copylefts (Re:off topic, yet on)

[Evan Leibovitch]

S P Arif Sahari Wibowo wrote:
> On Wed, 6 May 2009, Evan Leibovitch wrote:
>> given that GPLd applications running in the cloud don't need to
>> release source.
>
> Is that true? I can see that applies to server-side applications, but
> many of web application has most of the interface code delivered to
> the users as client-side applications (Javascript stuff). Wouldn't
> this constitute "distribution", and therefore the copyleft requirement
> (if any) will apply?

May be, but that would still only cover the UI bits. The heavy lifting
-- the real value added components where most of the would-be
proprietary bits would be -- are still server-side.


>> I predict that the most popular Linux client OS will be Android,
>
> Any future for Moblin and Limo?

In my opinion? Only if they're able to run Android apps. And even then
it'll be tough.

Apps support is key. And developers do not want to develop for any more
platforms than they have to.
As of now there are a bunch they have to consider, based on corporate
support and installed base.
- iPhone
- Blackberry
- WindowsMobile
- Symbian (freshly open sourced, but not Linux)
- Android

Frankly, I think that apps availability will be the achilles heel of the
Palm Pre. And if the Pre can't survive even with its innovative UI, then
Moblin and Limo are going to have a really hard time. This is not the
Linux desktop world -- there is little tolerance in smartphone space for
small players. Volume is everything -- in users, telcos, apps, etc.
There's more diversity here than on the PC desktop, but the market won't
likely tolerate more than we have now.

IMO Moblin is a thinly disguised way for Intel to get community support
for its aim to compete with ARM in smartphone space. I see the Moblin
project being more successful in bringing smartphone sensibilities to
netbooks, than the opposite. Unless Moblin will run Adroid apps (which
will be native for the ARM cpu) forget any significant smartphone
deployment.

As for LiMo, I see it going the way of OpenMoko. Motorola has abandoned
its Limo plans in favour of a strategy based on Android. Ditto Samsung.
Compare the membership of the Open Handset Alliance with the LiMo
Foundation, many have effectively jumped ship already.

- Evan

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