Database Users

Linux for XDA - how was CCC?

Hi!
I just want to know if there is some success for getting Linux on the XDA? I've read that at the CCC Summercamp some people wanted to get starzted with it...
Damn i missed the camp... i live in Berlin, so it wouldnt have been a long travel :-(
greetings.... Jabba

Linux on XDA
Hi,
Just a quick update without any concrete stuff for people to play with yet. Basically good progress was made and a first very bare version of linux on the XDA can be expected soon (say within a month). Note that very bare means you can't do anything with it. However it will be a jump start installation to kickoff porting periperal support to it for anyone who wants to have a go at it.

does it mean that the guys from OPIE will be able to port their system in the near future with these guys from FAMILAR LINUX ?
I've read that they want to program a telephone api as well...

It would be great because Windows CE is not a OS stable enough for a Phone.
I can't imagine I have a phone have to reset every single day.

killercheung said:
It would be great because Windows CE is not a OS stable enough for a Phone.
I can't imagine I have a phone have to reset every single day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I reset my phone most mornings. Switch my XDA on to find that cooked in the XDA-Developers Kitchen Screen! I begin to believe that it actually switches off, not stand by.
This in-stability is the main reason I am moving on to a more stable Symbion device for my main phone. Pop a pay as you go chip in my XDA, it is one kick as toy!!

Jabba said:
does it mean that the guys from OPIE will be able to port their system in the near future with these guys from FAMILAR LINUX ?
I've read that they want to program a telephone api as well...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In fact, there's an app/lib called gammu on Linux, which is a pretty generic phone manipulating/controlling software. It supports various type of phones including different models of nokia mobiles as well as generic gsm modems, etc.
I've written a phone app for the iPAQ (with the GSM/GPRS sleeve) on linux using this library. The current opie ipaq-phone actually uses gammu as well. So maybe at some point we may go from there.
http://www.mwiacek.com/english/gsm/gammu/gammu.html
I've also thought about starting to do a GPE phone too... :twisted:

so it seems that everything which is missing, is a port of familar Linux to XDA...
i really would like to help, but i'm no C(++) developer... and i guess Linux is NOT written in Java :shock: :wink:

xda CE 2005 Project

We seem all to be waiting for a version to leak of the CE 5.0 for our devices, and at the same time we seem to think that this will not happen due to the fact our providers are going to want to ship it on new devices and not upgrade the old ones.
Well Mwang put me in the mood to do some searching and this is what I found.
Because Windows CE is in components, you can create a custom version of the OS that includes exactly the elements your particular device requires—no more and no less. Using the Windows CE development tool called Platform Builder, you can create a customized version of the OS, called an "image," that you then download onto your device hardware for debugging. If your hardware is not available yet, you can run your image and debug your applications on the included x86 emulator. That allows the end-user application developer and the low-level system software developer to work in parallel on the same project.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://msdn.microsoft.com/embedded/getstart/bring2market/plan/learn/windowsce/default.aspx
Well it seems that you can download a 120 days trial version which would mean you would have to flash your device in 120 days.
Windows CE Evaluation Version
Windows CE integrates reliable real-time capabilities with advanced Windows technologies to rapidly build a wide range of innovative, small-footprint devices. The evaluation version is a 120-day trial version of Windows CE, valid from the day of installation. The CD and DVD versions include a copy of Microsoft eMbedded Visual C++ 4.0 Service Pack 4. The Evaluation Edition (download) requires you to download eMbedded Visual C++ separately.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://msdn.microsoft.com/embedded/getstart/evaluate/default.aspx
Think this is the homepage
http://msdn.microsoft.com/embedded/windowsce/default.aspx
So what is stopping us ?? Or Cant I read?
Any body in the mood for this??

Downloading now What could go wrong ?

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...50-D311-4F67-9FB3-23E8B8944F3E&displaylang=en
Does this work for you gues ?

I tried this a while back.
Its not as easy as it sounds, firstly you have to correctly setup all the drivers for the hardware.
I wouldnt garantee that it has stuff like the phone apps ready to be compiled in either.
lastly, you have to make it into the correct format for the installer prog, I dont know if the package will output a himaupload.exe compatible rom.
Let me know how you guys do though, it would be nice to compile our own OS!

It's installing on my computer :shock: i want it on my PPC

Well I found a 30 min tutorial on the platform builder and it looks like a lot of the stuff is around (Wifi), What we will miss is the camrea app, but hell its a start.
Ps cant find that link anymore, and the posted link works great.

MDAIIIUser said:
Well it seems that you can download a 120 days trial version which would mean you would have to flash your device in 120 days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im sure it's a 120 days from the day you install it on your Desktop PC :?

definatly not as easy as you think!
i had the older version and i made some images for X86 machines (to make them thin clients)
you need every driver for the device that it will be installed on so theres alot more required than just the platform builder,
check it out anyway, its still fun to use and you can make custom CE's for old PII machines (routers, thin clients etc)

Well Bosjo, would that not give you 119 days to post a BA Rom?

@MDAIIIUser
Well i dont know, but Im guessing that the ROM itself will expire 120 after Desktop installation

@bosjo
Well you better hurry up and do good documentation so that I can rebuild your posted rom in 118 days.

@MDAIIIUser
Ha ha ha, well don't get your hopes up, Im just a plumber that bought a BA to save some time and get projects more organized........... Well that what just to be a laughf, this device has eaten every spare second I have had since the day i bought it, and it's still crappy...............

What? You mean you can use it as a phone, thought it was only good for the pocket solitair, how did you do it? and can I read it on wiki?
You see I am True born again MDAIIIUser and
"I haveth faith in thou"

I've pu the windows CE 5.0 installer in the upload folder

Good job you got this , see your pm

Hmmm... well, if someone can create a ROM that won't expire or brick my device, I'm willing to help with testing...
Let me know if you need me...

hehe. Its impossible to create WM2005 from the stuff offered with the trial WinCE 5.0 Platform builder.
Hint: WM5 has version 5.1. PB offers 5.0

im wondering.. where would you get ALL the drivers from? im sure HTC will not be willing to help us here..

@Manich
I truly respect your post and I am very much aware of not having your knowlege, insight, understanding, hacking competence.
That is why I am amember of this forum, to learn from people like yourself in order to try and get the best for my device. To share what I have learnt with others (I use wiki for that).
So please, please share with us a better idea of how we can get 2005 on a BA. It would save me a lot of time searching on the net, uploading sdk that are of no use as well as moving files on the ftp.
A "it cant be done answer" I could accept if it came from somebody else without your knowlege and I remember reading that somebody wrote something along the lines if it can run it can be cracked (smile).
With alll due respect
MDAIIIUser

Generally it cannot be done as you don't have a board support package for BA or other compatible platform. With lots of hacking and reverse engeneering you can write all drivers and all applications absent from Platform Builder (like cprog, SMS client, SIM toolkit, etc), but it would be only a waste of time. It would take as much time and would be as useless as making a Linux for BA. Better buy a device that originally ships with OS you want.
The only hope for getting WM5 on BA is that some person from MS would offer it or someone would get a device with such a ROM. Even a locked device with a signed ROM would help.

[REQ]PocketCM Keyboard 4 wm2003

Hey all
The PocketCM keyboard isnt working with wm2003! Can anybody tell me why? I love this app, but it do not work with my device... that sucks so bad... Please mr. developer sir:
MAKE A wm2003 VERSION! PLEASE!!!

I totally agree with you! i´ve got wm2003, too... I donno why he don´t want to make a wm2003 version...

hm.. I think think many people are sad, because of this (including me!) The developer should share the source code with someone who has a wm2003 device so he could make a special version, but somebody told me he don´t want to give it to anyone.
Open source would be cool !

I own a WM2003SE device, and would love to see this app ported! the built in keyboard just doesn't cut it...

we should start a poll to find out how many people are interested in a wm2003 version!

Great Idea!!!
I've been pleading for this within the existing thread, but I don't even get a response let alone a wm2003 version!!!
I'll sign....
RR

FYI,
I had a reply from the creator. He only has a WM5 SDK installed. That generates THUMB code, that will not run on WM2003 (needs to be ARM)
But he promissed to give it another thought when the project reached final state.
Cheers

sounds like good news!
Can´t wait!

Well, I'll answer
You have to put yourself a little bit at the place of the developer: simply ask you thee basic question: how, when and why.
How?
- developing for 2003 device require (at least): a 2003 device (which I don't have), that the application is actually compatible (WM5 changes lot of stuff, some API used in the keyboard aren't the same or simply do not exist for 2003 device), a 2003 development environment (which takes time to setup) and a huge amount of time to test.
When?
- is it more interesting to develop 2 applications, maintain to application and try to make them stable, or do it later, when one version is stable? Here you have to think long term, not the simple "I want it now", but more what's the most efficient way to get a stable version for 2003, WM5 and WM6?
Why?
That seems to be the aspect your ignore the most, and for me, the most important:
- It takes me lot of time to develop my applications
- I'd like to keep them free, but I also want to get something in return, that's why I use Google Ads on my website, and I encourage donation... but that's not enough. That's also why I don't authorize people to redistribute it, I need your visits and that's why no version of the keyboard exists without time limitation.
- And most importantly: call me greedy or whatever, but what would I get in return?
For WM6 dev: I get a better app for myself, some fun developping it, and hope to get some money back.
For 2003: I don't need it, I don't get a better application, it's not fun to test and port, the fun part is already done.
So I'm simply (and honestly, it's not a trap,I'm just trying to explain my view of the things, maybe you can, considering this, explain me your view of things) asking you the question: what would be the motivation for me? considering the "glory and proud" of making it WM2003 compatible isn't really a turn on for me. Have you thought about that?
That doesn't mean I'm opposed to it, if you can put in place some "motivator", we can of course discuss it.

Well I do understand what you're saying, however from where I sit (and thats having no programming knowledge or experience!!) I'd be more than happy to pay for this app if it was ever developed, and Im sure Im not alone. (c'mon guys, back me up here!!)
The fact is, from what I've seen of this app, this looks as if it is one of the best input methods available, and believe me, I've pretty much tried em all!!
So for you to be asking for a motivator, I put to you COLD-HARD-CASH!!!
I know you're currently accepting donations, but like I said, Im sure other wm2003 users would be quite happy to pay a small fee for having this app up and running on our devices.
yes I do take into account the time and effort (and a wm2003 device) that would be needed to get this out, but seriously, is this impossible.
Even if you couldn't devote the time to it, surely there are other developers out there that (with your help, or code at least) could take this up and continue development.
Just venting my ideas bro, you've made a seemingly great app, let the rest (and im sure its a considerable community) of the non wm5/6 world share this functionality!!!
Other than that, well done on your achievements, I'll be watching the development of this very closely!!
RR

Well, from your point of view, there is no real motivation for him to port his apps for wm2003 and i really understand why. your arguments are very good...
so it´s hard for me tell you why the developer should make a wm2003 compatible version, because when i was in his position i wouldn´t do it, too...
But i will try to explain my ideas
Why:
Richierich is right when he said that it is one of the best input methods available and many people would be happy if they could use it with a wm2003 device!
How:
Share the source code with a developer with a wm2003 device (well i don´t know who this could be, but this community is very big so we can find someone)
When:
when the app works stable he could give the source code to another developer.
I´m no developer, so i have no idea about the amount of work... i just try to explain what i think about it from my point of view.
Thank you for reading.

I'm a developer myself, and trust me, if it's no longer fun. I stop doing it (unless it's work related and my boss requires me to do it).
And I'm sure, not even money (or any form of bribery) can be give enough motivation.
How about sexy gorgeous women? If you can give that, I might even do it myself!
hahaha.. just kidding guys.

I have a better idea... Howabout instead of you writing PocketCM for 03/SE, someone out there ports WM5/6 to my device
That would actually solve many of my other problems too

dito
my message needs to be longer than 10 charakters so i have to write this ****...but i just want to say "dito"

hope there will be a project of this for my imate jam.

I can understand tene (the developer), he is not interested to develop PocketCM Keyboard for WM2003 because he does not have motivation.
Well, there is nothing you can do unless he is motivated, considering this is a free application.
Maybe, you can bargain with him, and "hire" him to build the application
Ask him, how much do you need?
And then, find some people here, collect money, and pay him
That would work ... if tene is willing to be "hired".
If not (not now?), then yeah ... there are still several options:
- Ditch your WM2003 device and upgrade to a newer WM 6.0 model
- Find other onscreen-keyboard alternative, like "TouchPal" from www.cootek.com which people say it is better than PocketCM
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=334437&highlight=touchpal
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=335988&highlight=touchpal
Which is still FREE until Dec !

I would love to have a touch keyboard for Wm2003. there are still plenty of Wm2003 users. H4150 was one of the slimmest pda. I would love to have a touch keyboard for it....

i wait for this http://www.iwindowsmobile.com/
it´s propably similiar to pokcketCM keyboard

guys and all,
are you all unhappy of not having pocketCM 2003? well, please consider me also..

That works on my IPAQ HX4700 Win2003SE
try this. that is not easy to install but that works fine.
sorry for my english, i am french.
- edit PocketCM.reg with notepad to edit our options (language)
- Copy files on pocket pc in folder Program files
- execute regsvr_arm.exe and look for folder of pcmkeyboard and choose pcmKeyboard.dll
- The most difficult : Import PocketCM.reg into Register with a software like SKTools
http://s-k-tools.com/index.html?m_downloads.html#tools
- If the skin is not ok, who can download others on the http://www.pocketcm.com/theme.php?application=2

LINUX for pocket pc

Hello all. I've just started a project to build a linux version that can be install in a pocket ppc architecture. So i'm looking for coders, designers, etc...
If you are interested, answer to this post or contact me in personal message. I'll manage a website for that project. There is no needs to say that this project will be completly FREE.

Embedded Linux Forum
For those who are interested, I've opened a forum about embedded Linux.
The forum is very new and it is waiting for peoples

you mean linux for wizard?
ok, i just want to wish you luck.. i seen 1-2 projects - no conclusion, or stable relz so far...
i set instant email notification ON for that post..
g'luck..

http://linwizard.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

good luck, and I can't wait!

After a lots of researchs, i've found there is already a big amount embedded linux distributions (commercial and free). But these distribution are a little complex for newbies, so i decided to make the forum to furnish tutorials and documentation and help for peoples who are interesting in putting Linux on there pocket pc.
I need your participation to the forum !! Questions , tutorials , etc...

I added some informations in the forul but I Still need people. There is a lot of questions asked whithout answers. For example in the project list, there is a project of a LiveSD Linux which you have certainly understood is a LiveCd of linux on a SD. I need programmer, especially for memory's allocation, coders, etc. I want to lead this forum at the first place to help all people who want to build there own embedded linux. The Forum

Interested, too...
At what point do you stay with any developement? Well, i am interested in Linux on my Vario, too.
And what is planned? Full featured Phone-Application, or only a stand-alone Linux?
Regards
Thomas

Both are possible but the better thing you can do is to post your idea or your questions is the FORUM
REGARDS

tommix1968 said:
i am interested in Linux on my Vario
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Vario is HTC Wizard ? The main problem are the CPLD gpios accessed over i2c. For some reason it does not work as expected

cr2 said:
Vario is HTC Wizard ? The main problem are the CPLD gpios accessed over i2c. For some reason it does not work as expected
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That where not so good news... But WM is only a Software, too.

Hmmm... about Linux in OMAP based devices... Just browsed on TI webpage and found this:
http://focus.ti.com/general/docs/wt...emplatedata/cm/general/data/wtbmiddl/sw/linux
http://focus.ti.com/general/docs/wtbu/wtbusplashcontent.tsp?templateId=6123&contentId=4750
I think it may be helpfull... or not...

mendoza said:
Hmmm... about Linux in OMAP based devices... Just browsed on TI webpage and found this:
http://focus.ti.com/general/docs/wt...emplatedata/cm/general/data/wtbmiddl/sw/linux
http://focus.ti.com/general/docs/wtbu/wtbusplashcontent.tsp?templateId=6123&contentId=4750
I think it may be helpfull... or not...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
very nice discovery, i might look into that once i get another phone to play with.

Shift SD Card Vanishes Issue

Hello Folks !
I know that the issue of "vanishing" SD memory cards has been discussed in the XDA Forum before, and from those threads I also figured that there is a Hotfix patch available for this problem from Microsoft:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/948278/
But Microsoft does not offer a download link for that fix
Instead they direct you to their "beg me for it" support site, where they state that owners of pre-installed Vista systems are only offered support on a "pay per support request" basis at the tune of >$60 per ticket :-(
All others are directed to go the website of their device's manufacturer.
But HTC doesn't offer any patches or fixes for the Shift, heck they don't even have an "updated driverrs" section there
But things have gotten that bad on my Shift by now that every time I switch SD cards (even w/o hibernation), I get the exact error the MS note describes and have to reboot Vista to get my SD card back
Can anyone here please(!!) send me that MS Hotfix.
Why do I have to pay to get a buggy SW fixed, simply because I am the legit owner of a Window's Vista version?
Whoever was so screwed up in the head to put Vista on that box in the first place?
If not for the missing drivers for XP (resolution changer and the like), I would have already kicked Vista of that darn thing myself.
Best would of course have been Linux, but the driver sittuation there is even worse (no touchpad, no SNAPVuE, ...)
Please, somebody help me here.
The HTC Shift, such a powerfull device, and such a lousy implementation

Hi,
I clicked your link and then clicked on this link at the top of the page.
Hotfix Download Available
View and request hotfix down.
They detected my Location - Australia.
I filled in my email address and was sent a time & password protected download link to the Hotfix.
They warn that this Hotfix is not fully tested.
I will wait for the official one.
Regards,
Steve

I have the same problem too!
I am using a 16G SD card from A data. In order to use it, I have to reboot the shift. Now I have purchased an external SD card reader, it then works better!

you said you have read all the thread concerning that fix. In one of them, you can download it.
BTW, the fix actually doesn't fix much, but you can still hope.

pharao said:
Best would of course have been Linux, but the driver sittuation there is even worse (no touchpad, no SNAPVuE, ...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What are you talking about? We have 100% hardware support for the shift in Linux, everything is working, check my blog.

thaihugo said:
you said you have read all the thread concerning that fix. In one of them, you can download it.
BTW, the fix actually doesn't fix much, but you can still hope.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've tried to install this hotfix and it prompts "This hotfix is not meant for your system". I have Vista Bussiness SP1.

pof said:
What are you talking about? We have 100% hardware support for the shift in Linux, everything is working, check my blog.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pleeeeaaase, I'm not a fool.
I've read through the posts of the guy who wrote most of the drivers for Linux and by his own admission things like touchscreen only work under Linux if Windoze initialized the device first (dual boot option).
Such clumsy work arounds might be fine for you, but I need this box for WORK, not play.
So I can't afford to have to mess around first to get certain functions running, and I need every single item on that box - be it touchpad, phone or screen rez change...
And anything that requires Dual Boot is unacceptable for work from the get go.
Imagine my project leaders wants me to perform a certain task on the fly and my reply is "OK Boss, just give me 5-10 minutes, I'll have for boot into Windoze for that first" :-(
Either it *all* works under Linux or otherwise I wasted a lot of money on an oversized paper weight.

outparda said:
Hi,
I clicked your link and then clicked on this link at the top of the page.
Hotfix Download Available
View and request hotfix down.
They detected my Location - Australia.
I filled in my email address and was sent a time & password protected download link to the Hotfix.
They warn that this Hotfix is not fully tested.
I will wait for the official one.
Regards,
Steve
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe they build that page for each location differently, but for my current locale (German province), I was exactly looking for that link (even using the "search" function), but could not find it.
If you could post that URL I would appreciate it.
Or maybe that page only works correctly if used with IE ???

pharao said:
Pleeeeaaase, I'm not a fool.
I've read through the posts of the guy who wrote most of the drivers for Linux and by his own admission things like touchscreen only work under Linux if Windoze initialized the device first (dual boot option).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are in front of that guy... and yes, that was one of the caveats from the first versions of the touchscreen driver (looks like you haven't been updated since a looong time), now the initialization works correctly and dualboot is not needed anymore.
pharao said:
Either it *all* works under Linux or otherwise I wasted a lot of money on an oversized paper weight.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I said before, it does *all* work.

outparda said:
Hi,
I clicked your link and then clicked on this link at the top of the page.
Hotfix Download Available
View and request hotfix down.
They detected my Location - Australia.
I filled in my email address and was sent a time & password protected download link to the Hotfix.
They warn that this Hotfix is not fully tested.
I will wait for the official one.
Regards,
Steve
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, I just tried again with another browser.
Now it seems to work OK and I'll wait for MS response.
The thing that worries me is that the web page said "for Vista Business SP2".
But I only got Service Pack 1 and I don't even think that there is an SP2 out yet for Vista.
I checked on the MS website just this weekend and they only listed SP1.
Am I wrong here about the MS Service Packs for Vista???

pof said:
You are in front of that guy... and yes, that was one of the caveats from the first versions of the touchscreen driver (looks like you haven't been updated since a looong time), now the initialization works correctly and dualboot is not needed anymore.
As I said before, it does *all* work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you are telling me that SnapVuE, Touchscreen, Fingerprint Reader, Rez Change, Touchpad, Modem, WebCam, Audio and WM6 connectivity *all* work under Linux?
Be carefull what you claim here, because I am a Linux user & admin and have a "ready2install" SuSE 11.x distro right in front of me!

motowiz said:
I've tried to install this hotfix and it prompts "This hotfix is not meant for your system". I have Vista Bussiness SP1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because it is already included in SP1

thaihugo said:
Because it is already included in SP1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But if that is true then why do I stell get that error (as I am on SP1) and why does the MS website claim SP2 as a pre-requesite?

pharao said:
So you are telling me that SnapVuE, Touchscreen, Fingerprint Reader, Rez Change, Touchpad, Modem, WebCam, Audio and WM6 connectivity *all* work under Linux?
Be carefull what you claim here, because I am a Linux user & admin and have a "ready2install" SuSE 11.x distro right in front of me!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I suggest you to tone down, because pof is actually the only guy I know working on linux drivers for the shift. Talking about clumsy workaround is not the best way to thank him. Maybe you can use some smiley here.
May I also remind you that there are some heavyweight professionals on this forum, so claiming your professional problems as a bragging right might be a bit moot for most of us.

pharao said:
But if that is true then why do I stell get that error (as I am on SP1) and why does the MS website claim SP2 as a pre-requesite?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The fix is for pre-SP1. So it cannot install on SP1
ANd there is no SP2 for vista. You're reading probably something for XP

pof said:
As I said before, it does *all* work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I haven't tried it myself, but there are some guys in the comments of your "linux on shift" blog, that claim that there are severe problems with WiFi.
They say it won't work with WEP enabled networks.
Can you confirm this or is there a fix available?

Guancho said:
They say it won't work with WEP enabled networks.
Can you confirm this or is there a fix available?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It works for me, but i'll have a look at it when I have time.

pof said:
It works for me, but i'll have a look at it when I have time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I really appreciate your work! It's great that someone works on fully enabling ubuntu on the shift.
And sorry for being off-topic

thaihugo said:
I suggest you to tone down, because pof is actually the only guy I know working on linux drivers for the shift. Talking about clumsy workaround is not the best way to thank him. Maybe you can use some smiley here.
May I also remind you that there are some heavyweight professionals on this forum, so claiming your professional problems as a bragging right might be a bit moot for most of us.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
May I suggest you tone it down yourself?
It was pof who jumped into this thread proclaiming very loudly that his drivers would make *all* under Linux work.
Emphasis on all on his own part.
So if he makes a claim which proofs to be false, then I would call that very unprofessional indeed (not that I allege such at this point, but that is why I listed all the [many] devices his claim would include).
I don't know about the environment in which the "heavyweights" you mention in this forum work, but in my world making a claim like that would get me fired if it proofed to be untrue.
And I'm talking about the kind of projects here where such news travels very fast - and I did mention that I use my Shift for work.
Thus my livelyhood depends on my systems functioning 100% (not 95% or 99%).
And despite me being an avert Linux user myself, I'm not one of those folks who believe I have to get all my stuff for free, thus if I do not find that someone willing to write drivers for free obliges me to be gratefull beyond agony (should they still not work as advertised).
Quite the opposite. I'm among the first willing to pay for my SW as long as it works. I did not choose Linux (for my PC) because it is "free", as screwing up on the job because of a failing System would cost me a lot more than simply paying for a professional operating system.
So if something does not work right (like having to boot into Windows first before I can start working under Linux), I do call it "clumsy" - because that is what it is!
If pof wants to be paid for his drivers, he can PM me about that proposal.
But in any case I'll demand for that stuff to work 100% or else I call it what it is.
Because my boss would call me far worse if I'd screw up because I e.g. couldn't access my info because my HTC Shift went bye bye on the job.
(enough smileys?)

PS thaihugo, the tone of your reply already convinced me to stick with Windoze on the Shift.
Because as lousy as Vista works on the HTC, at least there I do have "bragging rights" (as you call it) to demand working SW - because I paid for it.
That's a lot better than trying to get some freebie working and if it ain't working to be told "hey, what do you want? You got it for free!"