SailfishOS on Nokia X

answered 2014-02-25 13:37:37 +0200

manut
576 ●8 ●11 ●15

Isn't it more important to get Jolla's features upto the level of their competition and possibly even better?

Some examples: improve the file manager with e.g. ability to create directories, set/change permissions, network-share-access (cif, NFS & bonjour), manual or automatic call-recording, mms, improve dialer (smart dialer please), improve the browser (e.g. native flash). Particularly with those features that others don't have (or not properly implemented) like callrecording, full featured filemanager with network-share access etc... Because it are those things that the "others"are skimping on. To make the Jolla a true safe cloud-INDEPENDENT device not tampered by the greed of big corporations to steal our private data.

A full offline PC-sync solution would also diversify the Jolla from the others.

Because once the addiction of e.g. Android games wanes off (which happens quickly enough because touch screens are horrible for a lot of games), you realise how restricted that Android phone is (particularly the western models). It's even worse with Windows Phone devices, iOS and definitely devices like the Nokia X which are crippled at the heart to begin with!

answered 2014-02-28 16:06:58 +0200

bart
563 ●9 ●15 ●20

http://twitter.com/bartpo...

Let me offer a counter-argument.

Many of us chose Jolla not beacause of what it does but because of how it does it. Jolla is open and has clearly taken a stance against the NSA shenanigans, for instance. Phones bought five years ago can set a per-contact ringtone, Jolla can't. But they can also be remotely controlled to turn on their microphone to spy on you. Jolla (hopefully) can't, or a least it doesn't have this as a "feature" built-in by the manufacturer for the secret services, kept hidden to the user (which, since its goal is to screw the user, is not surprising).

I know many people (I work in a tech-savvy environment with security conscious people, so the sample might be skewed) that would change Android for Sailfish in a heartbeat, but don't have the 400€ to drop on a Jolla right now.

Porting Sailfish to as many devices as possible will allow these users, that value "free speech" or "openness" or "nice interface" over "features" to enjoy the OS they want. Many of them are also programmers, which could be "recruited" to work on Apps for everyone's benefit.

Features will come with time, openness is an irreplacable core feature that should be spread as fast and as far as possible.

answered 2014-02-28 02:42:01 +0200

manut
576 ●8 ●11 ●15

updated 2014-02-28 02:53:50 +0200

"You do know that Adobe has dropped flash support for mobile completely right? " Yes, I KNOW that. I too have seen the anti-flash propaganda that's been set in motion by Apple.

Isn't it curious? Smartphones and tablets are becoming more powerful. Up to the level of desktops and yet certain desktop features are being depreciated. And nobody questions this?

Anyway. Why didn't you read no further than my Flash comment? In case you aren't familiar with English abbreviations, "e.g." means "Example Given". The browser needs more important improvement like rotation-lock (could be evoked by e.g. a toggle movement twisting the screen with 2 fingers), start- & search-engine managment, etc...

Did I tell you that I find Call-recording and offline PC syncing MORE important than flash? Did you all miss the other examples like "improve the file manager" , add network-share-access, mms, improve dialer (smart dialer please) etc...

there are even more pressing matters like adding self-timer to the photo app (which will be addressed by the 10.4.1 update), make the "media"-app a true media app instead of a "music"-app (or stop calling it media but music instead), plus the usual fixes of bugs (like using other sounds for notifications, the bugs with the ambiances etc...)

The fact is that currently the Jolla phone still has a lot less features than many competing smartphones-platforms. Some need to (or could be) addressed by 3rd parties others need to be addressed by Jolla. However I sometimes have the idea that a lot of people just want Sailfish (even with its current less convincing feature-set) to be ported to as much devices as possible.

Unfortunately I think it needs more incentive before punters would even consider to install it on their current devices and a lovely UI is just not good enough. People expect a certain feature-set and we aren't there yet. Don't get me wrong. The opportunities are there. But I think porting the OS to a cheapo crappy device isn't the right move. Especially when that device can do more out of the box already at the start. Which was the main question, wasn't it?

So IMHO we should first concentrate on more apps, more features, less bugs etc. before posting the eco-system to other platforms. Nonetheless I understand that some people believe that if Sailfish is ported (and distributed) to a lot more devices then a lot more potential developers can be reached, which might automatically mean accelerated app-development and hence create more momentum. I just don't agree with it.

Just my 2 cents