I honestly don't think this will make WebOS better. Consumers didn't chose it when Palm made devices with it, nor did they when HP did. Why would anyone want this now? Open-source projects rarely turn out to good for the user. Maintaing an OS via open-source is a huge task, just ask the Ubuntu team - which have had a difficult time for decades to break into consumers mindsets.
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HP Turns WebOS Open Source, Could Offer Manufacturers Alternative to Android
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... Decades? Ubuntu came out back in '04... thanks for proving that everything you just said isn't credible tho.
The problem now is Its like being in the queue at a subway Restaurant too much choice, its just gonna cause compatibility and confusion for end users. I'll always chose iOS mind since its the best option for myself.
Symbian is open sourced too. without someone taking the lead to spearhead the development, this will go nowhere.
Google has the incentive to develop Android because they need to expand their ad and search platform, but what would HP gain from an open sourced WebOS?
I hope this works out
Competition and innovation are good for everyone. I liked WebOS the first time I tested it, but the Palm hardware was subpar.
With Google buying Motorola Wireless, HTC, LG and others should take a close look at WebOS as an alternative.
Additionally, WebOS provides a far better user experience than anything I have tried from RIM. RIM should seriously consider using WebOS as their primary OS platform of the future.
All in all, I hope this works out and I hope it adds competition that will compel other OS providers to innovate.
Competition and innovation are good for everyone. I liked WebOS the first time I tested it, but the Palm hardware was subpar.
With Google buying Motorola Wireless, HTC, LG and others should take a close look at WebOS as an alternative.
Additionally, WebOS provides a far better user experience than anything I have tried from RIM. RIM should seriously consider using WebOS as their primary OS platform of the future.
All in all, I hope this works out and I hope it adds competition that will compel other OS providers to innovate.
Exactly. I'm not sure why people are excited by this. Google seems to put a LOT of work into Android each year. From what this sounds like I don't think HP will be doing the same.
I doubt you'll see much out of this other than as something 'rooting' hobbyists have to play around with. I'm thinking that the 'Web OS Community' and the 'iPhone Jailbreak Community' will probably be very similar groups in terms of both size and makeup.
A shame, but but that's what I'm imagining.
without a major stakeholder/company providing a consistent vision for WebOS and also providing an efficient appstore it will end up a neglected and fragmented OS that runs on a few tablets. And there will be no updates and not many developers will invest in WebOS apps since they don't know what the future will be.
This will kill WebOS unless someone picks it up and drives it's development. In the best case parts of WebOS or at least WebOS concepts could end up in Windows/Android/iOS.
This will kill WebOS unless someone picks it up and drives it's development. In the best case parts of WebOS or at least WebOS concepts could end up in Windows/Android/iOS.
Woah, HP actually did something sensible with WebOS? Didn't see that coming.
As much as I like Apple and iOS, I like the idea of there being more than one innovative OS out there. Android just seems like a copy of iOS. MS is stuck in the mud... people actually liked using WebOS.
If I wanted to build a new device, I'd be looking at WebOS.
As much as I like Apple and iOS, I like the idea of there being more than one innovative OS out there. Android just seems like a copy of iOS. MS is stuck in the mud... people actually liked using WebOS.
If I wanted to build a new device, I'd be looking at WebOS.
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This news made my day. The question is who will experiment with it though. Nokia doing windows phone, HTC, Samsung, and motorola are all big on Android. Sony could make a major moves with webOS. ZTE has said they are will make an attempt to do high end devices in the US. This will be very interesting
This news made my day. The question is who will experiment with it though. Nokia doing windows phone, HTC, Samsung, and motorola are all big on Android. Sony could make a major moves with webOS. ZTE has said they are will make an attempt to do high end devices in the US. This will be very interesting
I'm wondering which open source license used, but the most immediate problem is manufacturers still have to work maintain and develop this further, while with Android that work gets done for them.
We've already had other open source mobile OSs in the past - Meego comes to mind - but it they never took off.
I don't think HP actually wants the same responsibility in maintaining this as Google does for Android.
We've already had other open source mobile OSs in the past - Meego comes to mind - but it they never took off.
I don't think HP actually wants the same responsibility in maintaining this as Google does for Android.
fantastic! The dream of open source OS is finally a reality and going nowhere now with HP and google are in it.. Apple and Microsoft can sue all they want. Hope HP does some backing thou, If they just dump it and walk away will be a fail... Hey amazon, app store?
hopefully this will become a race between android and webOS leaving the trash that is iOS ( aka, the dumbing down of apple ) for the little kids
hopefully this will become a race between android and webOS leaving the trash that is iOS ( aka, the dumbing down of apple ) for the little kids
Anyone know how this is supposed to be understood? OS X is open source as well, if we're just talking about "the underlying code" ?! Or am I misunderstanding the sentence? Is all of webOS going to be open source?
No it doesn't. The clock speed of the CPU is higher, but it's an inferior architecture and not as powerful as the A5. It does have more RAM, but that doesn't provide any tangible performance advantage over the iPad 2.
I'm not so sure they can avoid it this way.
For example long filenames in FAT filesystems is still partly patented and manufacturers must pay Microsoft to use it (if they support SD cards). That only expires in 2016.
That's just one example, Microsoft has more patents - e.g. ActiveSync (Exchange server) support, etc
I'm quite sure Apple also pays MS for every iPhone sold.
I doubt that. Without a driving force that puts sufficient resources behind it, that product will be dead in the water. Android already -is- Open Source, why would somebody need another Open Source alternative to an already established and successful Open Source platform?
Anyway, Samsung will probably ship a couple of products with that platform on it. After all, they already support Windows, Android and their own Bada. If somebody wants WebOS, they will probably cater to that market as well and watch which of the platforms will eventually win the race.
It's just another OS for mobile devices. I'm waiting for the day when we will change our device's OS just like we change/upgrade a desktop OS. I could have an Android phone running another Linux dialect without stagnating in an obsolete OS version.
This programmed obsolescence of hardware caused by obsolete software annoys me too much. Software must be free for pushing hardware to its limits. Currently we are acting like idiots, buying a new smartphone every year just because it doesn't run any new app after 1-2 years it has been launched.
This programmed obsolescence of hardware caused by obsolete software annoys me too much. Software must be free for pushing hardware to its limits. Currently we are acting like idiots, buying a new smartphone every year just because it doesn't run any new app after 1-2 years it has been launched.
Agree, also just look at Symbian which was open source too, and it slowly died and disappeared.