[Replicant] regarding future

[H. Nikolaus Schaller]

Hi,

> Am 04.10.2016 um 15:58 schrieb Denis 'GNUtoo' Carikli <GNUtoo at no-log.org>:
> 
> On Sat, 1 Oct 2016 21:44:31 +0000
> E L <livin8up at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> Friends at replicant,
> Hi,
> The contact mailing list is for private inquiries only.
> 
> This seem to be a non-private question, so I forwarded to the mailing
> list.
> 
>> I have a quick question for you. How close do you think you are for
>> implementing wifi into the replicant OS on the galaxy s2 / s3 ?
> This requires to replace the non-free WiFi firmware.
> 
>> also in terms of performance long term support and most active
>> development would you say that is on galaxy s2 or the galaxy s3 ? I
>> just want to ensure I buy the device that is being worked on the most
>> so its supported for my newbie like needs.
> Given that Wolfgang has the Galaxy S3 and is working on porting
> Replicant to Android 6, and is also trying to mainline that device in
> Linux, I would bet on the Galaxy S3.
> 
> Some other devices that are not (fully) supported by Replicant yet are
> also attractive:
> - The LG Optimus black (p970):
>  - Free software bootloader
>  - Non-free WiFi/Bluetooth firmwares => WiFi/Bluetooth won't work.
>  - Some support in mainline u-boot (no display support though).
>  - Some very early/basic support in Linux: No display, sound, etc.
>    The display seem non-trivial to support in Linux, so there is a
>    risk that it will never be done.
>  - Work to port it on Replicant hasn't started yet.
>    Since we want to use mainline Linux, we also need the display,
>    sound, etc to work in it first.
>  - Undocumented GPS[1].
> - The GTA04 (revisions > A3 [2]):
>  - Free software bootloader (not upstreamed).

It is e.g. here:

	https://github.com/goldelico/gta04-uboot

>  - Non-free WiFi/Bluetooth firmwares => WiFi/Bluetooth won't work.

Well, the BT part of the combined module has firmware built into
the module so it can be considered "hardware". It is simply running
HCI over UART when powered on.

This will unfortunately change a little with the new GTA04A5 release
which uses a TI WiLink8 module (the old one is no longer available).
This appears to load combined firmware for both WiFi and Bluetooth.
But I may be wrong.

There is also "gta04-replicant", i.e. a branch which includes the
firmware (like Debian non-free) to make these features useable.

>  - Good support in mainline Linux. Probably not totally complete.

Let's say: almost complete :) We are constantly working on it.

>  - Very well documented, schematics published by the manufacturer.
> 
> References:
> -----------
> [1]https://redmine.replicant.us/projects/replicant/wiki/BCM4751
> [2]The A3 and earlier were meant for early developers and have some
>   hardware issues. As for the A3:
>   - The modem cannot be powered off which makes it consume power when
>     the phone is off.
>   - The modem is only available as a software sound card, and hardware
>     routing of the audio is not available.
>   The revisions before the A3 were very early bring-up devices and are
>   probably not usable.

Both A2 and A3 are mainly irrelevant today. There have been only 2 GTA04A2
units built and ~20 GTA04A3. So only some early developers own them.

Almost all devices in the wild are GTA04A4.

BR,
Nikolaus

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