Where Is The Firmware

[bacteria]

(Contriversial?): I'm not bothered if a source gets released or not, it is the binaries I want. I am not a programmer, I am an end user. Also remember Mame (and the first N64 emu for that matter) ages ago - everyone and their dog were bringing out different modifications - if this happened to the GP2x with firmware updates, everyone would have a bricked unit - keep it one source!

I agree with Craig's sentiments: http://www.gp2x.co.uk/gplgp2x.html

The more barriers put against the developers the less reason they have to give us updates, and the less motivation they have. Look at America - everyone is so scared to do anything incase some idiot sues them for something (and it is now happening in the UK)..

I have read all the articles relevant, either stop putting pressure on releasing sourcecode on firmware (or at least let them release it when they are ready to), or don't whinge when the GP2x dies through lack of updates and legalities. I want the GP2x to blossom and become stable, bug free. If this means that the manufacturers keep the code to themselves to stop a third party stealing their work (and demising the GP2x through lack of profitability), so be it; surely - they have to protect their profit and interest - otherwise we all suffer - think about it - would you prefer to support or demise the GP2x? You can't whinge about updates to firmware not coming, or coming late, when you are making life hard for them to have a free reign?

 

[Deed]

They said they release it this week... I hope so, for 'em

​

Wow :blink: Will all of the GPH staff burns in hell if they did'nt release next firmware update this week ? Or did you simply mean that they will be flamed over and over in these forums ? In this case, do you think they really matters about some childish people ? :lol:

 

[Fiendicus_Prime]

@bacteria

Fact is they have to abide by the GPL if they use Linux, so they have no choice whether they release the source or not. I can see the issue with having too many firmwares, but I know that the community devs would be responsible and warn people of the risks of putting a non-GPH one on.

The unique selling point of a GP2X is the Linux firmware and open source development, otherwise you may as well get a PSP and hack the firmware to play emulators. I'm willing to bet that most people chose a GP2X for this reason - they may think it is because it has (the potential for?) better emu's or something, but in fact it only has better emu's because of the openness of development. Without it's USP I don't think the GP2X will do nearly as well.

Whilst I agree with some of what Craigix wrote on his website, I don't see how the /. users were supposed to know that a resolution was days away. GPH/Dignsys have had months to comply, they should never have considered non-compliance in the first place, and they had shown very little evidence until the /. stuff that they would comply in the future. That's why it's so good to get regular progress reports on the issue, so you know that things aren't just being ignored.

 

[WrongEyedJesus]

I bet the GPL freaks scared them so not they are either reluctant to release anything because of the rabid threats that will come.  Or they are re-writing stuff into modules so that the DRM can be removed from the source properly when the source is released.  My fear is that this re-write and fragmentation will result in more bugs and/or horrendous boot times.

​

LOL, Bless.

I just wonder if you realise how much you personally ar indebted to these freaks who share there source.

onscripter=GPL
- A Midsummer Day's Resonance
- A Winter's Tale
- I, Too, Saw Dreams Through Air
- KIRA
- Narcissu(completely free)
- NYC2123
- Plain Song
madplaygp2x(MAD)=GPL
OldPlay(libsidplay)=GPL
pdfview(xpdf)=GPL
peal=GPL
python=GPL and other
ruby=GPL
GCC=GPL
Doom=GPL
- Hexen
Quake=GPL
QuakeII=GPL
MAME=other
MESS=other
B-EM=GPL
Handy=GPL
gnuboy=GPL
neopop=GPL
fre-ultra=GPL
snes9x=GPL
stella=GPL
openglad=GPL
UQM=GPL
sopwith=GPL
Abe's Amazing Adventure=GPL
Super Methane Brothers=GPL
Frozen Bubble=GPL
Sprout=GPL
Noiz2sa=other
Open Transport Tycoon=GPL
Exult=GPL
mplayer=GPL
(I could have made mistakes, but Its far from a complete list)

I don't think you understand how much the GP2X needs GPL, owes everything to GPL, and couldn't exist without GPL. The GP2X is 95% GPL or a similar open-source restrictive licence(The ones that are are mostly *more* restrictive than GPL)

The reality is you don't like Linux, becuase you don't understand it and thats fine its not for everyone, but GPL you clearly missing the point. Perhaps you should stick to talking about joysticks LOL

​

Meiow! Mits off matey! Claws out.

I suspect that even 100% Linux would be tricky to use on the GP2X without a joystick.

I think you two should get married.

 

[Cyclops]

I think the correct responce is "saucer of milk" although I suspect marriage is out of the question as clearly I do not offer 100% snes emulation(full speed with transparancy)

wrong eyed your love of the romantic is misplaced here, as clearly I'm quite the catch. XX

 

[Nickmon]

27th, plus need to clear the GPL with magiceyes. If they say no, we are in a situation indeed.

​

Thank you.

​

Guess you will be back on the 28th if its late then...

"Where my update..."?

 

[Cyclops]

27th, plus need to clear the GPL with magiceyes. If they say no, we are in a situation indeed.

​

Thank you.

​

Guess you will be back on the 28th if its late then...

"Where my update..."?

​

Pesonally I'm looking forward to the next update on slashdot

 

[Vimacs]

not again...

 

[Rayek]

I bet the GPL freaks scared them so not they are either reluctant to release anything because of the rabid threats that will come.  Or they are re-writing stuff into modules so that the DRM can be removed from the source properly when the source is released.  My fear is that this re-write and fragmentation will result in more bugs and/or horrendous boot times.

​

LOL, Bless.

I just wonder if you realise how much you personally ar indebted to these freaks who share there source.

onscripter=GPL
- A Midsummer Day's Resonance
- A Winter's Tale
- I, Too, Saw Dreams Through Air
- KIRA
- Narcissu(completely free)
- NYC2123
- Plain Song
madplaygp2x(MAD)=GPL
OldPlay(libsidplay)=GPL
pdfview(xpdf)=GPL
peal=GPL
python=GPL and other
ruby=GPL
GCC=GPL
Doom=GPL
- Hexen
Quake=GPL
QuakeII=GPL
MAME=other
MESS=other
B-EM=GPL
Handy=GPL
gnuboy=GPL
neopop=GPL
fre-ultra=GPL
snes9x=GPL
stella=GPL
openglad=GPL
UQM=GPL
sopwith=GPL
Abe's Amazing Adventure=GPL
Super Methane Brothers=GPL
Frozen Bubble=GPL
Sprout=GPL
Noiz2sa=other
Open Transport Tycoon=GPL
Exult=GPL
mplayer=GPL
(I could have made mistakes, but Its far from a complete list)

I don't think you understand how much the GP2X needs GPL, owes everything to GPL, and couldn't exist without GPL. The GP2X is 95% GPL or a similar open-source restrictive licence(The ones that are are mostly *more* restrictive than GPL)

The reality is you don't like Linux, becuase you don't understand it and thats fine its not for everyone, but GPL you clearly missing the point. Perhaps you should stick to talking about joysticks LOL

​

Well put. Except the joysticks part, that was a bit harsh. But people really need to understand WHY it is exactly that the GPL is such a good thing. I posted in the old compliance thread about precisely why it is nearly essential for the source to be released, and why the GPL and the Linux way of seeing software is the better go for everyone.
http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?showtopic=24611&st=150
That way, we're not exactly waiting for GPH or Dignsys or whoever to fix stuff for us, if there's a dev who wants mplayer fixed, you don't have to wait for a patch, someone will create one for you. I'd be much happier if Dignsys just quit making updates and released the source than a non-GPL world where we're waiting for a few people who, obviously have 'bigger fish to fry' than fixing some code for us.

If you have EVER had a problem with the firmware (and that's everyone who owns a GP2X, basically), you should be asking for the source. Bar none. We can fix the problems that they don't want to fix, much faster and possibly more effectively than them. And noone will have to wait as long. So quit it, quit defending them with everything you have. Honestly, if forced with a decision to comply with the GPL or go to court, they will most definitely comply, and they are probably working on that right now.

 

[abigsmurf]

God can we stop with these stupid threads? Have some patience people!

Buggy code with little or no comments (or comments in korean) won't help anybody. Stop posting stupid threads like this every 3 days that achieve nothing.

 

[evening2005]

27th, plus need to clear the GPL with magiceyes. If they say no, we are in a situation indeed.

​

Thanks for explaining that for us.
Personally I think that they are in a situation not you if they say no.

​

Sadly, craigix is in the same situation as "they" are if magiceyes say "no". If the source can't be distributed, he doesn't have a licence to distribute the operating system on the GP2X so he can't sell them without breaching the GPL. Of course he's in that situation now and has been since the GP2X went on sale. He might argue that since then he has been making reasonable attempts to distribute the source, but the success of this argument if it went to court would depend on what is in his contract with GPH.

I am sure that fundamentally somebody somewhere does not understand the implications of the GPL. If they understood it properly, I'm sure they would comply. I suspect that a lot of people have got into a business which they did not understand. I think it's all very well to talk about small companies etc, but even small companies need lawyers for issues like this.

 

[Squidge]

So, what are you all going to do when the source is finally released? Or are you just after some kind of GPL compliance and don't actually intend to use the source?

 

[Deed]

So, what are you all going to do when the source is finally released? Or are you just after some kind of GPL compliance and don't actually intend to use the source?

​

Well, THEY got the source, YOU do the job (along with other gp2x devs, of course) :lol:

 

[Cyclops]

So, what are you all going to do when the source is finally released? Or are you just after some kind of GPL compliance and don't actually intend to use the source?

​

I don't know who the you is but arn't you just asking the question why open-source? If thats the case isn't that a distracting question, and answered better on the thousands of books, magazines, web pages on the topic.

The reality is you can clearly see why the propriatry model they are currently following is not working, and I'm not refering to *magic* fixes from anybody, or non-complience with GPL. The behind closed doors development on buggy software is unacceptable.

Currently there are many bugs and in reality *most* are very forgiving, but lack of openness has caused lack of trust, throw in a little DRM, a few lies, delay upon deley of release date of the source. Its getting just a little silly now.

Thats taking away the fact that many want to feel in some way involved with there device, How nice is it to make that step and *compile* the kernel and have a little more understanding of how it works.

People wave been lied to, about this device being linux and they are not happy because they belive in linux. Currently its the worst of all worlds closed-source linux. What a mess.

If people don't want that there is always those carts for the DS and an ever growing warez scence on the PSP.

The questions pompus and you know it. I also suspect you know this has very little to do with GPL which is just a legal way of enforcing what most want even those who think ports-emulators etc happen like magic (DaveC) and people don't spend long hours programming them often years.

 

[davey g]

Pro-tip: When replying to a post please ensure at least some comments are relevant before the rambling begins.

 

[Fiendicus_Prime]

So, what are you all going to do when the source is finally released? Or are you just after some kind of GPL compliance and don't actually intend to use the source?

​

I'm hoping the magical devs will make some cooool stuff for me

I doubt I will ever use the firmware source itself but I think it will lead to better tools being developed which I will use, hopefully to develop my own stuff at some stage.
Also it gives me a massive moral high ground when I explain to people why the GP2X is better than PSP, DS; ergo they might be more likely to get one too.

 

[Wobedraggled]

So, what are you all going to do when the source is finally released? Or are you just after some kind of GPL compliance and don't actually intend to use the source?

​

Me personally, nothing, but I'll be happy that they are complying.

But my friend has interest in one, and he is quite the coder, when I explained what was going on he didnt want to touch the thing.

Give devs what they need and they will come in.

 

[evening2005]

So, what are you all going to do when the source is finally released? Or are you just after some kind of GPL compliance and don't actually intend to use the source?

​

I think this is a good question and there are (edit) at least two two answers: (1) They must release the source because they effectively agreed to do this when they released the GP2X's firmware in binary form. (2) Even if I don't hack on the source code personally (frankly, I'm not clever enough) I can benefit from the wider pool of people who will. This, I think, is the point of free (as in speech) software; a particular user is not compelled to put up with software which does not do what he wants it to do. So if I can't fix it myself, I could pay someone else to do it or contribute to a fund for a particular feature or just wait around and see what develops and maybe select a new kernel if something that I like appears.

 

[Mikey242]

God can we stop with these stupid threads? Have some patience people!

Buggy code with little or no comments (or comments in korean) won't help anybody. Stop posting stupid threads like this every 3 days that achieve nothing.

​

I dont think most people in this thread are really that impatient for the release of the firmware. I think its more to do with some news from GPH or Dignsys. I, like you an many others, spent alot of money on this device and we have a right to know whats going on!

Also it seems that Dave C was commenting mainly on the "GPL freaks" not on the GPL itself.

Edit: Is my avatar showing for you?

 

[Rayek]

God can we stop with these stupid threads? Have some patience people!

Answer already posted, illustrated below:

...That way, we're not exactly waiting for GPH or Dignsys or whoever to fix stuff for us, if there's a dev who wants mplayer fixed, you don't have to wait for a patch, someone will create one for you. I'd be much happier if Dignsys just quit making updates and released the source than a non-GPL world where we're waiting for a few people who, obviously have 'bigger fish to fry' than fixing some code for us.

So, what are you all going to do when the source is finally released? Or are you just after some kind of GPL compliance and don't actually intend to use the source?

Personally, I don't see a reason why I would use the source. As of yet, I can't even get SuSE to make a file from the source, even after reading the generic 'make' readme. (<Showing my complete lack of coding knowledge) BUT. Other people will use it, and, hopefully, distribute what changes they have made. And, honestly, if it's someone here, they will most likely be changing things that we all want. If you've been waiting forever for a bug in the firmware to be released, with the source, someone could actually find the bug and work around it. It seems as though nobody understands WHY exactly we need the source code as a community. Why not? Legal issues or no, the GPL is out there for the consumer and the end user to benefit from it. Nothing bad can happen from the releasing of the source. What's worse is the situation we're in now, waiting for people to fix it for us, rather than actually fixing it 'ourselves'.