Desktop, maybe. Mobile devices? Fat Bloody Chance.
It took Linux 8 years to get anywhere near usable on the desktop. There is no reason to think it will take any less time to get usable on cell phones (OpenMoko and Greenphone are pieces of crap and we all know it).
Moreover, no cell phone company in the United States will tolerate a device that is actually what we want, running Linux, on their network. There is a proportion at work here between capabilities and lock-down: the better a phone is, the more it can be used to make end-runs around a carrier's ways of milking its customers, and the more the carrier will try to lock it down.
because that would be what we like to call "fucking stupid."
In fact, your premise is wrong on its face, because OS X applications interoperate just fine with Windows. Even Mac HARDWARE works fine with Windows these days.
Where is the "incompatibility" problem? It stopped existing years ago. "Incompatible" is just a campfire ghost story made up by Microsoft to scare away consumers.
First of all, where did you get those absurd numbers from? Since when is the TyTN $860? Why is it that I purchased mine for $399 and got a free Bluetooth headset while I was at it -- and that was a year ago?
At the same time, it also looks like the OS X architecture wasn't designed from the start to accommodate open development, so providing open access now is not just a matter of "letting people in," but in making sure the system can handle it.
What kind of absurdist assertion is this? Have you even LOOKED at the real programming interface for the iPhone? I suspect the answer is "no." While you've been picking your nose and shouting the virtues of AJAX (AJAX? Are you serious? REALLY? AJAX?), the iPhone "unauthorized" developers have been writing all kinds of applications that work *right now* and *all the time*, as opposed to AJAX applications which work "when the page finally finishes loading," because HTTP is stateless and not a good fit for many, many application models, and "only when the network is accessible," which is utterly worthless in areas that have neither EDGE coverage nor WiFi.
As an example of how bad AJAX is, let's look at a very, very simple application example. How about a financial account tracker? Great. With AJAX, I have to keep -- read this very carefully -- all of my banking information on someone else's server somewhere. Wow. That sounds like a goddamn terrific idea, doesn't it?
With Objective-C, on the other hand, all of my data stays securely stored on my iPhone, as is the case with MobileMoney.app. It can even import data from Quicken now. Mind you, this application has been developed over the span of approximately a month and a half. Who knows what else can be accomplished with more time and the guarantee that Apple isn't going to stomp all over your ability to do what you want with the device you purchased with your own money?
The "system," Dan, is entirely capable of "handling it." There are about 40 applications on my iPhone and it slows no signs of slowing down or having any trouble whatsoever. This is because Apple writes very, very good software and designs very, very good hardware. I have no problems with security (but of course everyone knew that was bull as soon as it came out of Steve's mouth). I have no problems with existing functionality being "damaged" somehow by the add-on software. Everything works very, very well. Much is possible with the exploitation of the Mobile OS X API.
It's a bit like people waiting in line at a busy restaurant. They see open tables and bitch because they think they should be seated immediately, but if they were, they'd be complaining about the service being slow and the kitchen being backed up. It's easy to run multibillion dollar operations from the safety of home, but Apple seems to be doing a good job of actually delivering real technology.
Did you have a point here, or what? All that is being asked for right now is for Apple to stop gimping our ability to write real applications for the iPhone and iPod touch in an effort to keep the phone locked to AT&T. News flash, Apple: it isn't going to work. Give up the race against the hackers, who do this in their free time because they love it and because they love the platform. Stop fighting the very people who would love to take the justification to evangelize the product to everyone they know and run with it.
We don't need support for the API right now. We don't even need documentation (though it would be nice). All we need is for the door to be open, but right now it looks like firmware 1.1.1 (which I will not be downgrading to from 1.0.2) is going to shut the existing door just like it's shut on the iPod touch.
If developers really wanted to impress us with their work, why haven't we seen very many web apps tuned for the iPhone like Facebook's iphone.facebook.com ? That app demonstrates what can be done,
Apple machines will not always do whatever it is you want them to do. c.f. the iPhone, which despite Apple's recent assurances that they will not "intentionally" meddle with 3rd-party applications, will probably receive a firmware update tomorrow that will break the hacks.
This is unacceptable for me, as the iPhone is essentially useless to me without them.
If Apple insists on continuing down a "screw you, you'll take what we give you and like it" path, I'll be forced to ditch the iPhone on eBay, sign up for a different plan, and deprive them of my royalties. C'est la vie.
SMS works just fine. I am thinking of developing an application that sends text messages via EDGE rather than GSM so that you don't have to spend as much on text messages. I really couldn't care less about MMS since the iPhone has email (and there is now an application that lets you attach photos).
As for that it is the thing shame which cannot understand English! But when you grasp of language you than grasp of actuality furthermore being thinner in it posts with Slashdot, not to lie, no one becomes aware! The egg which it inhales do!
(Courtesy of Babelfish double-Japanese translation, from this: It is a shame that you cannot understand the English language! But truly, when you post on Slashdot, no one will notice that your grasp of the language is even more tenuous than your grasp on reality! Go suck an egg!)
Seriously, please learn the language of the site before you try to post here.
It's called "Suck it up, Mary, and actually sit down with your kid and have a chat with him about something that makes you uncomfortable. Parenting is uncomfortable sometimes. Fucking deal with it."
God, I hate people with avoidance issues. Especially when they're raising children.
"At the expense of functionality?" It simply sacrifices one kind of functionality (storage space) for another (touch interface, OS X). Even a leftist troll should be able to understand that.
are actually the same in one very important way: they depend on people to be, in some way, perfect.
Libertarianism fails unless people are perfectly educated and perfectly generous (because libertarianism admits the need for social services, but claims it can be met by charity), and Communism fails unless people have a perfect work ethic.
but there are security measures in place that ensure that you will not be able to use any faster data connection than GPRS unless your phone is approved by (read: sold by) the carrier.
GSM (voice) and GPRS will work fine. Nothing else will.
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All of that was great for Apple. How is any of it great for iPhone users?
Desktop, maybe. Mobile devices? Fat Bloody Chance.
It took Linux 8 years to get anywhere near usable on the desktop. There is no reason to think it will take any less time to get usable on cell phones (OpenMoko and Greenphone are pieces of crap and we all know it).
Moreover, no cell phone company in the United States will tolerate a device that is actually what we want, running Linux, on their network. There is a proportion at work here between capabilities and lock-down: the better a phone is, the more it can be used to make end-runs around a carrier's ways of milking its customers, and the more the carrier will try to lock it down.
because that would be what we like to call "fucking stupid."
In fact, your premise is wrong on its face, because OS X applications interoperate just fine with Windows. Even Mac HARDWARE works fine with Windows these days.
Where is the "incompatibility" problem? It stopped existing years ago. "Incompatible" is just a campfire ghost story made up by Microsoft to scare away consumers.
First of all, where did you get those absurd numbers from? Since when is the TyTN $860? Why is it that I purchased mine for $399 and got a free Bluetooth headset while I was at it -- and that was a year ago?
At the same time, it also looks like the OS X architecture wasn't designed from the start to accommodate open development, so providing open access now is not just a matter of "letting people in," but in making sure the system can handle it.
What kind of absurdist assertion is this? Have you even LOOKED at the real programming interface for the iPhone? I suspect the answer is "no." While you've been picking your nose and shouting the virtues of AJAX (AJAX? Are you serious? REALLY? AJAX?), the iPhone "unauthorized" developers have been writing all kinds of applications that work *right now* and *all the time*, as opposed to AJAX applications which work "when the page finally finishes loading," because HTTP is stateless and not a good fit for many, many application models, and "only when the network is accessible," which is utterly worthless in areas that have neither EDGE coverage nor WiFi.
As an example of how bad AJAX is, let's look at a very, very simple application example. How about a financial account tracker? Great. With AJAX, I have to keep -- read this very carefully -- all of my banking information on someone else's server somewhere. Wow. That sounds like a goddamn terrific idea, doesn't it?
With Objective-C, on the other hand, all of my data stays securely stored on my iPhone, as is the case with MobileMoney.app. It can even import data from Quicken now. Mind you, this application has been developed over the span of approximately a month and a half. Who knows what else can be accomplished with more time and the guarantee that Apple isn't going to stomp all over your ability to do what you want with the device you purchased with your own money?
The "system," Dan, is entirely capable of "handling it." There are about 40 applications on my iPhone and it slows no signs of slowing down or having any trouble whatsoever. This is because Apple writes very, very good software and designs very, very good hardware. I have no problems with security (but of course everyone knew that was bull as soon as it came out of Steve's mouth). I have no problems with existing functionality being "damaged" somehow by the add-on software. Everything works very, very well. Much is possible with the exploitation of the Mobile OS X API.
It's a bit like people waiting in line at a busy restaurant. They see open tables and bitch because they think they should be seated immediately, but if they were, they'd be complaining about the service being slow and the kitchen being backed up. It's easy to run multibillion dollar operations from the safety of home, but Apple seems to be doing a good job of actually delivering real technology.
Did you have a point here, or what? All that is being asked for right now is for Apple to stop gimping our ability to write real applications for the iPhone and iPod touch in an effort to keep the phone locked to AT&T. News flash, Apple: it isn't going to work. Give up the race against the hackers, who do this in their free time because they love it and because they love the platform. Stop fighting the very people who would love to take the justification to evangelize the product to everyone they know and run with it.
We don't need support for the API right now. We don't even need documentation (though it would be nice). All we need is for the door to be open, but right now it looks like firmware 1.1.1 (which I will not be downgrading to from 1.0.2) is going to shut the existing door just like it's shut on the iPod touch.
If developers really wanted to impress us with their work, why haven't we seen very many web apps tuned for the iPhone like Facebook's iphone.facebook.com ? That app demonstrates what can be done,
It depends largely on how successful we are in writing kexts.
Stay tuned.
That was awesome how you completely dodged the question of locked-up iPhones and iPod touches.
For the record, I own three Macs, four if you count my (jailbroken, actually USEFUL) iPhone.
which will enable everything else (short of 3G).
1) SDK
2) Uncrippled Bluetooth.
Apple machines will not always do whatever it is you want them to do. c.f. the iPhone, which despite Apple's recent assurances that they will not "intentionally" meddle with 3rd-party applications, will probably receive a firmware update tomorrow that will break the hacks.
This is unacceptable for me, as the iPhone is essentially useless to me without them.
If Apple insists on continuing down a "screw you, you'll take what we give you and like it" path, I'll be forced to ditch the iPhone on eBay, sign up for a different plan, and deprive them of my royalties. C'est la vie.
Does anyone actually USE video calling?? WHY?
SMS works just fine. I am thinking of developing an application that sends text messages via EDGE rather than GSM so that you don't have to spend as much on text messages. I really couldn't care less about MMS since the iPhone has email (and there is now an application that lets you attach photos).
As for that it is the thing shame which cannot understand English! But when you grasp of language you than grasp of actuality furthermore being thinner in it posts with Slashdot, not to lie, no one becomes aware! The egg which it inhales do!
(Courtesy of Babelfish double-Japanese translation, from this: It is a shame that you cannot understand the English language! But truly, when you post on Slashdot, no one will notice that your grasp of the language is even more tenuous than your grasp on reality! Go suck an egg!)
Seriously, please learn the language of the site before you try to post here.
It's called "Suck it up, Mary, and actually sit down with your kid and have a chat with him about something that makes you uncomfortable. Parenting is uncomfortable sometimes. Fucking deal with it."
God, I hate people with avoidance issues. Especially when they're raising children.
Well, whatever code NeoOffice uses to read those formats could be ported to the iPhone and iPod Touch.
It's only a matter of time, really.
They should be selling merch and touring.
Silly newb.
It's a Newton.
"At the expense of functionality?" It simply sacrifices one kind of functionality (storage space) for another (touch interface, OS X). Even a leftist troll should be able to understand that.
Well, no. It isn't. At all, actually.
No Bluetooth.
Bluetooth would have made this the ultimate geek tool. Not no' mo'.
Honestly, selling the unlock has to be illegal in so many ways.
The DMCA has a specific exemption for this.
are actually the same in one very important way: they depend on people to be, in some way, perfect.
Libertarianism fails unless people are perfectly educated and perfectly generous (because libertarianism admits the need for social services, but claims it can be met by charity), and Communism fails unless people have a perfect work ethic.
There's already been a software unlock produced from the fruits of the hardware one. It's not at all difficult to unlock an iPhone now.
Quick, take them to the poshital in a bamalance!
Got a lot of bites with this one.
That's pretty sucktacular.
It also doesn't make any sense. iPhone is manifestly NOT a business device, by design. Blackberry does not compete with iPhone.
Apple need to get less paranoid.
but there are security measures in place that ensure that you will not be able to use any faster data connection than GPRS unless your phone is approved by (read: sold by) the carrier.
GSM (voice) and GPRS will work fine. Nothing else will.
a no-go for anyone. The keyboard and crippled Bluetooth spring directly to mind. My HTC Hermes is simply incredible with all the stuff it can do.