[Freedombox-discuss] Debian FreedomBox = Existing Debian packages on plug hardware

[Jonas Smedegaard]

On Tue, Mar 01, 2011 at 02:44:09PM +0100, Eugen Leitl wrote:
>On Tue, Mar 01, 2011 at 01:53:33PM +0100, Jonas Smedegaard wrote:
>
>>>> The target for the Freedom Box is a plug device. These have 
>>>> 800Mhz/1.2Ghz ARM processors and 512MB of RAM and at least 512MB
>>>
>>> Yes, you're describing a low-end Android phone here.
>>
>> No, plug devices are not phones.
>
>My point you possibly failed to get was that openi-sh cheap (~100 EUR) 
>smartphones have equivalent to superior hardware specs to plug 
>computers,

Phones are not Plug devices, even if some specs are comparable.



>>> The only problem I see is Android specifics, which won't play nice 
>>> with the Debian toolchain.
>>
>> If I am not mistaken, the topic of this mailinglist is the _Debian_ 
>> FreedomBox project.  Not the Google FreedomBox project or whatever 
>> else.
>
>I'm not sure what your point is.

This mailinglist was created in direct response to a talk made in July 
at a Debian conference, where Eben Moglen challenged the Debian 
community to put the already production-ready Debian distro onto the 
already production-ready Plug devices, "just" make the combination dead 
simple for non-geeks to consume.
   
Debian supports Plug devices, not Android phones.  Debian also support a 
gazillion devices other than Plug devices, and a gazillion other use 
cases, but I dare say this particular project was created with the 
relatively narrow scope of consumer-friendly design + Plug devices + 
Debian subset of freedom-enabling technologies.

Not phones. Not OpenWrt. Not virtual machines. Not freeing new hardware.  
Not inventing, implementing or packaging new technologies.  All those 
tasks are very very VERY relevant for World Freedoms, but for this 
project they are relevant only as inspirational references.



>I would suggest rather keep technical lists focused on their respective 
>topic, but build an inclusive umbrella platform with multiple ongoing 
>external projects having their sublists and wikis and code 
>depositories, with some crosscommunication do avoid duplication of 
>effort and encourage crossporting of existing and emerging packages.
>
>Is there any reason why Debian would officially oppose hosting such a 
>project?

I suppose not.  But check for yourself at http://wiki.debian.org/Alioth 
- especially the link to "Guidelines for packaging projects on Alioth".


  - Jonas

-- 
   * Jonas Smedegaard - idealist & Internet-arkitekt
   * Tlf.: +45 40843136  Website: http://dr.jones.dk/

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