[maemo-users] iPad

[From: Mark]

On Thu, Jan 28, 2010 at 8:58 AM, Attila Csipa <maemo at csipa.in.rs> wrote:
> On Thursday 28 January 2010 16:36:16 Mark wrote:
>> The thing is, Maemo is only necessary on small devices with limited screen
>> real estate and non-X86-compatible processors. In a tablet of the iPad's
>> size, there's no reason not to use an Atom and full-blown desktop Linux.
>> Mark
>
> Finger based keyboardless input. That killed full-blown desktop Linux and apps
> right there. In fact, that is one of , if not the most important reason why
> the original TabletPC was a flop. I don't see any rationale in (current-gen)
> embedded X86 if you want linux on it, either, but that's just me (ARM is
> cheaper, is far more power efficient, allows always-on, and, with A9-MPcores,
> *at least* on par performance-wise).
>
> Regards,
> Attila
>

Huh? Desktop Linux (Ubuntu/kUbuntu, anyway) has a built-in onscreen
keyboard, and all you need is a touchscreen for "finger based
keyboardless input". Many touchscreen hardware implementations work
just fine with generic mouse drivers. There are exactly *no* hurdles
for keyboardless input on desktop Linux. Multitouch is only a driver
away; it's hardly a big deal at this point. I personally don't like
multitouch anyway, it's just more opportunities for accidental
incorrect input.

Using full-blown desktop Linux on x86 processors solves all kinds of
problems: all applications are available and usable without even the
most elementary porting or conversion, people can use almost any OS
they wish, etc. And the gap in power efficiency between the Atom and
ARM is rapidly dwindling. Instead of increasing the speed and raw
power, Intel is increasing the power efficiency with every iteration.

Mark