WebOS dead [was: Recommendations for Android wifi tablet?]

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From: Lennart Sorensen <lsorense-1wCw9BSqJbv44Nm34jS7GywD8/FfD2ys at public.gmane.org>

| > HP's WebOS is built on Linux.  Not sure if it is at all open -- I
| > expect not.  It's not dead yet.
| 
| A proprietary user space running on a linux kernel is even worse than
| android, which does occationally release sources to its proprietary
| user space.

HP today announced it is dicontinuing its tablet and phones.  I
extrapolate that this means that WebOS is dead.
  <http://h30261.www3.hp.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=71087&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1598003&highlight=>

    "Exploring strategic alternatives for Personal Systems Group;
    shutting down operations for webOS devices and exploring strategic
    alternatives for webOS software "

If there is not hardware for WebOS, I'm not sure that the software has
any purpose.

They are thinking of / working on spinning off or disposing their PC
business.

They've been selling the tablet for a month or two.  Hard to imagine
that they can figure market acceptance in such a short time.

If I bought one, I'd be mad.  I'd hope they'd buy it back.

If it were open source, the owners could manage to keep software
support going.  Hardware support is another matter but I think that US
law forces HP to provide 5 years of hardware support.

HP should release WebOS source now, but I imagine that it won't and
perhaps cannot.
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