A long time ago, if something was Linux-powered it meant it was open-source, giving you the source code as well as the hardware specs and in that allowing you complete freedom to do whatever you want with the device. That was the beauty of it, that's why it was such a big deal.
These days it seems that (many) companies brand their products as "Linux this" and "Linux that" but offer nothing of the freedom that a true Linux product comes along with. So what is it this one then, a phone that just runs linux with a bunch of proprietary firmware crap and no hardware specs, or an open-source software and/or hardware phone? If it the former, it's nothing like the OpenMoko (which is an open-everything project).
I hope more people start making that distinction when it comes to open projects and linux-powered devices.
The Triumph proved to be one of the better looking and performing pre-paid handsets we'd had the pleasure of holding in our sweaty mitts, but we had one major hangup: the name.
The most commented posts on Engadget over the past 24 hours.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
A long time ago, if something was Linux-powered it meant it was open-source, giving you the source code as well as the hardware specs and in that allowing you complete freedom to do whatever you want with the device. That was the beauty of it, that's why it was such a big deal.
These days it seems that (many) companies brand their products as "Linux this" and "Linux that" but offer nothing of the freedom that a true Linux product comes along with. So what is it this one then, a phone that just runs linux with a bunch of proprietary firmware crap and no hardware specs, or an open-source software and/or hardware phone? If it the former, it's nothing like the OpenMoko (which is an open-everything project).
I hope more people start making that distinction when it comes to open projects and linux-powered devices.