Quote:
Originally Posted by wallcraft
One potential reason is that it is closer to the device (Qt -> framebuffer vs GTK+/Qt/?? -> X11 -> framebuffer), and has been designed specifically for small resource limited devices. Also, the iLiad can run relatively few applications, because the apps it likes were developed 10-15 years ago before computers got fast and APIs got heavy. Going with Qt limits choices too, but there is a selection of small device apps available and they are all more modern (and maintained) than the ones running on the iLiad. If a device is only an ebook reader, then all this may not matter - since all you need is a file manager (?) and an ebook reader (FBReader).
I am following OpenInkpot's progress with interest, and I agree that it opens up the possibility of multiple solutions on top of the same kernel.
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Enlightenment Foundation Libraries (EFL) works either directly with FrameBuffer, or through X11, QT, QTopia, DirectFB, OpenGL, etc. That gives a pretty decent set of widgets and canvas for lightweight windows management. Given that many of the older devices have 64MB to play with, lightweight is better.
One of the OI people has thrown together a bare-bones library bookshelf called MadShelf, I believe using EFL, and it may well turn out to be the library manager. But from what I can see, it's still early stages.
Derek