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Nexus One First Phone Linus Torvalds "Doesn't Hate"
SpuriousLogic writes "Linus Torvalds, the inventor of the Linux kernel, has an absolute disdain for mobile phones. All of the ones he has purchased in the past, the man writes on his personal blog, ended up being 'mostly used for playing Galaga and Solitaire on long flights' even though they were naturally all phones run on open source operating systems. Things have changed now, he adds, now that he has caved and bought Google's Nexus One a couple of days ago."
Why? I mean the man is responsible for the free kernel that the phones use. The least companies could do is send him a free one with service contract. I thought Linus did get gifts like that.
How can a Finnish man hate mobile phones?! Aren't they like the national bird there, or something?
Shiny. Let's be bad guys.
I am supposed to care about his opinion of smart phones why? I mean I will be happy to listen to anything he has to say about the Linux Kernel. I would pay to hear him talk about the early days of Linux development, but his thoughts on smart phones? What could possibly make me care?
If I were God, wouldn't I protect my churches from acts of me?
here
I don't share much in common with Linus except maybe the phone, but I got my N1 exactly because of how evolved android had become, how beefy the hardware specs were (I was building PCs with roughly the same specs 8 years ago), and because I preferred a phone not marketed to me with a direct tie-in with a carrier. Overtly unlocked? Yes, please. Granted, it's not for everyone, but it is my first smartphone and I'm glad I waited.
.. pa-ra-bo-la, pa-ra-bo-la, 2 pi R, 2 pi R, where's your latus rectum, where's your latus rectum, 2 pi R
Citation Needed
Considering I don't know of anyone who would ever call x86 anything 'big iron', I find it hard to believe a guy who started writing a kernel for himself at home on a 386 PC would say something like that.
Persistent Volume manager for Kubernetes - https://github.com/dwimsey/openshift-pvmanager
... most of my phones haven't had an OS that you could play Galaga or Solitaire on. Or really do much more than make a phone call.
Is it possible that the reason he hates phones is that he keeps buying computers masquerading as phones, rather than phones?
Also... he comments that he's always hated phones because they interrupt while he's trying to work or read. I don't know about anyone else, but if I don't want to be interrupted, I turn off the phone. The ringer, if it's a land-line, or the whole thing, if it's a cell. People can leave me a message and I'll listen to it later.
Basically, I can understand not liking the sound quality, or the microphone quality, or the weight, or the fact that it doesn't work anywhere you want to use it (all problems I've had in the past), but really... the things he's complaining about are issues with how he's using it, not with the phones. Maybe, like me, he's someone who just shouldn't have a cell phone, or should buy a small cheap one for emergency use, and not pay a monthly fee for it.
This phone shall be referred to as the "GNU/Nexus One with GNU/Linux".
Now excuse me, I have to comb my beard.
Richard
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Trolling is a art,
SUpposed you got a mail from bill gates asking for a phone from your company because your phone factory has made a phone running windows mobile on it. What would you do?
The point is that famous people generally don't ask... they get sent stuff unsolicited a fair bit. At the Oscars, when you hear of someone's $100,000 necklace from Saks Fifth Avenue, do you really think the celebrity went out and spent their own money on that necklace? Hell no... that's Saks renting it (perhaps gifting it for smaller items) and getting free promotion. Saks is hoping all the non-famous rich people who watch the Oscars go out and buy the necklace.
In Linus' case, however, perhaps he's critical enough about phones that it's actually a risk to send him one. If he writes a bad review, the company who manufactures it and sent it to him has just shot itself in the foot.
Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
Finally, an article summary that explainings who some obscure person is, rather than assuming we know everyone in the tech universe.
I expected Linus Torvalds to use something more geeky, e.g. N900 or one of OpenMoko devices, but in this case he has chosen user-friendliness instead of endless tinkering. Nexus One is probably one of the most user-friendly Linux-based devices to date (competing with WebOS devices in this respect), and it is very functional as well, so the choice seems obvious.
he could've made serious $$ if he charged google for expressing this opinion. imagine all the linux devotees who are going to buy it now. i mean, there's gotta be, like, at least 10 who can afford it!
weinersmith
The lesson is: Even people famous for endless tinkering still like a simple, clean user experience once in a while.
Design your software with this in mind.
Weaselmancer
rediculous.
How is using the Nexus One as a GPS any different than a dedicated GPS unit? It has voice input and turn-by-turn voice prompts just like a "real" GPS so there's no need to touch it once you set it in the car dock. The experience of these post-2.0 Android phones is a lot different than the lousy Google Maps feature you'd find in lesser phones like an iPhone.
big iron != bare metal, which is what GP presumably meant.
Most "in dash" GPs's are inferior than a $99.00 pocket cheapie.
Why? well the Updates for in dash units are typically so outlandish that nobody buys them A buddy of mine has a BMW 525i that it will cost him $399.00 for the map data update discs, he bought a pocket garmin unit he stuck to the windshield.. I buy a new $99.00 garmin yearly and that not only gives me a new map data set, but new hardware to boot!
Plus I get POI data. press one button and it will tell me that the next two exits have gas stations and restaurants..
Nope, it's dumb to spend a couple grand on an in dash unit and then pay out the butt yearly for updates.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
This is about Linus Torvalds, not Tiger Woods.
You know, when people are reaching back behind themselves whenever they need money... they're not digging around in their asses. They have this thing called a wallet and you put money in it. Then you put the wallet in your pocket. And thus you see people reaching back whenever they need some cash.
It's a lot easier than stuffing rolls of coins and wads of cash up your rectum. More hygienic too.
All I care about is a phone that has good audio quality so I can understand them and they me, and is small.
It's a PHONE people!!!
Tesla was a genius. Edison however was a overrated hack who liked to torture puppies.
Or perhaps, unlike celebrities the masses drool over, Linus's endorsement, let alone mere use, isn't worth that much. Frankly, I don't care what phone, dental floss, bike, or anything else he uses.
Your point is well taken, though. If you want to give away free samples, giving them to notorious critics of mostly everything is probably not a good idea.
It's a lot easier than stuffing rolls of coins and wads of cash up your rectum. More hygienic too.
However there can be benefits to storing coinage up your rectum.
If you were to say store unrolled rolls of pennies up your rectum then spend them at locations your boss visits then he would surely get some of that change when shopping there. Next time he goes to buy his kid an ice cream or take his wife out for coffee he's using money that has come from your rectum! You just can't buy that kind of superiority.
"If you are going through hell, keep going." - Winston Churchill
The Android API has always supported multitouch, and the recent update for the Nexus One adds multitouch for the browser and maps and images. Presumably there was a legal situation with Apple that's now been resolved.
How to solve most of our problems: 1.Lots of nuclear plants. 2.Cure aging.
Your point is well taken, though. If you want to give away free samples, giving them to notorious critics of mostly everything is probably not a good idea.
An entertaining case in point.
The iphone is multi-tasking for those built in apps that are allowed to. Even as a developer I am perfectly fine with this
as I know it keeps craplications from installing service listeners, ram chewers and other junk to my device. In use and in development
I have never seen the need for it on a phone device. All applications are required to save and have the ability to resume
when restarted so I really don't see the big deal about it. As a end user it just plain works and keeps the devices fairly junk
free which keeps the end users happy.
Got Code?
My little brother just got a Nokia N900 and brought it over to show off. My impression: this just might be the first phone I've ever seen which doesn't suck. apt-get install whateverthefuckyouwant totally embarrasses everybody's "app store" and on top of that it's a fully working product.
Is Nexus One getting there too? Cool. I knew shitty phones' days were numbered, but had no idea just what that number was. Looks like we've finally gotten to 0 and I can start taking the phone market seriously.
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Obligatory Ass Pennies
Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress
It's a lot easier than stuffing rolls of coins and wads of cash up your rectum. More hygienic too.
That's more of a long-term strategy.
This reminds me of when Carmack got all excited about gaming on a Mac...that turned out so well for Apple's gaming options (boot into Windows, play game developed for Windows).
Yeah, I'm probably just being completely unreasonable, wanting to listen to my XM radio app, while reading an ebook, using the FaceBook app, or browsing websites with my Touch. I should thank Apple for helping me learn the discipline to pick one time-waster at a time and stick with it. Unfortunately my Pre is reinforcing those bad habits with its needless multitasking.....damn you Palm!
Some bring out the best in others, some the worst. Some bring out far more.
When I got my N900 it was several days before I bothered moving my SIM card over to it. It was so much fun to carry around and use anyway. I used local WIFI connections.
The phone functionality is pretty minor part of the device.
Popping up remote X windows on the phone rocks, and the display is awesome.
I am now omnipotent!
Down is up, war is peace, single-tasking is the new hotness.
My God, it's Full of Source!
OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
They do, but only because it helps perpetuate the telco's control over you. They list the phone at $600, and you can pay $200... or even $100... that pricing is pretty plastic (I paid $100 for my DROID, out of pocket). They make it really easy to get a nice pocket computer, but they also know that schlepping these things around, they're lucky to last two years (in the case of an iPhone, the non-replaceable battery doesn't last two years except for casual users). So they'll get you next time.
Meanwhile, you're locked into a contract. You can break it, sure, but they not only have the termination penalty, but you have to pay off that expensive phone.
The bottom line: this prices are a total fiction. You can track this by looking at the devices. Entry level "free" phones these days cost about $20-25 to manufacture, soup to nuts. They list price is usually about $200. Any normal CE product would be around $50. Or take the iPhone... lists at $500-$600. But go to Best Buy.. they have the iPod Touch starting at around $200-$225... same device with about $40 in parts chucked out (cellular modem ~$30, bluetooth chip ~$3, microphone ~$1, etc.)
All the rumors were that Google was going to change this. They didn't.
Obviously, beyond the USA, where telco bundles are not always the rule, things may vary somewhat. Of course, elsewhere it's worse... Canadians have to deal with 3 year contracts as the standard, even given that the industry is only building devices with a 2-year life expectancy.
-Dave Haynie