Journalist writing about Jolla/Sailfish [not relevant]

answered 2015-05-06 08:43:45 +0300

Highmore
631 ●9 ●13 ●19

1) How would you describe the Jolla/Sailfish experience for ordinary users (not developers)?

I would put me in the ordinary user, I'm no developer and anytime I see a complex solution to a problem (especially involving lines of code) then I know I can't fix it. Having said that, I would say the Sailfish/Jolla experience is good - by no means perfect though. I use the Jolla as my everyday phone, and I get by just fine. Through the Android stores I've installed BBC Iplayer, Netflix, Tunein and a handful of other Android games and apps that don't exist in the Jolla store and they all work fine. Where possible, I use a native Jolla app in the (perhaps mistaken) belief that the system runs it more efficiently. That, and if possible, I'd rather use an app developed especially for the system. However, when I use my wife's Lumia 1020, or muck about on a friend's iPhone or whatever, I do notice that the OS is slicker than Sailfish. But, Sailfish is developing fast, and there are regular updates that increase usability all the time.

As for ease-of-use, I find Sailfish a breeze - I have come from the Nokia N9 so am used the a gesture-based OS. In fact, when I use my wife's Lumia, I find myself swiping the scree and feeling annoyed that nothing happens.

2) How important do you think it is for people - particularly in Europe - to embrace a European phone/mobile operating system -- to liberate themselves from Google/Apple?

I think there's an element of importance to this - I don't like how much of life has become digitalised, and how much so many different websites know about us. I've never been particularly active online - a little used Facebook account is all I really have, social media-wise, but even so it's worrying how much of ourselves is available, and how easy it is to uncover online vast swathes of what I would consider private information about people. Thus, I do like Sailfish and Jolla's approach to privacy, and their promises to never sell data etc.

As for the European company, it's nice to see the innovation, and it's also good to see ex-Nokia employees developing something new and fresh. Overall, I think that it's important to have some diversity in the mobile OS world, just to keep things from being dull or stale, and from keeping two companies from holding all the cards. I realise that Sailfish will never be anything more than a small niche, but at least it's something different - and it's great to see an active community play a strong part in the development of an OS, as well as the hardware with which to run the OS.

3) I'm an ordinary user, though able to play around with my computer. Yet I'm having teething problems with some things like CalDav/CardDav (syncing with my Apple laptop). How realistic do you think it is that users depart the comfort of the "golden cage" offered by iOS or Android (with their cloud services) over abstract data concerns as flagged by Edward Snowden?

Users coming from Android or IOS will have a problem adapting, I think, if only because you have to do a little more work to get things running well - finding patches on OpenRepos, for example. And yes, It's possible that people worried about privacy and data might leave IOS/Android/Windows Phone, but I think that it would have to be your biggest concern, as there are other phones (the Blackphone for example) that make a big deal out of privacy, and yet still run Android. However, the longer you stay with an OS, the more invested you are with it, and the harder it is to change. I think that's probably why OS users remain relatively stable. I came from the N9 though, which was being killed off and had bugger all apps anyway, so it's not a hard change to a new OS. However, if I had spent tens/hundreds of pounds on IOS apps would I make the change? Probably not.

answered 2015-05-06 12:50:44 +0300

Pim
566 ●10 ●16 ●22

How would you describe the Jolla/Sailfish experience for ordinary users (not developers)?

I found the learning curve to be very short and the user experience to be very natural. The interface is clean and minimalistic. Whenever I have to go back to an Android device I find the interface a complete mess. But if people (whether ordinary users or developers) are used to something else and don't adapt easily, it could take some time. A first time user may be able to learn Sailfish more quickly than other interfaces. Everybody I show that you on Jolla can do everything with your thumb is amazed and wonders why their phones still have buttons.

How important do you think it is for people - particularly in Europe - to embrace a European phone/mobile operating system -- to liberate themselves from Google/Apple?

I think it is important but not the main driver for Jolla. There is a strong underdog appeal, people like to see a small company succeed. People also like diversity. They think it can't be right that in this industry that is supposed to be about innovation there are only two options to choose from.

I'm an ordinary user, though able to play around with my computer. Yet I'm having teething problems with some things like CalDav/CardDav (syncing with my Apple laptop). How realistic do you think it is that users depart the comfort of the "golden cage" offered by iOS or Android (with their cloud services) over abstract data concerns as flagged by Edward Snowden?

Yes there is room for improvements in Sailfish, there will be as they are actively developing it. In the mean time, no doubt the vast majority of users will prefer the golden cage, but the minority that doesn't is a lot bigger than the minuscule community of current Jolla customers, so their prospects for growth are substantial.

answered 2015-05-06 19:00:04 +0300

danfin
3498 ●105 ●144 ●152

this is such a sexy OS, very well done, nicely designed, a joy to look at and (mostly) easy to use. The calendar is perfectly useful yet not looking spectacular or crowded with functions. It's open OS leaves plenty to fool around in software, and the hardware is stylish. Swipe down do hook up is missing!

answered 2015-05-06 21:36:48 +0300

meneer
3870 ●33 ●52 ●45

If you care about privacy, the best thing to do is to spread your identities and activities. 'Divide et Impera' still holds true as privacy is concerned. If you need an apple laptop for productivity and google apps in the cloud, then you are wise to pick another platform for you smartphone. That way the big providers are not able to profile you as one identity. So I have a split personality, no organisation knows all about me. I split my behaviour, takes some effort and some ease of use, but I gain some anonimity. So a Jolla with Sailfish fits nicely in this picture.

Then there's the matter of trust. Trust is a strange phenomenon. Ever since the Snowden revelations we know that at least the big American corps have to listen to not just their customers, but to governements even more. We don't trust them anymore. And that results in us leaving them for trustworthy initiatives. Either for companies that don't have to listen to govenments or for open source initiatives. I choose both: a small company and open source. Again, Jolla and SailfishOS fit nicely.

And the matter of sharing: using facebook, twitter, tumblr. By all means do so, but be aware that if you connect all services, then the providers can connect the dots as well. Or choose different solutions and different networks. I left facebook and joined a diaspora server. Not always convenient, but then again, it's my choice. And that's what freedom is all about.