Linux Device Group

[tblumer]

Regarding Sharp's withdrawal from the US market, I was interested to see the posts on the idea of a "foundation." SDG Systems has been considering something very similar for a few months, called the Linux Device Group (http://linuxdevicegroup.com which currently points to SDG). We are currently talking with some possible corporate sponsors and PDA manufacturers. Regarding individual participants, here are some possible membership benefits (similar to the Mandrake Club):

- Discounts on products from Corporate Partners
- Access to pre-release packages (alpha / beta packages)
- Voting on applications to be developed
- 10% of Individual Membership dues go to Linux non-profit organizations (e.g. Zaurus User Group, Handhelds.org, etc.)

We want to keep Linux handhelds alive and well for both individual users and corporate customers. Our focus will be a stable platform, not necessarily cutting edge; but, feed all source changes back into the cutting-edge groups (pdaXrom, hh.org, etc.).

If any of you represent businesses that would be interested in sponsoring such a plan, please contact me (todd at sdgsystems dot com). I'm interested in any feedback that you all may have.

[amrein]

You are the one who restart the Sharp Zaurus official forum although Sharp closed it so I guess that you are sincere. Companies always think about money first (so easily corrupted).

It could be very great to have a kind of embedded neutral association. Not something driven by the same companies who use Palm WinCE or Symbian  (if you understand what I mean). but an associatation defending the creation of :

_ Common Open Linux Palmtop OS Specification - defining needed application and their interoperability, use improved build system to build and maintain feeds, create and maintain main PIM applications and a few others, help developpers to find their way, sell CDs and other related goodies for people needing them, support all kind of Linux enable PDA (when there is maintainers), .. all this in a Debian / Mandrake spirit (less Mandrake commercial & less Debian mess e.g. a merge).

_ Common Open Linux Palmtop Hardware Specification - any software on Linux Palmtop should be able to deal with all/most hardware componants without specific rebuild. When our Zaurus/iPaq/Yopy/.. will become too old than think about contacting Sharp or HP for next device manufacture with user defined request.

And all this with imagination, without breaking anything, without forcing anything (democratical assocation). Just speaking with users and satisfy their Palmtop common request as long as it is possible. A kind of Linux Palmtop dreamed association. If you say "but X is doing this or Y is already doing that" then you begin to have a part of the equation.

But not sure that Zaurus/iPaq/Yopy/.. users are ready for "Linux Palmtop syndicate" nor "Democratical Requests" not "User Driven Linux Palmtop Evolution"  nor "Tell the truth when an applicatiion is crap" thougth.

Yes. I'm utopian. Isn't this the name of Trolltech Graphical Environnement? Heu... no sorry, Qtopia.

[jamesm]

I applaud the notion, good to see the interest is there from businesses (although SDG obviously have a greater dependance on the Linux/PDA market than most companies). I await developments with great interest.

p.s. Do you have an indication on the type/amount of financial commitments you're looking for from corporate sponsors?

[tblumer]

Do you have an indication on the type/amount of financial commitments you're looking for from corporate sponsors?

The rates are not yet set, but are planned to vary based on amount of exposure on the site and on the amount of development and support provided to the corporate sponsor.

[amrein]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/15/li...tandards_group/
http://www.freestandards.org/modules.php?n...=article&sid=78