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Boot2Gecko demo & quick hack

paulrouget.com

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Re: Boot2Gecko demo & quick hack

#2

Post by denysonique »

I predict that HTML5 + JavaScript is the future of desktop and mobile apps.

This is probably the most widely known technology to people. Apart from Boot2Gecko you can develop HTML/JS apps for Windows Phone and Windows 8 (metro style)

Re: Boot2Gecko demo & quick hack

#5

Post by daa »

geuis wrote: post #4

Most definitely can research this on my own, but I'm curious if its possible to run this on iPhone hardware? i.e. replace the native OS?

I don't know that anyone's tried that yet. Boot2Gecko is focusing on making a real phone that people will really be able to buy, so working on a platform that requires "fighting the manufacturer" isn't a priority. But it's open source, so it's always possible that someone could take on what's likely a huge task! Currently B2G works on a couple of models, and requires Android ICS: https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Mozilla/Boot_to_Gecko/B2G_b...

Re: Boot2Gecko demo & quick hack

#6

Post by programminggeek »

I like the idea of Boot2Gecko, but it's 100% pointless as a project. We had a shot to have a pure web based OS with webOS, and absent awesome hardware and marketing nobody bought it. Mozilla building their own Firefox version of webOS is not going to make this kind of thing successful.

Great devices are a marriage of hardware and software. Focus too much on one at the peril of the other.

Shipping an OS to basically closed hardware devices - phones is a much different ballgame than shipping a web browser app on a preinstalled operating system and with Android already being both free and popular and open source, I don't know why any hardware maker would use Boot2Gecko.

Re: Boot2Gecko demo & quick hack

#7

Post by mcot2 »

This is going to be great. Should be far easier than Objective-C, Java and whatever Windows Phone 7 uses for simple apps.

I'm still not totally convinced about large code bases being developed in JS but I would say that MOST iOS and Android apps don't need "programming in the large" features. But, I could also see some kind of compile-to-javascript language like CoffeeScript making this easier.

I hope this stays up to date with the now fast moving Gecko for Desktop so it has the latest and greatest HTML/CSS/JS features as they get implemented.

Another concern would be: Where does mozilla stand with hardware manufacturers and cell carriers? I feel that this isn't going to gain much traction if someone has to buy an Android device and then hack it. Windows Phone 7 has proven that even if you have the hardware, you still need Verizon and AT&T (in the U.S) on your side as well.

Re: Boot2Gecko demo & quick hack

#8

Post by daa »

programminggeek wrote: post #6

I like the idea of Boot2Gecko, but it's 100% pointless as a project. We had a shot to have a pure web based OS with webOS, and absent awesome hardware and marketing nobody bought it. Mozilla building their own Firefox version of webOS is not going to make this kind of thing successful. Great devices are a marriage of hardware and software. Focus too much on one at the peril of the other. Shipping an OS to basically c…

I think the real trick isn't convincing hardware makers -- they do what the operators ask them to (at least in the non-Apple world). Operators like Telefonica are interested. See e.g. http://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2012/02/27/mozilla-in-mobile-th...

Re: Boot2Gecko demo & quick hack

#9

Post by mcot2 »

programminggeek wrote: post #6

I like the idea of Boot2Gecko, but it's 100% pointless as a project. We had a shot to have a pure web based OS with webOS, and absent awesome hardware and marketing nobody bought it. Mozilla building their own Firefox version of webOS is not going to make this kind of thing successful. Great devices are a marriage of hardware and software. Focus too much on one at the peril of the other. Shipping an OS to basically c…

I actually started to write a response to this post about how WebOS and this project seem totally different in terms of the companies involved and being open source from the start, but then I thought more about it...

This project doesn't really feel like mozilla is trying to compete with Android or iOS in terms of developing a traditional mobile operating system.

It almost feels like mozilla is trying to lay down the ground work for what a web based mobile device SHOULD be. The entire UI using web technologies, JavaScript API's for everything. Think about that for a second... What users think about as the "OS" (basically the home skin, application launcher, widgets, themes and UI controls) is just an infinitely hackable web project for any company to come along and build on top of. Gecko or Webkit + Linux under the hood and thats it.

Re: Boot2Gecko demo & quick hack

#10

Post by geuis »

daa wrote: post #5
geuis wrote: post #4

Most definitely can research this on my own, but I'm curious if its possible to run this on iPhone hardware? i.e. replace the native OS?

I don't know that anyone's tried that yet. Boot2Gecko is focusing on making a real phone that people will really be able to buy, so working on a platform that requires "fighting the manufacturer" isn't a priority. But it's open source, so it's always possible that someone could take on what's likely a huge task! Currently B2G works on a couple of models, and requires Android ICS: https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Mozi…

Thanks for the info. Bit beyond me, attempting that. But definitely interested in trying it if someone pulls it together.
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