It would be useful to have a list of gadgets that work well with free software.
This will be hard to define, so first we need to think about how to evaluate devices.
What criteria can we consider?
- All software is free software
- Most software is free software and the non-free stuff is not essential
- Is the warranty void if we install new software?
- Is the warranty void if we modify the software?
- Did the hardware manufacturer help developers of free software (with documentation etc.)?
Since the compatibility of a device with free software may depend on the nature of the hardware, it may also be worth considering the following:
- Is the device open hardware?
- Which parts of the device are open or openly documented?
- Do any parts of the device require proprietary software or preclude free software support?
Thus, devices that we could consider include...
The GP2X portable games console and its successors
Various WikiPedia:Lemote devices
OpenMoko mobile telephony devices
The Pandora portable games console
Any others?
Whether or not to include laptops and netbooks is another question. If so, the OLPC would score highly, but as there are problems with OLPC, we should limit our work to informing people how to make the OLPC free.
How to classify them?
- good+
- all free software out-of-the-box
- supports free formats
- warranty ok if software is modified
- manufacturer supports free software
- works well with free applications/OS.
- ok
- can be switched to free software
- supports free formats
- do not buy
- can't run free software
- only plays proprietary formats
- doesn't work (well) with free applications/OS.