We need a team to port WebOS to android devices

**morrison0880** · 12/09/2011, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by milominderbinder

webOS is closed source. Rod and others have explained that they cannot port copy protected software without a license.

Android on the other hand is open source so those apps could be ported to the webOS hardware.

Not any more Milo!

**hawkeye_a** · 12/10/2011, 05:21 AM

As a developer, albiet a non-Linux/LAMP dev, the open-sourcing of WebOS could go bad.

Android has the backing of Google, and Google "sells"/convinces OEMs to adopt Android (for obvious reasons; advertising). WebOS does not have that support base anymore, or a major organization promoting it.

It will take a sizable grass-roots effort to evangelize the platform. The porters/modders/etc... will not be able to match Google's or Microsoft's push at the OEM level. That would leave end-users as the only attainable audience (it can be done.... look at Apple in 1997, which primarily sells to end users).

And there in lies the quagmire .... end users have never embraced Linux.

1. WebOS needs to be ported over for specific use on existing and future Android tablets.
2. The process of 'doctoring' the Android devices needs to be easy, with the appropriate measures to not brick the device, and recovery methods. (who would be liable if someone bricks their device trying to install an unauthorized OS?)
3. Support. This will be crucial. Forums such as these are invaluable.
4.APIs and apps. more.

Unfortunately, I am pessimistic on the prospects and chances for success. Open-sourcing WebOS essentially means that WebOS now has no corporate backing in the marketplace, not Palm and not HP. WebOS has been put out to pasture, with no financial incentive for anyone to take ownership and responsibility for it's success. I hope i am proved wrong

**Grabber5.0** · 12/10/2011, 07:48 AM

You must have missed the part where HP was still behind it.

**deCorvett** · 12/10/2011, 08:36 AM

You must have missed the part where HP was still behind it.

That's right for the next year or two. But if nobody (and as nobody I mean OEMs) steps in, HP will fly too.

-- Sent from my TouchPad using Communities

**RoverNole** · 12/10/2011, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by deCorvett

That's right for the next year or two. But if nobody (and as nobody I mean OEMs) steps in, HP will fly too.

-- Sent from my TouchPad using Communities

Based on all the talks between HP and OEMs, I believe this was the understood plan to open source so they all will be able to adopt webOS ie; Amazon, HTC, facebook, Samsung, etc. I think we will see these companies start introducing webOS phone within the next 6 months or at least make an announcement.

Meg also mentioned a 4-5yr time frame for support for webOS in which they WILL invest time and resources for continue support. They will keep the webOS software team in place as they create a new plan to move forward.

**bluenote** · 12/10/2011, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by RoverNole

Based on all the talks between HP and OEMs, I believe this was the understood plan to open source so they all will be able to adopt webOS ie; Amazon, HTC, facebook, Samsung, etc. I think we will see these companies start introducing webOS phone within the next 6 months or at least make an announcement.

Meg also mentioned a 4-5yr time frame for support for webOS in which they WILL invest time and resources for continue support. They will keep the webOS software team in place as they create a new plan to move forward.

hmmn there is 6 spaces on that opensource committee--3 for hp and 1 each for other manufacturers?

**konner920** · 12/10/2011, 11:36 AM

I really wanna see it ported over to the Droid Incredible 2. The Pre 3 uses the same processor and GPU as the Dinc2. :3

**ToniCipriani** · 12/10/2011, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by Tikerz

Then after that, it only runs on specific Qualcomm CPUs.

Original Pre and Pre 2 had TI OMAPs, 3430 and 360.

And the CPU on the Veer and Pre3 aren't anything THAT special.

Pre 3 uses the MSM8255T which is also found in the Samsung Galaxy W and Sony Xperia Arc
Veer uses the MSM7230 which is also found in the HTC Desire Z

**hellonnnewman** · 12/10/2011, 12:01 PM

**BBooDad** · 12/10/2011, 12:11 PM

Until they let TouchPad crew go after 1st Q 2012, as reported elsewhere. an OS w/o current hardware is dead.

- Sent from my HP webOS TouchPad using Communities -

**BBooDad** · 12/10/2011, 12:13 PM

Until they let TouchPad crew go after 1st Q 2012, as reported elsewhere. an OS w/o current hardware is dead.

- Sent from my HP webOS TouchPad using Communities -

I think HP is keeping software so they don't get sued by phone companies. Hope I'm wrong!

- Sent from my HP webOS TouchPad using Communities -

**AlisonW** · 12/11/2011, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by hawkeye_a

end users have never embraced Linux.

Now, actually, I believe that while your statement is entirely true it is in no way accurate. It needs an additional word in there: "knowingly". Lots of people buy (for some reason I can't work out) Apple machines running OSX, ditto with Android. Both of these are *nix, the end users just don't care, so long as it does what it says on the box.

Yes, 'dev' type users (who are probably the main people on fora such as this) know webOS is linux under the hood, but like OSX and Android we too have a snappy (sortof!) name to hide that from users.

I really like webOS as a platform and would love to contribute some time to making it spread wider.

**jeffmcc** · 12/11/2011, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by milominderbinder

webOS is closed source. Rod and others have explained that they cannot port copy protected software without a license.

Android on the other hand is open source so those apps could be ported to the webOS hardware.

Not anymore

**rwhitby** · 12/11/2011, 07:27 PM

Originally Posted by Jeffmcc

Not anymore

Well, all that has happened so far is an announcement of an intent to open source webOS at some time in the future.

No new open source code is available today compared to before the announcement, and no timeframe for releasing any new code has been given.

So right now, everything that is not already on opensource.palm.com remains under the closed source licenses and is not legally redistributable.

I would expect it will be three months or more before we see anything other than Enyo released as open source.

-- Rod

**Soorma** · 12/11/2011, 08:04 PM

I was reading the first few posts of this thread and I was like, "why are they saying webOS is not open-source?" Then I checked out the date haha

**jeffmcc** · 12/11/2011, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by rwhitby

Well, all that has happened so far is an announcement of an intent to open source webOS at some time in the future.

No new open source code is available today compared to before the announcement, and no timeframe for releasing any new code has been given.

So right now, everything that is not already on opensource.palm.com remains under the closed source licenses and is not legally redistributable.

I would expect it will be three months or more before we see anything other than Enyo released as open source.

-- Rod

True true....but still we can't technically say "webOS is closed source" when we are on the brink of a new frontier of webOS based open sourced mobile operating systems

**Mikey47** · 12/12/2011, 05:47 AM

Originally Posted by Jeffmcc

True true....but still we can't technically say "webOS is closed source" when we are on the brink of a new frontier of webOS based open sourced mobile operating systems

But we also don't know what they will have to remove before open sourcing either. With a closed source os they can distribute other people's code that they have licensed. When they open source it they can't just make all that source available.

Also, so many people are saying that webOS won't face legal battles like android. It certainly may when that source is made available AND if it enjoys a modicum of success. Up to now webOS has been very small potatoes - no one (apple or ms) had no interest as it was not even close to being considered a competitor. If it takes of it would be, and that is when lawyers would start paying attention.

**deCorvett** · 12/12/2011, 06:27 AM

Originally Posted by Mikey47

But we also don't know what they will have to remove before open sourcing either. With a closed source os they can distribute other people's code that they have licensed. When they open source it they can't just make all that source available.

Also, so many people are saying that webOS won't face legal battles like android. It certainly may when that source is made available AND if it enjoys a modicum of success. Up to now webOS has been very small potatoes - no one (apple or ms) had no interest as it was not even close to being considered a competitor. If it takes of it would be, and that is when lawyers would start paying attention.

HP has critical patents on how to manage calls on an smartphone device, system bar management, launcher grid , and the smartphone itself. If HP backs up webOS OEMs with their patent portfolio, you can bet Android/iOS have more to loose than to win.

**deCorvett** · 12/12/2011, 07:45 AM

Please read:

http://forums.webosnation.com/webos-...s-devices.html

**laoh** · 12/12/2011, 08:22 AM

I'm sure there will be half dozen dev groups popping up over the next year but I look at it like the Android landscape... Many hacks are out there but there are the "quality" ones that are generally accepted by tech enthusiasts (Cyanogenmod, Team Overcome...). Assuming all the necessary code will be published over time, I'm not so worried... I trust the development will be in the good hands of webOS Internals.

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