Not happy. It’s been a bad day in webOS-land but it started out quite the opposite. At 12:52 AM (EST) I received an email while I slept from Phoenix International Communications informing me that ACL for webOS v1.0 was just a click away…license code and all.
To say I was overjoyed, relieved, and excited when I found the email waiting for me this morning would be an understatement.
From April 28, 2013 to this very morning, the community has waited for it. The community brought it to life with a $45,000 kickstarter project. The community invested in it emotionally as well since some saw it as the last chance for webOS (it’s not, by the way).
Imagine my surprise when 15 hours and three minutes later at 3:55 PM (EST) I received a second email from PIC:
“At 3:40 we were contacted by OpenMobile to cease all sales until they fix specific issues related to the ACL software. At 4:15PM EST the download link will be removed from our site until further notice.
“Please stay tuned while OpenMobile fixes these outstanding issues.
“We apologize for the inconvience (sic).”
When webOS Nation forum user and top “ACL for webOS” kickstarter supporter, cuspie, posted his message this morning it seemed that today’s release would not “go off with a bang” as everyone hoped. It was his declaration that sparked OpenMobile’s decision to pull the plug, albeit temporarily (we hope).
So what’s the big deal you ask? Basically any code licensed under GPL can be used for free but you have to give credit. That may be a bit of an over simplification but it gets the point across. The main issue cuspie points out is he provided code under GPL and it got inserted into ACL for webOS by someone. But it was inserted without credit, it’s being charged for, and the way it was inserted was done as though they were trying to hide the fact they used it.
It’s clear from PIC’s message that OpenMobile is fixing the problem. Something tells me that if it were PIC’s problem then PIC would be fixing it. In fact, PIC posted that the issue with GPL wouldn’t have been a problem had they been the ones to release ACL but the release came from OpenMobile and “OpenMobile should have implemented their own code for their own installer” (quote from the forum post).
So here we are…ACL for webOS-less again. Oh sure the download was there and several people have it installed but the official release day came and was cancelled. Looks like #3 on my webOS Christmas Wish List still stands and just as I was about to cross that one out too. Darn.
#webosforever
I’m generally pretty understanding about technical issues, being a technologist myself, but somebody needs to take this away from these OM yahoos. That stunt was inexcusable.
Well, the installer needs some work anyway, on my TouchPad I had the Beta of ACL and Android Dual-Boot, in addition X11 from Preware with some tools – something in this combination managed to confuse the installer, it seemed to go through fine, but when I rebooted, all my applications and user data were gone. Now doctoring…
Yikes! That’s terrible! I had optware installed since I use XTerm from time to time. I was hesitant to install ACL but did anyway. Seems to be working ok.
If you read the cuspie posts you’ll see that OMWW is basically uneducated about webOS file systems and they needed an insider to help sort it out. That was the Beta installer. When they chopped up cuspie’s code to steal bits for the public release installer, they actually broke what worked…
The huge shame is that cuspie paid $7,500.00 AND donated hundreds of hours of his time for the privilege of being abused thus…
OpenMobileWorldWide have never seemed to possess even the rudimentary ethics code of pirates. Mercenaries in suits preying on the gullible would be an adequate description so far as I am concerned. Any company that crows as loudly as they do, while providing nothing real or lasting should be avoided at all costs.
I’m really starting to wonder if a company exists that can properly handle webOS. What a bunch of losers!
“Losers” might be a bit harsh but I understand the sentiment. I’m thankful for anyone willing to give my favorite mobile OS a chance.