A Few Worries I Have About The Pandora Project...

[mazza558]

As I said in the title, there's a few things that are making me think twice about getting a Pandora, and I would be very grateful if people could explain/clarify a few issues:

1. How much value is the Pandora for people who won't be using the gaming functions as much as other apps? I know lots of open source software will be available within a few months, but is it justifiable to buy the device purely for its "laptop-the-size-of-a-ds" abilities?

2. The amount the developers need to do within a month or two is impossible. Sure, the hardware's probably done and dusted now, and complete Pandoras are being put together. I have no faults with the hardware as it looks to be using the very latest stuff, but how on earth is it possible for the software side to be ready for casual users, even with the entire community working on it? There's no videos of anything else other than command lines executing ROMs from the SD cards, and that's the last-but-one video (the latest being a demonstration of the analog sticks). I can imagine this kind of thing happening a year away from launch, but less than 2 months?

There still seems to be no decision on some aspects of the software, and some of the mods can only say what they *think* will happen. There's still no information about packaging (will it arrive in a plastic bag? a box?) It makes me slightly uneasy.

3. The initial batch of 3,000 units is even more worrying to me. Yes, it's no comparison to the biggest companies, but with a device with such amazing potential, I'm slightly disappointed that it's not aimed much further than homebrew stuff. This thing could go very far, very easily if more people knew about it.

4. The core design of the device was for homebrew and emulation. Inevitably, people are going to download ROMs from various sources and play them in public. What do they say to people asking about the device on a train/plane? What if game companies get involved and shut Open Pandora down, leaving 3,000 people stranded with devices with dwindling support?

Maybe all of these things have been answered already? This brings me to my final point: the homepage and wiki are quite lightweight on details, forcing people to ask around on the forums repeatedly instead. I'd contribute to the wiki but I don't know the details myself.

Thanks to whoever can answer these questions, or whoever can point me to the answers.

 

[grif]

question 4 is easy to answer, because roms are not illegal so nobody can close pandora down.

Copyright laws say that if you own the original game, you can use the roms without any problem at all. As most roms are just a backup of the original.

as for question 1, if you just want a laptop the size of a DS, the pandora is good but i am pretty sure there is other devices just as good, the pandora is aided by its extra gaming controlls and better 3D management.

2, I am sure they will get it done on time.

3, It is a shame, but if they sell like hotcakes they will make a much larger second batch.

its a shame that not many people get the idea behind it though, my mate is convinced it is just a "fancy overdone fat emulator thing"

he will probably see it differantly when he sees me using it though.

Finally, the homepage is a little light of details, but its just the data management isn't great at the moment, hopefully it is improved.

I found the wiki rather informative though, as well as the forums search button.

 

[elinscheid]

1) Value? It's a pocket sized computer. You can do with it the same things you can do with a full sized computer. How much value is in a full sized computer? To me, the value is obvious.

2) The Pandora is completely open which makes me think that many different people will try and figure out which software/OS works best for them. Over time I would imagine that most people will come to a general consensus and use a flavor of linux that is best suited for the device.

3) If you are asking for big name publishers to release expensive high quality games on the Pandora then I'm afraid you will be disappointed. I do expect native games and applications to be made at some point but never to the point of a Nintendo DS or Sony PSP.

4) Again, this device is a little computer. You can't effectively tell people what they can and can't do on their computer at home, so how could you do the same with people who buy a Pandora? If other companies were going to be a threat to the Pandora then they would have already been a threat to the GP2X, right?

 

[Julius]

1. Have a look at the Sharp Zaurus line PDAs, everything open-source on there should be relativly quickly on the Pandora also (since it is little work), besides that... well it depends. This community is mostly centered on gaming, but there might be an influx of differently minded developers once the Pandora is released, and there might also be a port of Ubuntu MID with all it's "laptop" software. But who knows

2. Software is mostly community developed, and for the basic OS from which you can start games an a browser etc I don't see a problem at all. Infact most of it is already done I think, and just needs some polish before beeing shown to the public.

3. A new batch will probably quickly follow and depending on the response will be much bigger. Most people will probably want to wait for a second batch anyways.

4. Emulation IS NOT ILLEGAL. Downloading and using ROMs of games you don't own is. You can not sue a company if its users use it to do illegal stuff with it.
You can play illegal ROMs on your PC as well you know, yet DELL hasn't been sued
Besides, people have been doing this on the GP32, GP2X, and the PSP for years now.

Edit: Damn I am a slow typer

 

[jellmoo]

As I said in the title, there's a few things that are making me think twice about getting a Pandora, and I would be very grateful if people could explain/clarify a few issues:

1. How much value is the Pandora for people who won't be using the gaming functions as much as other apps? I know lots of open source software will be available within a few months, but is it justifiable to buy the device purely for its "laptop-the-size-of-a-ds" abilities?

You would probably get relatively the same out of it as you would from an EEE PC or other netbook. It is, in essence, a DS sized computer. You will be able to use it to surf the web, email, chat, watch movies, listen to music, work with documents, etc... If having a very small computer is useful to you, then sure, it'll be a justifiable purchase. IMHO anyway...

QUOTE
2. The amount the developers need to do within a month or two is impossible. Sure, the hardware's probably done and dusted now, and complete Pandoras are being put together. I have no faults with the hardware as it looks to be using the very latest stuff, but how on earth is it possible for the software side to be ready for casual users, even with the entire community working on it? There's no videos of anything else other than command lines executing ROMs from the SD cards, and that's the last-but-one video (the latest being a demonstration of the analog sticks). I can imagine this kind of thing happening a year away from launch, but less than 2 months?


Remember, a lot of the architecture is already in place. A lot of the work has already been done. Also, dev units have been handed out already and people have been working away at producing content. Will everything be up and running when Pandora launches? Of course not. Will a lot of the basics be working? I'm pretty sure.

QUOTE
There still seems to be no decision on some aspects of the software, and some of the mods can only say what they *think* will happen. There's still no information about packaging (will it arrive in a plastic bag? a box?) It makes me slightly uneasy.


Is packaging really all that relevant? I imagine it will ship in a box of some sort. They've said what will ship with the device. Not everything is finalized yet (which is why it isn't shipping now), and a lot of things are still being worked on. It's part of the open source process. It's not only the designers that will make Pandora work, the community has to play a part as well. I have no programming ability at all, but I can help by QAing apps (heck, it's what I do for a living) and offering constructive criticism.

QUOTE
3. The initial batch of 3,000 units is even more worrying to me. Yes, it's no comparison to the biggest companies, but with a device with such amazing potential, I'm slightly disappointed that it's not aimed much further than homebrew stuff. This thing could go very far, very easily if more people knew about it.


3000 may sound like a small number, but remember that this isn't a Nintendo or Sony sized cooperation funding this. They have to keep the initial batch small so that if for whatever reason, it doesn't sell, they are not taking a gigantic loss. Also, it is likely that they will use the revenue from batch 1 to help fund batch 2. They cannot afford to have a Virtua Boy or a Nomad on their hands.

QUOTE
4. The core design of the device was for homebrew and emulation. Inevitably, people are going to download ROMs from various sources and play them in public. What do they say to people asking about the device on a train/plane? What if game companies get involved and shut Open Pandora down, leaving 3,000 people stranded with devices with dwindling support?


Pandora doesn't do anything any other computer does not already do. It's simply smaller. "The Man" cannot shut down the site or the device. It is simply a tiny computer. Also, you can bring it on a plane or a train just as easily (or as difficult) as you could a laptop. Security might ask you to turn the device on, but that's about it. The only issue I can think of is recent law changes regarding border security where they can "detain" laptops and the like for an indefinite period of time. However, in that case the Pandora is no different than a traditional laptop.

QUOTE
Maybe all of these things have been answered already? This brings me to my final point: the homepage and wiki are quite lightweight on details, forcing people to ask around on the forums repeatedly instead. I'd contribute to the wiki but I don't know the details myself.


I can see your point to a degree. As a recent newcomer, I had to struggle a bit with the lack of info. However, a few days of lurking the Forums helped a lot. Could there be more info readily available? Sure. But then again, I'd rather they spend their valuable time getting Pandora ready to ship.

 

[PoisonedV]

GP2X was mainly emulation and its still around. Emulation is not illegal and customs couldn't give two shits.
the rest, no one but the team can give real answers too, just speculation, and most of the speculation here is full of shit

 

[hotblack]

Don't happen to work with a certain QA outfit in Montreal whose name starts with B do you jellmoo?

 

[Chip]

Maybe all of these things have been answered already? This brings me to my final point: the homepage and wiki are quite lightweight on details, forcing people to ask around on the forums repeatedly instead. I'd contribute to the wiki but I don't know the details myself.

Your first question is purely a personal judgment call, and the FAQ covers the third and fourth questions (though perhaps not as extensively as it might).

If I had a solid answer to the second question, I'd add that to the FAQ as well. This project is Craig's baby, and he's said at least a dozen times that he "Won't sell anything before it's ready." I'm not going to pretend that the Pandora looks like it's only 2 months from shipping (software-wise), but I know I can trust Craig's judgment. He won't take pre-orders unless he's fairly certain he can make the ship date.

 

[jellmoo]

Don't happen to work with a certain QA outfit in Montreal whose name starts with B do you jellmoo?

Not anymore, but I used to.

 

[mazza558]

Thanks for the extensive info. This is just what I needed.

I'm pretty sure now that, however secretive development is, it's pretty organized.