Gregory's ServerIn the mail today: my fulfilled first-batch #Precursor open/secure mobile device from the amazing bunnie Huang.
https://www.crowdsupply.com/sutajio-kosagi/precursor/updates/crowdfunding-begins
Cory Doctorow's linkblog
13 comments
Jack William Bell
That looks really interesting, but a quick read of the funding page didn't tell me what the software stack is: https://www.crowdsupply.com/sutajio-kosagi/precursor A check of the wiki indicates they are using Xous (a Unikernel?), which I am not familiar with: https://github.com/betrusted-io/betrusted-wiki/wiki So, it looks like there is limited software support right now. I'm interested, but I need to decide if I want to invest a lot of time making it actually useful…
Jack William Bell
Here is some detail about Xous that includes a list of available services and applications at the bottom: https://github.com/betrusted-io/xous-core/blob/main/services/README.md FWIW: Xous is written in Rust (a plus for security) and seems to be specifically targeted to the Precursor device. However, it is a basic embedded OS and currently has no community outside of Precursor users. I think the community size and composition (programmers who understand embedded development) will make or break it.
Cory Doctorow's linkblog
@jackwilliambell Yeah, it's not a consumer product - it's a tool for people who want to prototype and develop mobile apps.
Jack William Bell
I get that. But it's also an early stage product with primitive tooling; meaning not everyone can currently develop for it. I'll admit I *do* have the skillset required, modulo being a beginner with Rust. But gaining that skillset also taught me just how difficult and time-consuming low-level embedded development can be. [We'll skip the stories about spending a week getting an LED to blink and triumphantly demoing to bored executives asking if that's all I've got.]
Jack William Bell
What Precursor needs at this point isn't app developers, it's tool developers making UI toolkits, targeted services, and useful shared libraries. Maybe after my current job taps out in July and I can re-retire?
Devin Berg :OpenEngineering:
@pluralistic https://www.tjoe.org/pub/direct-radio-introspection/release/2  |
@pluralistic Siiiiiiiick!