Comments on: Jaqback, Issue 3

By: gbraad

gbraad — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 01:58:42 +0000

N900 does not have the userbase, but it has native apps which can show the full potential of the device. Recently it was shown it can dualboot Mer, Fedora, Android and probably Ubuntu won’t be far off… it can already run a chrooted debian. But yes, Android has more applications available.

But as I remember Canonical was busy with an effort to run Andreoid apps on the Ubuntu desktop… like a compatibility layer. How is this progressing? I could see this also run on other desktops… but even on the N900/Maemo! As I said, the phone is powerful enough and already has most of the same components running. Canonical, open it up I would say .

By: gbraad

gbraad — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 01:51:49 +0000

last year was a weird situation about China and the Internet: they blocked certain news sites, but wikipedia was completely open, I could search for the tiananmen photos, etc. While it was known that Internet was more controlled and monitored due to the National anniversary of 60 years communism.

I also tried to open Linux Outlaws during that time… and didn’t work yeah. But most people (students, foreigners) I know use a VPN in China :-S. I can’t say for sure it was blocked by that time. Most of the times you have to refresh a page to get all the images loaded correctly due to timeouts with Western websites.

Just keep mentioning RedFlag Linux and you will be on! Sidenote: those guys at RFL are really good guys… met them at the BeijingLUG!

By: James Duncan

James Duncan — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:30:38 +0000

Opinion: Online pleasures like checking email all the time are Pavlovian, and possible to get addicted to. Texting is similar.

Effort/reward mechanisms are powerful, and addiction is possible.

By: HoellP

HoellP — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 16:45:28 +0000

The platform in the existing version is pretty young, it’s not even half a year on the market, so clearly there is not a tool for everything. The main difference to the other “smartphones”, which the N900 is clearly not, is that it behaves like a Linux. You don’t need “apps” for every little function. And development is really picking up pace right now, every day new packages come to the maemo extras repo, additionally to the corporation centered Ovi store, managed by Nokia. Especially the Debian Armel repos is a huge ressource which is just scratched until now. Personally i didn’t even think about getting an IPhone or an Android based one, for me OpenSource is the way of the future, so clearly i invest my money there. If i have to wait a little longer to be able to do everything i want is i price i pay gladly. So to sum it up, i think Maemo is the best mobile OS out there right now, but i also think Ubuntu is the best Desktop OS out there right now. Just that you get my perspective.

By: James Duncan

James Duncan — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 12:04:09 +0000

This is not actually true – the Nexus One can be rooted and run arbitrary code even on the OS level. Even a non-rooted device can have your own code run on it, and install apps from outside the app store. All that is needed is to check a box saying ‘allow apps from outside the market’ and saying yes to the this-may-kill-your-cat warning. In fact, you can even run your code on the phone directly from Eclipse.

By: James Duncan

James Duncan — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 12:00:43 +0000

For the OS or for the Freedom? I got a Nexus One for the latter, which came rooted by default.

By: sil

sil — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 08:24:25 +0000

Interesting. Are you able to find apps that do what you want for a given situation?

By: HoellP

HoellP — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 08:22:20 +0000

Same goes for me. I don’t even know one line of code… Still i love my N900 and i’m writing from it right now while listening to this episode. I see the advantage quite the same as with Ubuntu.

By: Dan

Dan — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:33:39 +0000

Thanks for reading my email gents. Interesting too hear someone say they can get both podcasts in China. Linux Outlaws was definitely banned there last year, I had a few friends who couldn't download it while traveling there at different occasions. We've also had a lot of emails about the problem. Maybe they've softened up after we mentioned Red Flag Linux a few times.

I agree with the point about the N900 having a small user base. Android is undoubtedly the place to be right now with the market. So many companies are pushing it. I don't see the N900 hitting the general public like that, even though the hardware and software kick ass. I just wanted to mention it to show that mobile development doesn't have to be awkward. I don't have to write my own apps to get things done either, thats why I have apt-get. It's not the same as the Android Market for a non technical user though it's true. That's very strong.

Keep up the good work,

Dan

By: .james

.james — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 18:10:24 +0000

I just edited the guide page to include that information. Go me!

By: x1101

x1101 — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:43:14 +0000

I would raz you guys about not using free-er tech for recording, but really, there isn’t a drop in replacement. Sure you could try to use ephiany for the call, which might eliminate the need for skype, but there is still a lack of good truly free technology to replace ubuntu-one.

As for neither you gents nor the Linux Outlaws being banned in China, it must mean your not trying hard enough But honestly, the situation there is bad, and I am glad there are people like you guys who are ballsy enough to raise awareness. I have oft thought that someone needs to organize a world wide group to spread the word about all of the different laws in all the different countries trying to suppress free speech on the internet. With some kind of global awareness, people could work to pressure their governments to speak out against it, and maybe get something done.

Wow, that was rather longer than I intended it to be. Keep up to good work.

By: Scott Lavender

Scott Lavender — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:13:24 +0000

I'm famous and immortal now!

Just kidding, thanks for reading and answering my email, Jono and Aq!

I gather that Linux Outlaws uses similar methodology for their podcast as well.

I had assumed you used JACK and you see where assumptions get you.

By: DeeJay1

DeeJay1 — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:22:26 +0000

Don’t even joke about blocking. Here in Poland the government accepted a law project to allow banning of web pages and other online services and well, the community isn’t really pleased with that… Well, that would be a nice (flaming topic…

By: B1ackcr0w

B1ackcr0w — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:52:26 +0000

I would like to graciously accept the honorable title of “Linux Podcasting’s biggest omnipresent Mention Slut”. In my defence, I offer the following explanations.

My day job is really fucking boring. Due to a weird confluence of circumstance, I find myself trapped in a job that I am pretty much uniquely qualified to do, but am virtually unemployable in any other role. Being grimly aware of the situation, they underpay me shockingly, but let let me get away with blue murder in all other respects, lest I pull a hissy and quit. I provide highly niche proprietry SAAS, because despite its largetime suckiness, it pays the mortguage. Seriously, unless I occupy my mind, I regularly fall asleep at my desk. So my bosses don’t mind me hacking about on my own little peccadillos, it’s better than the customer asking why i’m snoring.
I have a huge, insaitiable ego. If only Mozart could have written tunes that sound as sweet as the melody of my own glorious voice.

Sorry if I annoy anybody by repeatedly popping up in podcasts. Consider it an unofficial “Care in the community” outreach scheme for Under-entertained Geeks with Vanity issues

By: marxjohnson

marxjohnson — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:29:15 +0000

Apologies, Aq. Forgive JONO for hating freedom :p

Chuckles aside, the show's great both in audio quality and in content. Enjoying every shot!

By: jono

jono — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:03:04 +0000

Also, check out http://shotofjaq.org/scratchpad/ScratchpadGuide

By: ichi kidana

ichi kidana — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:02:34 +0000

the last lugradio live is still not available, no audio nor video.

By: jono

jono — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:00:56 +0000

Thanks John for the kind comments and suggestion!

By: jono

jono — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:00:06 +0000

I am sure they are thrilled.

By: hessiess

hessiess — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 08:30:31 +0000

I think that there should be more mobile devices like the N900 which are completely open to development. The vast majority of phones are imposable to develop for and the ones that are, i.e. the Android and IPhone have major problems associated with them such as the inability to just run code on the iphone, it must go through the app store, and as you have mentioned the lack of diversity of languages available for use.

By: sil

sil — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 08:26:04 +0000

ah, cool. We were going on an email we’d received. So the Chinese government is OK with our criticism, then

By: sil

sil — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 08:23:45 +0000

There’s a small “Edit” link in the footer.

By: .james

.james — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:38:50 +0000

Is it the case that scratchpad pages can only be added to by twitter? I wanted to add a thingy to the suggestions page, but couldn't see how to make an edit, even in spite of the tempting slice of cheesecake that was the idea of not needing to make an account.

By: Sam Weston

Sam Weston — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:53:39 +0000

Fair enough. I had no idea that was the case. Might try tweaking some settings to get it fixed.

By: gbraad

gbraad — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:33:43 +0000

Jono mentioned today that Shot of Jaq is blocked in China. This is not true… same goes for Linux Outlaws. Both websites and podcasts I can open in Beijing.