I hope so. After using dex for some time, it reinforces the idea that the concept must be built with convergence in mind from the core, from the desktop UX to the apps. Otherwise it feels awkward at best, fragmented at worse. While I enjoy Dex, it is just a stop-gap for me until the REAL convergence comes along.

@dobey thanks for sharing. Not sure where I or anyone made the point you are attempting to counter with but good reminders overall and in general.

@3arn0wl all about the software? Its Both thats all I was saying. You need both. Its up to the user to decide how they will want to use it. Some will be fans for different aspects. After all there are those who buy S9 without dex or using it like a convergent device. Others buy it w dex. Hence qualifying it for him. For him its all about software.

@dobey said in Convergence: The Hardware-Focused Discussion Thread:

This is my problem with the whole focus on "convergence" as "plug your device into an external screen." That is not what convergence is about, but it's what so many seem to try and focus on.

I see what you mean. But I think for you that isn't what its all about. For many it is. Canonical did showcase this aspect as a major feature and there is a company who is literally shipping a product that people are buying for this very purpose. But we can agree to disagree.

Steve Jobs refused to release a bigger iPhone. He claimed it would cannibalize iPad sales. But now looking back we see bigger iphones and bigger iPad's. Both are selling. Nothing was replaced and I don't think anyone claimed converged devices would literally replace all our devices.

I agree with your point though about keylogging on public docks. That would be a threat to seriously consider.

@3arn0wl said in Convergence: The Hardware-Focused Discussion Thread:

I suggested snaps because we'll need desktop apps, and snaps are an easy way to load them. As much as I'd like to see it, I can't imagine we'll get app builders writing apps for everything we need... Maybe some apps will just be for desktop mode.

Agreed. Some snaps would not be built with convergence in mind...but some will. This is the hardest part - to get developers to think convergent. I think we will get there. IBM is still pushing out marketing about the benefits of "coding once, run everywhere".

https://twitter.com/IBM/status/1101629012407922693

This framework will greatly expedite convergent development because programmers are "lazy" and there is a cost benefit from doing so (more reach, more eyeballs, more eyeballs means more attention and potential for ad revenue). https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2018/01/08/developers-are-lazy-and-thats-usually-a-good-thing/#5ddc228a1391

But I think Canonical had a good idea when they had the standard window size of their "staging" window when using split screen. It wasn't free form. Here is demo of what they came up with before they dropped it.

https://youtu.be/fiEkCaA_P7c?t=155

Lo and behold, those dimensions are oddly close to mobile phone dimensions. Was this on accident. No. You can create an app view as well as a multi-task pane for tablet use - perhaps without changing much code.

P.s. Apple also has this framework for managing an "app" view while in multi-tasking/split window mode and standardizes that as well...this makes it easier for devs to come along and code for that standard. Here is a link to that. https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/ios/visual-design/adaptivity-and-layout/

PurismOS goes into this and does a nice job at explaining that this can, and technically has, already been pulled off.
They describe it on the second half of the article.

https://puri.sm/posts/converging-on-convergence-pureos-is-convergent-welcome-to-the-future/

Being linux users in general, our crowd has been the one that championed innovation and forward thinking...after all, even people doubted GUI interfaces wholesale at one point believe it or not. Let's not get too close to that kind of thinking.

@doniks said in Convergence: The Hardware-Focused Discussion Thread:

One thing that I find a bit surprising is that "convergence conversations" are usually of a either/or mindset. I want convergence, but I do not necessarily want it instead of another device/setup that I have now, I want it in addition.

This!

People thought a slab of glass would replace laptops. We still have laptops and we have a ton of tablets. People thought laptops would replace desktops. We have both. Folks thought cars would replace trucks. We have trucks. We have cars still. Both co-exist.

I think it is important to observe history when it comes to how mainstream society adopts and adapts to technology and how we interface it...and get our design/product insights from that (not saying let it drive the entire ship, that would be silly) but at least let those things inform our opinions rather than hyper-personalizing how we use devices and trying to infuse that with an entire demographic of users who are not like us.

When this happens, I think we have a better shot at moving the conversation forward.Thanks @wayneoutthere for posting the article. This is a great discussion.

1. What is the biggest misunderstanding that folks have about the project and what should be the communities response when they encounter it from others?

2. What are one or two challenges (technical or otherwise) that if solved would be a huge game changer to help the project by leaps and bounds?

Great idea.

Another angle similar to that is getting local colleges/universities aware through their Computer Science Clubs (some actually have FOSS/linux clubs too). Having them cover it, and in turn the university papers, could not just bring in new people, but new volunteers to the project.

Anyway, whether it is a school paper, or local/national, press release templates are a good way to jump start that so folks don't have to "create from scratch" every single time. I wonder building something like this would be helpful in getting folks the confidence to share...essentially, a press page is a bunch of templates that makes it easier for reporters to cover it.

The press page contains a "press kit"...sometimes in the page, and in zip folders (with logos, headshots of core devs, origin story summarized, etc.)

https://zapier.com/blog/best-press-kit/

Hello,

I know being mindful of security/privacy is a factor for many FOSS projects...found this and thought this might be good for anyone who wants to do email marketing in a way that is cost-effective and respectful of user data...

Odoo is a great platform, but you have options if you don't want to keep email contacts on someone else's server. Not saying this is a good fit for UBports right now (or ever), but cool to keep on the radar. It is GPLv2.

https://dadamailproject.com/

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However, I can't get behind the idea of bringing in every Agile and project management tactic straight from the book at this scale.

@unisuperbox no one ever anything remotely close to that. But I see the fear. There is a middle ground.