Purism Finally Announces The Firmed Up Specifications For The Librem 5 Smartphone

[ZeroPointEnergy]

What if people don't want a desktop on their phones? Do you remember Maemo/MeeGo? The idea was just great: a full-fledged Linux on the phone! Even OpenOffice worked there! At the first I was delighted with it. And then it came to me that it don't make much sense.

That was absolutely not what I was talking about. I was referring to the STANDARDS people apply when they talk about phones. For some reasons some people are absolutely into free software and open source but when it comes to their phones they drop those values because they don't see it as a computer they can control but just a device with software from the manufacturer and proprietary apps are no concern somehow.

I know that they are trying to adapt the UI to mobile. But in my opinion, they have a very small chance of success.

No one is trying to adapt the UI of desktop applications. They write new frontends and new software just with available linux toolkits

Just look at it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njnnnf9HpVQ
Canonical had more resources, the press releases were great, but in the end people complained about UI.

Yeah I don't like the Purism UI, but I don't have to I can install something else. And you probably have never used an Ubuntu Touch phone, they have absolutely the cleanest and best UI I have ever used on a mobile device.

Moreover, I don't believe that the Purism team will be able to refine their mobile platform or even maintain it at a reasonable level.
If it cost a reasonable amount of money, a lot of people could risk a purchase. But the reality is different, so it will remain a toy for fanatics.

It is an experiment and a risk, maybe they can sell enough hardware to make it profitable, maybe they don't. If they do we will probably see a second generation if they don't, well there are other options popping up like the pine phone. At least it is one more option we have for a phone that goes really far when it comes to user freedom. I only need the device, there are multiple options for software on it, I don't have to use their Pure OS

Oh and people who care about free software and controlling their device are fanatics? I would say people who don't care about those things are mindless idiots who don't know what they are talking about, value convenience over security but will probably still blame everyone else and cry really hard if it comes back and bites them in the ass.

[the_scx]

the pig is having a great time

Do you have any plans to stop being a pig?
To me, you look like a fanatic who can't accept that some people value pragmatism above ideology. Moreover, you are unable to accept a different opinion, which is evidence of your immaturity.

See also:

Did you just throw that comment out there because you love running secret, proprietary and restrictive code and are put off by the culture of people out there that support and develop open systems that are more focused on privacy and security?

I think within 5 years the situation for gaming on GNU/Linux should be much better. AMD Open Source drivers will be running smoothly, Wayland will be providing a fast, secure and graceful environment for handling games. Snap and/or Flatpak will have provided a nice portable packaging, platform and container format for game devs to target to allow their games to run on many popular distros. By then Windows 11 will be out and Microsoft will have finally gone too far by requiring all users to submit DNA samples, iris scans, finger prints, voice patterns and a complete 3D scan of their genitals. In doing this Microsoft will have pushed PC gamers away to Mac OS X, GNU/Linux and Windows XP. As long as we have a spiffy interface and ease of use, we can beat Mac OS X. It may not be possible for us to beat out future competitor, Windows XP... but we should try!

[starshipeleven]

In my opinion, Ubuntu has never tried to compete with Android.

They never offered anything different from Android, down to short support and outdated kernels. It just looked different and had a whole different (non-existent) ecosystem. But different isn't enough.

they wanted to compete with Tizen and Sailfish OS,

Sorry what phones with Tizien and Sailfish OS even exist(ed)?
Last I checked, only hardware running Tizien were some smartwatches and embedded devices (smart fridges and the like).

or rather become the new Maemo/MeeGo.

That's more Ubuntu Core's turf. And it's not that bad for such a usecase, but it's far from the first or the most used there (again Android is roflstomping anything in many embedded designs too)
Ubuntu Phone was for phones and mobile devices.

[ZeroPointEnergy]

I would like it to have a microHDMI connector. Along with a micro-USB port.

Well it has a USB type C, which is basically the new standard for docking stations or you can have dongles that convert to whatever you need including standard monitor or USB connectors. I think the hardware is still a bit low for an actual workstation, but if you do only some office stuff or browsing this might just work.

[starshipeleven]

As a "phone you can truly own", this phone actually wanders substantially into the desktop-level functionality. If it is truly secure and high-privacy and I can install on it whatever I like, then it sports a very desktop-like functionality.

Can't you "truly own a phone" that is just a phone? The hardware here is not really desktop-like.

[the_scx]

I don't quite get what you are trying to suggest. I view installing applications wia Flatpack optional. So, that problem is solved by me just not using Flatpack.

Their store is going to be based around flatpaks, so you have not much choice, unless you don't want to install apps at all.

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Purism-PureOS-Store-Flatpaks

But what is the point of using smartphone without apps? I mean, this is an essential idea about smartphones - to install apps. If you don't need them, why don't you pick up a feature phone? What is wrong with cheap phones with KaiOS or existing Linux-based smartphones?

Do you have any suggestion for a better hardened-security smartphone? Of course, while keeping to the slogan "the phone you can truly own", with no blobs, hardware backdoors, idiotic vulnerabilities etc...

I have some ideas for improving Flatpak security, but it's a topic for a longer discussion. Much longer.

[starshipeleven]

The hardware is sufficient for a basic desktop. The only thing missing are good GPU drivers.

It's using etnaviv, it's not bad.

Perhaps carry an adapter: USB-C to HDMI & DisplayPort & USB-A.

And a power-in jack to connect a power supply too.

Another thing that would make a lot of sense on this hardware if you want to use it with another screen is wireless screen with Miracast (Android wireless screen protocol) support. There is an application for Linux to do that https://github.com/albfan/miraclecast

so you can screencast to a TV supporting Miracast, or to a wireless dongle connected to the monitor.

Then you use bluetooth for keyboard/mouse.

But then what if USB-C port breaks?

USB-C is more durable than Micro-USB.
But yeah, having it on a daughterboard would be a good idea.

[starshipeleven]

I am a programmer. I started progreamming on 486. So anything better than a 486 is great.

It needs to run Geany, NetBeans, CodeLite, CodeBlocks, a few more simple IDEs, desktop Firefox (including YouTube), LibreOffice. Well, that's it, more or less.

You can't run this software on a 486

[the_scx]

That was absolutely not what I was talking about. I was referring to the STANDARDS people apply when they talk about phones. For some reasons some people are absolutely into free software and open source but when it comes to their phones they drop those values because they don't see it as a computer they can control but just a device with software from the manufacturer and proprietary apps are no concern somehow.

I have a slightly different approach and I don't mind to use proprietary software. For example, I have no problem with using NVIDIA drivers.
Anyway, I have noticed that people talk a lot about open source, but in the end they use proprietary software anyway. Of course, there are exceptions.

No one is trying to adapt the UI of desktop applications. They write new frontends and new software just with available linux toolkits

And it's just a coincidence that the interface looks like a mobile version of GNOME?

Yeah I don't like the Purism UI, but I don't have to I can install something else.

To me, it is like buying MacBook just to install Windows or Linux on it - totally pointless.

And you probably have never used an Ubuntu Touch phone, they have absolutely the cleanest and best UI I have ever used on a mobile device.

All I need is my friend's opinion and reviews.
- Bad UI design, rather for tablets than smartphones
- Slow performance (UI and apps)
- Fairly buggy software
- Lack of decent apps

https://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/meizu-pro-5-ubuntu-edition-1315194/review

It is an experiment and a risk, maybe they can sell enough hardware to make it profitable, maybe they don't. If they do we will probably see a second generation if they don't, well there are other options popping up like the pine phone. At least it is one more option we have for a phone that goes really far when it comes to user freedom. I only need the device, there are multiple options for software on it, I don't have to use their Pure OS

If this is just an experiment, I don't want to participate in it with my money.

Oh and people who care about free software and controlling their device are fanatics? I would say people who don't care about those things are mindless idiots who don't know what they are talking about, value convenience over security but will probably still blame everyone else and cry really hard if it comes back and bites them in the ass.

Do you prefer "conspiracy theorists", "paranoid people" or "masochists"? :P

[the_scx]

It's using etnaviv, it's not bad.

Not bad?! It is even worse than Freedreno! It is mainly about OpenGL 2.