FreeCalypso update: progress with DSP patches and voice calls

[david at matthews.pm]

Hello Mychaela and all

>The perspective of a developer is different from that of a (potential)
>user. 

Yes - very true and I'm commenting now solely as a wannabe user

>On the one hand, it is reasonable to expect that when we get
>some libre fw working on one of Motorola or Pirelli targets, non-
>developer users will likely be content with using just those phones

in my case yes, that would satisfy me

>
>Right now our project is critically dependent on Openmoko devices for
>development, and because these devices have fully reached unobtainium
>status, we have no possibility of attracting any new developers. 

I'm not sure that is the case; if another developer came forward, there are many 2nd hand freerunners, mostly I bet gathering dust. Someone would part with one, possibly for delivery charge only, if it was going to a developer.


>Thus I feel that the
>right course of action for me at this point is to embark on a project
>of creating an improved version of GNU PCB with the just-listed PADS-
>like capabilities.  Comments and suggestions are welcome.

It's entirely reasonable for you to take whatever path you wish and I'm talking from a standpoint of ignorance as far as development is concerned. It does seem to me though that working on GNU PCB would be a massive side project of a side project. Will this really move things on further than continuing to struggle with development on the freerunner? 

Excuse my selfishness, but I start to think now that there will never be a phone that does not suck. On the other hand maybe you working with the gEDA community would lead to an influx of freecalypso developers :-)

--
David Matthews
david at matthews.pm