My OLED and E-ink Devices

Generally, I prefer my computing devices in a tablet format. A display, with all the gubbins inside, which allows me to connect my input devices of choice without redundancy. It means I can position the display at an appropriate height. If I have a keyboard I like, I can use it with all of my devices, rather than it being glued inergonomically to a particular screen. The same applies to pointing devices (I like trackballs).

Almost all of my e-ink and OLED devices have a Wacom layer, so I can use the same stylus for all of them.

In compiling this article I’ve come to realise I’ve built up a little collection. I don’t need all of these but find a certain comfort in using different devices for different purposes, they take up very little space and I get a lot of enjoyment from them. I bought them all second-hand and am a pretty keen shopper so got some great deals, rarely paying more than half the retail price. In some cases I bought broken ones and Frankensteined them into a single working unit. I guess there are worse ways to spend money.

Onyx, Linux and GPLv2

 

Onyx (the manufacturers of a couple of my e-ink devices detailed below) seem to be wilfully breaking the licensing terms of the Linux kernel, by refusing to release their modified version of this GPLv2-licensed work. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth as I love the concept of open source software. It’s a shame because although I have 2 of their devices, I kind of begrudge it, don’t really want to buy another in future, and it makes me not want to speak highly of them as a company.
 

I do think it’s a complex issue and may be just as likely to have roots in genuine cultural differences, as much as it might just be about greed. The Wired documentary Shenzhen: The Silicon Valley of Hardware really affected my thinking on this, it’s an entertaining watch if you have any interest in modern technology, and touches on some different viewpoints on intellectual property.
 

It would be nice if Onyx at least spoke openly about it, at the moment their attitude just feels like a middle finger to OSS.