[docidocus]

Hi all!

I did not want to start a new thread with the same topic, but rather come back to the initial topic of this thread. Although this thread is already stuffed with off-topic discussions...

Few years ago there were major activities around the Onyx Boox M92 on this forum. The user Seaniko7 was porting Ubuntu, others were trying to convince Onyx to publish all GPL sources and so on.

In the meantime, the released kernel source have vanished from the official repository by Onyx. The files for Obuntu are gone and with them the only person who had the sources and knowledge for this project. (I already tried to contact him but to no avail.) Also the other developers who had built and ported applications for the device seem to be gone or to be inactive for long. Booxtor with his shop do not seem to be interested in this device any more. The last firmware update from 2013 (!) still lacks release notes which "will be added later" (as stated in the update thread).

My question is simple: is there still anyone left who is interested in this device? And to be exact, in a developer community?

If so, may we join forces to build a community with one simple goal: using the basics built by Onyx for a free GNU/Linux OS for e-readers. Packages may follow of course.

As we see in the current discussion in another thread on this forum, Onyx is not willing to release its sources for the Android system of the M96. So to get the full sources for the older M92, there has to be a public interest to it. Older stories show us that Onyx is not cooperative. They published the kernel sources twice and deleted them shortly after again. If the custom patches were ever made public still unclear. The public SDK is out of date and vital sources are missing. This is the point to make our goal clear: we want Onyx to hand over the development of any software for the M92 to the community. This includes the never published sources of their own applications. This includes custom kernel patches. This may even include collected bug reports, so the community has a base to start on. Of course their very own programs may not be under the GPL, but our the goal of the community is no longer just porting applications to a restricted environment. What we really want to do is, continuing development where Onyx left off.

We should also work closely together with the people trying to get Onyx release the sources for the M96. Maybe even letting these projects merge in the future?

I do know this device is already some years old. I do also know there is the successor device M96 with an Android system. And last but not least I do know portable devices are today considered as consumable goods - but still I believe there can be freedom even with these more embedded systems. Why I drivel so much about this instead going off, working on Open Boox? Well, there are actually a couple of reasons. First of all, I do not want to build an alternative firmware. What I want to do is continue developing the official firmware with a free and open community. As a second reason, I do not own the Boox60 device. And lastly, the development stopped three years ago. What about PocketBook free? Just the same. They are even longer inactive.

I hope I could make my points clear in this rather long post. If there is anyone interested, please raise hands! I am looking forward to your replies.