MeR has been briefly tested in a VM, and I feel this project deserve more attention.
A few days ago, Goshawk released an alpha version of Mer for the OpenMoko FreeRunner.
You an download our updated image through this metalink and install it on an external SDCard (min. 512MB) on your FreeRunner:
HOST_IP=192.168.2.1
TARGET_IP=192.168.2.2
sudo apt-get install aria2c p7zip-full sudo
aria2c -M http://www.newlc.com/files/mer-freerunner-rzr-0.0.20060609.metalink.txt
# Remove your miniSD card from your mobile and put it in your desktop
7z x -so mer-freerunner-rzr-0.0.20060609.img.7z | sudo dd of=/dev/mmcblk0
# Put the miniSD back in the FR, press AUX, then plugin and press POWER
# From U-Boot menu select "Boot from micro SD" (AUX, then POWER)
sudo sysctl -w net.ipv4.ip_forward=1
sudo iptables -A POSTROUTING -t nat -j MASQUERADE -s 192.168.2.0/24
sudo ifconfig usb0 ${HOST_IP}
xtightvncviewer ${TARGET_IP}
ssh root@${TARGET_IP} cat /README.txt # password=rootme
It may bit a bit too early to be fully reviewed (softkb, buttons are not fully usable) but here is a video anyway :
Mer is not a Maemo fork but the result of joined efforts between Maemo, Ubuntu and Debian (deblet), I see those main advantages :
* Huge software collection (since debian supports ARM, but will need UI patches for some of them)
* Strong community lead by a community with the precious help of companies like nokia, canonical, novel and others (for code or infrastructure )
* Follows the Unix + GNU philosophy (don't reinvent the wheel)
* Supports OMAP3 CPU through BeagleBoard (and probably upcoming n900)
So far it's early stage, but not worthless because GNU/Linux is already shipped in many products, and UI experience is something to focus on.
More to come …