If there were an award for most grandiose killing of a platform, it would be HP’s handling of Palm/webOS. But not content with ex-CEO Apotheker’s terrible legacy at HP, the company appears hell-bent in reassuring everyone just how much they love…to kill things.
A post by webOS Nation’s Derek Kesller digs through and uncovers a nasty little treat buried in the official Open webOS Blog’s latest post:
For Open webOS we are aiming for support on future hardware platforms where SoC’s support Linux 3.3+ kernel and where open source replacements for proprietary components are integrated. Existing devices cannot be supported because of those many proprietary components, including graphics, networking and lack of drivers for a modern kernel (but of course, there is the Community Edition for those interested in improving the TouchPad).
The whole kernel thing is a valid, albeit small complaint. Considering HP owns a ton of the proprietary parts of webOS/open webOS, we can’t see how it would be too difficult for HP to package up a new version of webOS for current (read: “legacy”) devices instead of simply “leaving it to the community” – a certain death sentence…again.
Kicking loyal customers in the teeth a second time is a good way to piss them off. Given their less than stellar track record with support, we have to wonder how much longer “the community” and webOS fans in general will keep toerlating the blubbery giant that is HP.
Source: Open webOS Blog | Via: Zdnet
