After some time lurking the mailing list, this caused mainly by cause of Nokia dropping Maemo OS backwards compatibility towards 770 internet tablet, I am enjoying the discussion arousen since the N900 was announced after being leaked a couple months ago. I'd like to ask some comments to the debate:
> Seems to me, the primary technical thing that is probably holding adoption of Linux back has more do with the lack of a strong gaming/video platform on Linux to fill the DirectX niche.
I partially agree with that point. Linux *Ubuntu is having trouble with some videocard manufacturers such as Ati and Nvidia because there are some parts of their drivers' code they do not seem willing to give away. currently this leads to the open source community developing a new FLOSS driver on their own, but the point is that it is not sufficiently evolved to run top-notch last-gen videogames and 3D applications. Of course, OpenGL works just great and there are literally thousands of wonderful 3D stuff available out there for GNU/Linux systems, but IMHO this market is still not mature. But might be about to be (I hope). By the way, when will internet tablet mobile phones start including an embedded GPU? I am yearning for that to happen!
> If it were a hassle to install Ubuntu on a Windows netbook, you might have a point,
> but such isn't the case. If you want Linux netbook, buy a Windows
> netbook, download Ubuntu and install (perhaps 3 clicks?). It's not
> rocket science.
That's just right. Except from the 3 clicks Ubuntu install, which is a little more complex stuff to do than that. Actually, market is showing us that in order to properly configure a Linux system one needs a more expert (more costly) working labour. Because it is so much powerful and flexible than a closed system.
I opted for buying the cheaper Windows netbook and installing KUbuntu (or Xandros? or other?) on my own, but six months later I have been just too lazy or busy to do so, which I plan to do in the near future in order to have a dual boot netbook.
On N900: I think it is just great that it finally came out, and I love the SIM-card, Skype and YouTube features, but two doubts strike me by night: Will it be priced so costly that even a most closed privative iPhone would seem a more suitable option to my pocket? I hope the screen is much more better in N900 than it was on N770 (I mean, resistent, sensitive, oilphobic, unscratchable, multitouch, outdoors viewable and the likes) and the that camera could be rotated.
And: given the observed pace in Nokia maemo powered devices commercialization, and the lack of backwards compatibility support for older models, wouldn't it be better for me to wait until N910 got out, solving some of the first software/hardware issues which may (will) be discovered?
The answer is probably on the price and availability of the device in my country. If I can afford it and can migrate my current cellphone account easily, then I will buy it first day it comes out. If I consider it to be overpriced, then I'd probably better wait for next generation to hit stores...
Thank you for reading :)
Ingeniero en Informática
Master en Dirección de Tecnologías de la Información
Postgraduando en Ingeniería Matemática
> Seems to me, the primary technical thing that is probably holding adoption of Linux back has more do with the lack of a strong gaming/video platform on Linux to fill the DirectX niche.
I partially agree with that point. Linux *Ubuntu is having trouble with some videocard manufacturers such as Ati and Nvidia because there are some parts of their drivers' code they do not seem willing to give away. currently this leads to the open source community developing a new FLOSS driver on their own, but the point is that it is not sufficiently evolved to run top-notch last-gen videogames and 3D applications. Of course, OpenGL works just great and there are literally thousands of wonderful 3D stuff available out there for GNU/Linux systems, but IMHO this market is still not mature. But might be about to be (I hope). By the way, when will internet tablet mobile phones start including an embedded GPU? I am yearning for that to happen!
> If it were a hassle to install Ubuntu on a Windows netbook, you might have a point,
> but such isn't the case. If you want Linux netbook, buy a Windows
> netbook, download Ubuntu and install (perhaps 3 clicks?). It's not
> rocket science.
That's just right. Except from the 3 clicks Ubuntu install, which is a little more complex stuff to do than that. Actually, market is showing us that in order to properly configure a Linux system one needs a more expert (more costly) working labour. Because it is so much powerful and flexible than a closed system.
I opted for buying the cheaper Windows netbook and installing KUbuntu (or Xandros? or other?) on my own, but six months later I have been just too lazy or busy to do so, which I plan to do in the near future in order to have a dual boot netbook.
On N900: I think it is just great that it finally came out, and I love the SIM-card, Skype and YouTube features, but two doubts strike me by night: Will it be priced so costly that even a most closed privative iPhone would seem a more suitable option to my pocket? I hope the screen is much more better in N900 than it was on N770 (I mean, resistent, sensitive, oilphobic, unscratchable, multitouch, outdoors viewable and the likes) and the that camera could be rotated.
And: given the observed pace in Nokia maemo powered devices commercialization, and the lack of backwards compatibility support for older models, wouldn't it be better for me to wait until N910 got out, solving some of the first software/hardware issues which may (will) be discovered?
The answer is probably on the price and availability of the device in my country. If I can afford it and can migrate my current cellphone account easily, then I will buy it first day it comes out. If I consider it to be overpriced, then I'd probably better wait for next generation to hit stores...
Thank you for reading :)
###############################
Alfonso de la Fuente RuizIngeniero en Informática
Master en Dirección de Tecnologías de la Información
Postgraduando en Ingeniería Matemática
Entra en mi bitácora: "El
blog de Alfonso y compañía"
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