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Re: [LUG] handhelds and phones

 

On 10/10/06 14:18:11, Michael Mortimore wrote:
> Which? Palm OS5 or WinCE?
it is an xda2. as far as i've found there's no linux support for the
phone module and writing my own is beyond me.

Familiar benefits greatly from Compaq support - this isn't Vodafone's own hardware so try to find out who really makes it. Just like linmodems, it is the real identity of the chipset that matters, not the badge on the packaging.

I suspect the problem is, though, that you bought this as a phone with PDA added-on. Most GNU/Linux support is for the PDA and just as with software modems on the PC, software phones on these devices suffer from an almost complete lack of free software drivers. The only solution is to either not buy such devices or bug the manufacturer into releasing a driver. They are (presumably) pretending that there is no demand for non-Windows driver so the solution is to ensure that they know there IS a demand. It is the chipset manufacturers who need to be persuaded to work with the free software community - companies like Vodafone are inconsequential. If the hardware is supported, the Vodafone branding goes to /dev/null. (They know this and will put up all kinds of FUD about warranties etc.) If you were concerned about the warranty, you wouldn't even be considering replacing Windows Mobile with free software! The chipset manufacturer has no such concerns. If anything, bugging them to create a driver could make it easier for them to put that phone chipset into a different device.

(GNU/Linux is always the first OS to support new architectures and platforms.)

I use a Palm and a separate mobile (the iPAQ is a test machine) simply because I know I can access the Palm, making the mobile replaceable (keep the SIM, dump the handset). Think carefully about how often you use the phone capacity for PDA functions rather than simply as a phone.

Personally, I don't see the point of combining the two devices. I can use my Palm whilst I'm on the phone without resorting to a hands-free kit.

--

Neil Williams
=============
http://www.data-freedom.org/
http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/
http://www.linux.codehelp.co.uk/

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