Ubuntu 9.04 On Kindle 2

JO_DIE_THE_STAR_F*** writes "Jesse Vincent managed to get Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope running on the Kindle 2. The new functionality was presented in a talk at OSCON 2009."

Comments

data connection?

[quercus.aeternam]

I can't help but wonder - is the kindle's data connection still available?

And if so, on what end is the code that limits the kindle to accessing wikipedia and amazon?

Re:data connection?

[wh1pp3t]

I can't help but wonder - is the kindle's data connection still available?

And if so, on what end is the code that limits the kindle to accessing wikipedia and amazon?

It should be; the data connection (sprint) doesn't use an account-name system. It's based on hardware. The hardware hasn't changed, so one can assume connectivity will work.

Re:data connection?

[Trepidity]

The Kindle isn't limited to accessing Wikipedia and Amazon even with the default OS-- there's a web browser under the "experimental" features in the default menu. Amazon doesn't play it up much partly because it's not very good, and partly because presumably they'd lose money if people bought Kindles just for web browsing.

Re:data connection?

[natehoy]

Someone on the project page asked the guy who did this if the data connection worked.

His reply was rather cryptic: "YES BUT DON'T DO THAT".

If the person who managed it is recommending against it, the very same hoopy frood with the smarts who managed to go to all the trouble to hack Ubuntu onto the Kindle, then I gotta go with "it either doesn't work well enough to bother, or there's a really good reason why you shouldn't use it if it does".

Re:data connection?

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

I doubt that there is any particular technical reason; but it might well be an excellent way to have the data connection cut off. Much worse, from the perspective of the linux enthusiast, who the presenter presumably is, would be Sprint, or any other carrier considering a future deal to provide a whispernet-like service, insisting on hardcore cryptographic device crippling as a condition.

Enforcing network security in the client wouldn't be a terribly good plan; but a carrier's attempt to do so could make a project like that of TFA much harder in the future.

Re:data connection?

[Ma8thew]

He probably doesn't want to draw attention. If the data connection is abused then Amazon may try and block people from installing Linux.

Re:One obvious question

[willoughby]

Because under *nix you can use file permissions to prevent Amazon from deleting your files.

(This is partly a joke - but only partly)

Re:First

[Hijacked Public]

Just the answer you gave is answer enough.

Keep it in context. This was a guy at an open source conference, showing off a new example of something that Linux people take pride in. If he were trying to make a business of selling Ubuntu Kindles then he might need to concern himself with the practicality of it.

help me out ...

[neonprimetime]

The new functionality was presented in a talk at OSCON 2009. Be warned, [Jesse] has a very high geeky-hacker level. Make sure you have a tech dictionary and Google at the ready when you watch the video embedded after the break. His talk starts at about two minute in and runs for five minutes total.

is there a new rating system i don't know about? what are the other options besides "very high geek-hacker level"?

Re:help me out ...

[ArsonSmith]

Here is the scale:

1) Stoned geek-hacker
2) very high geek-hacker
3) high geek-hacker
4) one-puff geek-hacker
5) sober geek-hacker

Interesting test of Amazon's Legal Dept.

[NoYob]

From their terms of use:

No Reverse Engineering, Decompilation, Disassembly or Circumvention. You may not, and you will not encourage, assist or authorize any other person to, modify, reverse engineer, decompile or disassemble the Device or the Software, whether in whole or in part, create any derivative works from or of the Software, or bypass, modify, defeat or tamper with or circumvent any of the functions or protections of the Device or Software or any mechanisms operatively linked to the Software, including, but not limited to, augmenting or substituting any digital rights management functionality of the Device or Software.

I wonder what the legal team will do? This is a derivative work and the guy did reverse engineer how things worked (a little) to get Linux on it.

Re:Interesting test of Amazon's Legal Dept.

[Shikaku]

Did Amazon put a lease on the Kindle? No.

It's yours. The debt was paid and you own the device. You can bash it in with a hammer if you wanted. There's nothing stopping you from doing anything to the hardware, including damaging it. There's no law against hacking hardware, and you can already put your own ebooks on it so it's a moot point that it promotes piracy like you can argue for consoles. There are laws on the effects and results it can cause, mostly to do with the FCC and radio frequencies, and other illegal things you can do with any normal computer. The EULA has no sticking power.

Now, the idea that the 3G internet connection still works is interesting. There's no login credentials. So technically you DO have unlimited access to their network, until they decide to ban your chip ID. Then someone could make a class-action lawsuit and say they gave me unlimited access, you can't ban me.

Re:One obvious question

[langelgjm]

I recently bought a Kindle book (was cheaper than used copies), and discovered that it appeared to have been scanned, and poorly at that. There were OCR artifacts, and the font was crappy. I read up on the situation, and found that Amazon offers refunds for 7 days after a Kindle book purchase. I called, complained, and was refunded the price for my purchase. (Not sure if the 7 days is accurate, read that online, but it worked for me).

I had backed up my Kindle files, and I was curious what would happen when I 'synced' the Kindle with its wireless connection. Sure enough, the book I was refunded for disappeared. Also out of curiosity, I restored the backed-up file of the book to the Kindle, and it was still readable.

Re:First

[Lord Ender]

You have got to be kidding! I have a netbook and an ebook reader, and they are absolutely not replacements or each other! OK, I'll spell it out for you in detail.

Things the Kindle can do that the Netbook can't:

• eink display: It's easy on the eyes, works in bright sunlight, has the same viewing angle as paper.
• Three weeks of battery life. The best netbooks can run for seven hours. The Kindle is in an entirely different class
• Free, unlimited 3G internet connection that works anywhere a cell phone works.
• Onboard GPS
• Access to Amazon's ebook store: This should not be easily dismissed. I read scifi novels, and every one I have looked up has been available. They are also several dollars cheaper than printed books, and I can buy them without getting out of bed :-)

I have a high-end PC, a netbook, an ebook reader, and a smart phone. I am very glad I have all of them. Each of these devices has capabilities or conveniences not available on the other devices. These are great times to bee a technophile; anyone who dismisses this tech is pointless has no idea what he is talking about.

A couple notes...

[jesse]

What I did was to get a Jaunty _chroot_ running on the Kindle 2. The interesting bits were mostly around making X work and beating the 5-pad into submission.

Re:A couple notes...

[Anonymous Coward]

Exhibit A that your Slashdot UID is inversely proportional to your ability to do cool shit.

Re:First

[bhartman34]

I can't and don't claim to be an expert, by any means, but I think the other thing you have to keep in mind is that it's a good proof of concept. If Ubuntu can be put on it, that might mean that other, slimmer distros might be able to be put on it. What if you could take Android or WebOS, rework them to move a cursor around for item selection (rather than through touch), and run that? Either of those would obviously have no problem running on a 3G network, and you'd have the kind of light apps that the Kindle should be able to handle.

Like I said, I'm not an expert, but being able to install a new OS on the Kindle does open up some possibilities, I think.

Re:First

[vishbar]

Whatever happened to doing things because they're fun or cool? I don't understand...he does something that is, by all accounts, really neat, and people ask him "Why? What's the practical purpose?"

He did it for the "Can-I-really-do-this?" factor. Isn't that enough?

Re:First

[Nefarious Wheel]

Smart dude, significant accomplishment, and not to denigrate his success but I'd love to see him using all that brainpower on something else.

However, it's an excellent demonstration of a non-paper resume. And there are still people out there making new hardware on small platforms. Wouldn't you want someone available who knew a bit about software if you were building something you might want to sell?

Geez Louise! It's hard enough keeping good people interested in this business without trivialising their efforts to show off their stuff. Think before you crap on people, please.