it be possible to motivate developpers to make small usefull
> utils for the Zaurus? Maybe the device is now to old to motivate
> anyone to develop software for it (the traffic on the list tends to
> prove it)...

I think that Zaurus line is ended. Most of new devices are rather 
smartphones or wireless media devices then normal PDA. And it is hard to 
atract someone to Zaurus line due to lack of any wireless in them.


> Maybe future release of Qtopia4.2 GPL will remotivate people to do
> stuff for Zaurus?

For opieII on Zaurus? Some people will switch, some will use it, maybe even 
some will start to write applications for it. Time will show.

-- 
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OpenEmbedded developer/consultant

             Today is the first day of the rest of your life.



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