Does the OLPC need an open-source browser?
Wednesday, 20. December 2006, 15:53:14
Opera runs on the OLPC. Cool! A lot of the discussion on Slashdot and Digg was about the open-source requirements for OLPC, which would make it impossible to ship with Opera.
I really wonder how the OLPC users would go about changing the source and recompiling the Gecko-derivative (it is not Firefox) on this cute little box. Wasn't it also supposed to be safe and tamperproof? And if they can change and recompile the gecko-browser, they could also install it separately if Opera would be shipped with the box [1]. So what opportunuties are lost? What am I missing?
[1] Assuming that the targeted children (this thing is not designed for adult geeks, though it hopes to create some young geeks along the way) have access to the know-how and systems to compile this software, and are interested in this. And also assuming that the HTML-based stuff created for this box will be standards-based, not tailored to proprietary extensions of any browser.
I really wonder how the OLPC users would go about changing the source and recompiling the Gecko-derivative (it is not Firefox) on this cute little box. Wasn't it also supposed to be safe and tamperproof? And if they can change and recompile the gecko-browser, they could also install it separately if Opera would be shipped with the box [1]. So what opportunuties are lost? What am I missing?
[1] Assuming that the targeted children (this thing is not designed for adult geeks, though it hopes to create some young geeks along the way) have access to the know-how and systems to compile this software, and are interested in this. And also assuming that the HTML-based stuff created for this box will be standards-based, not tailored to proprietary extensions of any browser.
WIDGETIZE
Eddie_Lopez # 20. December 2006, 18:59
I also thought the slashdot "what if Opera closes up shop tomorrow..." comments were interesting.
Okay, what *if* Opera decides it wouldn't licenses the browser or goes bankrupt (hey, I actually paid for the desktop browser, don't blame me!
I don't see anything other than "principle" keeping this from happening, but if Opera runs "better" (subjective, what's the criteria?) than anything else, which I don't doubt for a minute- that's what Opera *does*, why not allow it? How about Firefox *and* Opera installed? they only have to run one at a time right? Something to run and something to tinker with.
I've always believed in the "open standards are more important than open source" so I don't get this. In fact, if everyone in the world had their own variant, recompiled, modified, tailored, custome version of the gecko/FF platform, (which is the spirit of open source right? That you can do that?) then wouldn't open standards clearly be the most important goal?
Well, maybe I too am missing something. Certainly wouldn't be the first time.