Free Software Linux

On Open Enterprise blog.

TechCrunch IT are reporting that Nokia has bought Symbian Ltd, the software development company famous for creating the proprietary operating system for mobile devices, Symbian OS.

“We want to educate open-source developers. There are certain business rules [developers] need to obey, such as DRM, IPR [intellectual property rights], SIM locks and subsidised business models.”

Linux, which has been much maligned by Symbian and Microsoft as a non-starter in the handset operating system market, is set to see strong growth as issues with framework fragmentation and silicon requirements are alleviated.

A Nokia-sponsored project is porting Ubuntu Linux to the ARM architecture. The “Handheld Mojo” team has completed ARM builds of Feisty Fawn (dubbed “Frisky Firedrake”), and Gutsy Gibbon (”Grumpy Griffin”), with Hardy Heron compilation starting soon. Meanwhile, Ubuntu is gaining better support for devices with small screens and limited input devices thanks to work by [...]

The open source Maemo platform, which is used on Nokia's Internet Tablet devices, will soon support Trolltech's Qt development toolkit. read more

You may have heard of the ARM architecture, but you may not know just how widespread it is: ARM today announced that the total number of processors shipped by its Partners has exceeded ten billion. The company developed its first embeddable RISC core, the ARM6 processor, in 1991, and its semiconductor Partners currently ship almost three billion ARM Powered processors each year. So news that Ubuntu is being ported to the architecture is pretty cool:

Nokia S60 phones only: Freeware mobile application JoikuSpot Light turns your phone into a wireless hotspot that you can use, for example, to connect your laptop to the internet anywhere you've got...

Nokia to acquire Trolltech to accelerate software strategy

Trolltech’s Qt-based technology facilitate application development for multiple platforms and devices
Nokia and Trolltech ASA today announced that they have entered into an agreement that Nokia will make a public voluntary tender offer to acquire Trolltech ...

Nokia to acquire Trolltech to accelerate software strategy

Trolltech’s Qt-based technology facilitate application development for multiple platforms and devices
Nokia and Trolltech ASA today announced that they have entered into an agreement that Nokia will make a public voluntary tender offer to acquire Trolltech ...

"...'Ogg' is a wrapper that ties together 'Theora' encoded video and 'Vorbis' encoded sound. Together, Ogg Theora+Vorbis give users a way to see movies on your computer. Ogg Vorbis+Theora are not known to be encumbered by any patents (the only applicable patent on Theora’s predecessor, called 'VP3', was licensed for everyone to use in any way they want). Ogg Theora+Vorbis are implementable on nearly all modern computers. There is free software (zero-cost and freely to sharable and modifiable) to make and play Ogg Vorbis+Theora movies. Ogg Vorbis+Theora are a great basis for interoperability and a fine choice to recommend in any standard that uses multimedia files precisely because everyone can use Ogg Theora+Vorbis..."

Nokia's maemo team officially announced OS2008 for Nokia Internet Tablets (N800 and N810) today. There are a great deal of changes and upgrades so I am reviewing this OS as software product all by itself. It is available for download on the tablets-dev site.

HTML5 spec is expected to introduce new audio and video capabilities into the HTML language. However, it seems that Nokia and Apple have succeeded in removing Ogg Vorbis and Theora support from the current draft which decision has caused lots of heated political discussion. Some critics claim that the decision is mostly based on reluctance to back a standard that has no provision for including DRM, while others have mentioned potential patent uncertainties as the main reason not to back Ogg Vorbis and Theora.

Nokia has joined Apple in calling for a change in the video code requirements for HTML 5. Specifically they want the W3C Working Group to drop the requirement that browsers and devices support the Ogg video and audio codecs.

"Nokia and Apple have privately pushed to give Ogg the noose treatment (and so far succeeded) in HTML5. This destroyed all hope of having free (as in freedom) media embedded in HTML5 in an interoperable way..." -- via slashdot http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/12/11/1339251&from=rss