FreeCalypso > hg > fc-tourmaline
diff README @ 50:a62e5bf88434
first round of documentation
author | Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org> |
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date | Sun, 18 Oct 2020 18:08:15 +0000 |
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--- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/README Sun Oct 18 18:08:15 2020 +0000 @@ -0,0 +1,61 @@ +FreeCalypso Tourmaline firmware project +======================================= + +In chronological terms, FC Tourmaline is our fourth firmware offering after +Citrine, Magnetite and Selenite. FC Tourmaline supports the following two +fundamental modes of operation: + +* AT-command-controlled modem operation (no UI) is currently unchanged from + Magnetite hybrid; standard modem operation is supported on Tango/Caramel2, + FCDEV3B and Openmoko hardware targets. + +* The new work being done in Tourmaline is phone handset functionality - the + goal is to produce firmware that can operate a suitable hardware unit as an + untethered end user phone. Only two hardware targets are supported in this + FC Tourmaline handset UI development venture: FC Luna development platform + and Motorola C139. + +See the following articles under doc for further details: + +C139-notes -- running smallbw version of the UI on Mot C139 +Luna-notes -- running both UI versions on FC Luna +Modem-operation -- using the modem configuration + +Technical details +================= + +Just like FC Selenite, Tourmaline is derived from the hybrid config of +Magnetite. Also in common with Selenite, Tourmaline uses the new source +version of Nucleus. However, unlike Selenite, Tourmaline retains sole use of +the original TMS470 compiler (runs under Wine), retains the original blob +versions of OSL and OSX glue components of GPF in the default config (see +doc/Blob-status), and includes both modem and handset functional configs. + +Purpose and goal +================ + +As of late 2020, FreeCalypso has achieved everything that needs to be done on +the modem side: our Magnetite hybrid or Tourmaline stdmodem firmware running on +our Tango modem module embodies complete fulfillment of our long-standing desire +for a standard GSM+GPRS modem module with fully published circuit schematics and +firmware source code. No more significant work beyond maintenance is deemed to +be needed on the modem side. + +OTOH, the other need for a FreeCalypso handset that can replace proprietary +phones like Mot C1xx or Pirelli DP-L10 running their original proprietary fw +still remains as unmet as it was when we started back in 2013. Thus the new +FreeCalypso work direction is to finally produce this FC handset, initially in +the form of FC firmware running on Mot C139 (and on FC Luna to keep up the +bigcolor config) and allowing the possibility of new FreeCalypso handset hw. + +Seen from the perspective of handset rather than modem functionality, the +direction taken in Citrine and Selenite (going for 100% blob-free compilation +with gcc) is the wrong way to go. That direction would make sense if one cared +only about modem functionality rather than handset, but we are currently in the +opposite situation. In the case of handset functionality, going for a compiler +change to gcc in our current state when so many other parts are broken and in +need of fixing would be pure insanity, and we are not going there. Let us +first produce a working FreeCalypso handset (with fw compiled with TMS470 under +Wine, keeping the tiny remaining blobs) that can replace Mot/Pirelli's original +proprietary firmwares for daily use, and *then* think about moving to 100% +blob-free gcc - in this order.