[NatCh]

Originally Posted by lordvetinari2

Are there any user-made ports of Mobipocket? Of any other DRM'ed reader? I am no programmer, but I think porting a reader would probably mean breaking the DRM bit.

You've got a point there, but another one is that there hasn't really been a need to do so, as Mobipocket has pretty much portalled for everything so far.

I am a programmer, but not this kind of programmer, so my guesses are just that: guesses. That said, I would guess that you might be able to add a module (dll equivalent, perhaps?) to the existing software to tell it how to talk to these controls, rather than those, and never have to touch the icky DRM parts. I don't know if Mobipocket, or any of the others, is even structured in a way that that suggestion even makes sense!

I'd also guess that this hypothetical modification might be easier to do for the Sony if the software has already been portalled for iLiad. They have to be pretty similar (as far as OS goes), and they have similar types of physical controls for doing the same things (page up/down, etc.).

I'll go way out on a limb here and further guess that Mobipocket (et.al.) might be just a wee bit interested in putting their software on the most promising type of reader hardware (e-ink) to hit the market in a very long time.

But, again, those are just guesses -- salt to taste.

Originally Posted by lordvetinari2

Porting commercial formats to another system is only going to happen if the two parties cooperate.

I don't think I agree that that actual cooperation is necessary -- did Mobipocket require Palm's or MacroHard's cooperation, or did they just develop their product to run on well documented OS's?

I don't know the answer to that, but I'm pretty confident that MacroHard doesn't actively cooperate much with too many software developers. Aside from releasing developer tools & references, it seems to me that most OS's just let developers figure it out for themselves. Also, consider that the OS we're discussing them portaling for is Linux -- true, they haven't done it before (that I know of ), but I suspect they may see some increased advantage in it now, with the arrival of three separate Linux using e-ink readers. (shrug)

I really think that the OS is the more important variable here than the hardware itself.

Originally Posted by lordvetinari2

For instance, Mobipocket gets the SDK from iRex, AFTER they come to a formal agreement.

iRex is releasing at least part of the SDK for free, and selling the beefed up one. I suspect that if Mobipocket wanted to, they could develop for iLiad without an agreement -- Linux is open, isn't all they really need the details of how this version of Linux interfaces with the hardware? Isn't iRex pretty much obligated to release that much by the GPL? Or am I off here?

Of course, iRex does seem to be trying to exercise some control over what apps go on the iLiad via their IDS, but I think that the reason Mobipocket and iRex are apparently talking is more likely interest on iRex's part in having the Mobipocket reader on their platform, making it more useful, and therefore more saleable. I think this, again, because I suspect that Mobipocket could likely do a port without them, though that port might never make it through the IDS....

Sony has also chosen Linux, is therefore under the same GPL requirements that iRex is as far as the OS/hardware interface, and hasn't said anything at all about 3rd party content, unless you count that we know that they are also planning to release an SDK.

For me, those things just don't add up to Sony trying to keep everyone from trying to make apps for their device. I understand that someone else may see it differently, but it just doesn't look that way to me. (shrug)

Originally Posted by lordvetinari2

Do I see Sony letting other formats into their baby? No, they need to control the food chain through their Connect Store.

Sony is already letting other formats on their reader: TXT, RTF, PDF, mp3, AAC -- none of those is a Sony format.

As for controlling the food chain, I've already shared my thoughts on that, so I'll spare everyone a repeat.

Well, I don't suppose we can arrive at a difinitive answer at the moment, but, whichever way it is, I guess we'll know in time.