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Nokia Leaks Phone With Full GNU/Linux Distribution
An anonymous reader writes "It is now clear why Nokia has been so slow with S60 updates: the upcoming N900 just left everything else in the dust. Unlike Google's Linux platform, Nokia is not intentionally breaking compatibility with real distros, choosing instead to bring you the unmatchable power of GNU/Linux on your phone. This is the most awesome device I have ever seen: MAP3 CPU/GPU, 3,5" 800x480 touchscreen, keyboard, Wi-Fi, HSPA, GPS; 5-MP camera, CZ lens, 32 GB storage, SD slot; X11, VT100 terminal emulator, APT package manager. Estimated price without credit: $780 (N.5800: $390, iPhone 3GS: $750). Developers should note that even though the current desktop is still GTK+, Qt will be standard across all Nokia platforms in the near future (less powerful phones will use Qt on the Symbian kernel). Users can download flashing software from Nokia, and patches can be submitted at the Maemo site."
I'm really looking forward to writing cell phone apps in QT4. The way Apple, Google, and Palm have caged their apps into power-hungry slow interpreted virtual environments is crazy. It's a cell phone.... code should be compiled. Anyway, there's tens of thousands of great apps for Linux that would easily port if the phone companies allowed it. For example, I see that the espeak speech synthesiser was ported to Android, but to do it required a custom negotiation with Google! You can't just port C apps to Android, iPhone, or Palm Pre... you need special permission. Similarly, all the great close-sourced apps, like speech recognition and high-end GPS navigation, are all compiled apps and require negotiated contracts for support on the phone. All we geeks get to write are pretty interpreted interfaces that call the pre-compiled stuff.
OpenMoko was on the right track with their Linux phone. Unfortunately, the company behind it is more paranoid than Apple, and has sucked all the fun out of developing for that platform. I think the concept of free, open-source software must translate to "innovative way to suck a few bucks out of geeks" in Taiwan.
Celebrate failure, and then learn from it - Nolan Bushnell
You got modded flamebait because the certain mods don't give a shit what moderation stands for. You don't need to cry about it, it was basically moderation trolling.
"What's the difference between, Javascript as the language and HTML/CSS as the GUI, or using Python as the language and XML to do the GUI? And yet the first is "not a real distro", while the second is. Why?"
What's the difference between a semi-truck and a sportscar? That's what your question boils down to. Both can get you from point A to point B, but getting them there is going to be quite different. It's not that you couldn't move freight with a sportscar, it's just that a tractor trailer is much better at it... but if you're just going to the store and want the trip to go quickly and want to look cool en route, that sportscar is probably gonna be your best bet.
"Yes, but the real question is, "since when is being compiled a requirement?""
Since people started using languages that need to be compiled before they aren't just cryptic plaintext? If the best tool for the job is a language that needs to be compiled, then you'll have to compile or deal with a sub-optimal tool.
"I suspect you're a language snob who dislikes Javascript for no rational reason."
I suspect that you're a script kiddie who is under the mistaken impression that Javascript is the best thing ever because... um... it just is ok! There are things Javascript does very well, but that isn't the same as doing all things well.
Try not to take me more seriously than I take myself.
Do not get a Nokia. I own a Nokia N800 and compared to the iphone it is absolute shit! I say this from experience, don't be fooled by the fact that it uses linux! Even with a terminal installed they are not that cool ( I have a fold out keyboard also and it still sucks) , unless the touchscreen is equivalent to what the ipod touch has. And I'm sure it is probably the same type of touch screen that the N800 has which is crap! IPOD is unmatch and will be for a while still!