I think exactly the same thing
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My point was, it is unreasonable to expect all of Aspen to be shipped within the first 4 of 20 business days in the shipping window.
For a batch size of 200…1000, they should push out 10…50 per day on average, and likely considerably less in the first days.
Maybe they shipped a handful, and maybe some are already delivered, but only in CA.
Certainly the first ones (or rather all of Aspen) go to the earliest and most faithful of backers and not to reviewers. I also don’t expect many of the privacy minded early backers to put unbox videos on YouTube…
I backed this not because I desperately want to hold it in my hands, but because it needs to exist, so that in a few years RYF phones are available to everyone.
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If this was meant to be a prototype (had to be :)) which under the deadline pressure turned into “consumer - early backer device” , they could still treat it as such. All big OEMs even when the final hardware is ready and OS is 99.9 polished, still won’t allow reviewers to go public , until they are sure all bugs they find important are ironed out.
They basically have a legally enforced ban, lifted on a specific date.
That’s something Purism overlooked. Perhaps, they should have made this “ban” as a condition for all of the impatient backers , willing to deal with bugs in the first place. You can’t assume that all of the enthusiasts gonna be careful what they publish. Even with best intentions in mind, they can cause serious PR damage.
To me, this was a rushed decision.
Such bans are unfreedomy. People would complain.
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Well, those people could choose to wait - be patient 
I’m with you and backed for the same reason, my Jolla’s battery unfortunatelly didn’t live enough till purism shipment so I was forced in the end to accept company phone (which is android) so I’m not that desperate to have it in my hand. I however for the transparency as I’ve been in several other kickstarter projects which at the last moment before (delayed) shipment was about to start went into spiralling wave of refunds due to many people loosing the faith at the lack of communication at this phase.
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I was railing about this for a long time. Many perhaps took issue with me as to the business. Why Broadmi came to the mix was only noted late (area coverage limitations with the Gemalto chips) and the nature of QMI as versus MBIM modem software is still unclear to most all here. The potential for some card such as the Quectel EM06 to have a Universal modem in M.2 form (voice capability unclear as optional-whatever that means) or similar cards has not been addressed.
Librem 5 users may be, if not some elite, at least some of the bleeding-edge users of this technology though they need some help along the way.
While it is not the task of Librem to supply full information as they have more than enough on their plates with getting design and functionality to the market, it would certainly behoove them to at least spread some seeds on the road to lead us to some information that may be out there and allow us to find out some helpful information not generally required of other smartphone users. We should not be using a Linux system where the advantage goes to those who might want to tinker with things, while we have blinders on.
Librem has said that the hardware should be open and that M.2 cards can be changed out, that batteries can be removed, etc. Okay, but if we are to change out batteries with no trouble, why are we to be allowed to think that changing out an M.2 card modem is as easy as unplug this one and plug in that one?
If they want smart and capable users and the information might be out there, even if it requires some digging, why not leave some hints as to how to open the device up and use it properly once gotten?
Why not give some notice of an option to have differing M.2 cards at the outset and explain the rationale for the option? This is not the same as ordering a car in a different color or some convertible versus sedan model. Choosing options at some point in time of shipping should be made without guessing what you chose to get!
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I agree. I would like to see the business evolve in its functionality, not to merely settle for some low-level function, but if the low-level function gets it out in the air that is fine with me. I want a good review and that might take a week though if it took 2,3 or 4 I would not care much. I won’t have the phone by then anyway. I care little for how big the Aspen lot is. If it is only a few hundred and the Birch is a normal load of perhaps 1000 or more, that is fine with me. I look upon Aspen as quasi-prototype in nature and am little concerned with its numbers. They have chosen this batch to avoid criticism of having delayed the delivery yet again. I consider Birch on as the true units. If I am wrong, all the better. I would expect the more accurate reviews, by the same logic to be with the Birch Units.
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I agree that there is a lot for L5 users to learn when it comes to radio/modems. Purism should do what they can to help in the educational processes that are required. But there is a lot to do on all fronts when it comes to this phone and resources lacking everywhere. Commercial interests have worked together on all levels, to build niches, and a myriad of legal protections to protect the related cashflows that go with those interests. Blobs here and blobs there, copyrighted reference designs, etc… Then Purism comes along and says essentially ‘… we want to change all of this and make it be free’. Is it any wonder that others do not want to make the task easy?
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We both agree. And admittedly it is not Purism’s duty to instruct us.
Yet, making a new smartphone for open use and enlightened Privacy and reworking by allowing full modding of the whole misses its ideal point unless there are at least attempts to light the way and assist in the enlightenment. Otherwise we have a nice private smartphone on a cutting edge devoid of smart users who themselves have any idea as to enlightenment as to what they can do.
Please we do not need lectures or full discourses, but we could stand some road signs and directional markers to guide us on the trip. There is not so much effort required to give us some needed ‘leads’.
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I’m confused. Who’s duty is it then? When you buy a product that may need some work to get the best from it, the manufacturer sends you a manual with it and a lot of tips on how to accomplish what needs to be done. I expect Purism to tell me exactly, amongst other things, how to switch a modem when necessary. Am I wrong really?
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If you are talking about one of the officially supported modems it should go like this:
- power off
- open the case back
- disconnect antenna cable from the modem card
- loosen the modem screw
- slide modem out
- slide new modem in
- tighten screw
- reconnect antenna cable to the modem card
- close case
- power on, enjoy
For not officially supported modems there might be additional steps, e.g. installing binary blobs. And explaining those additional steps is not Purism’s duty, although you might still get some help from support or here in the forums.
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Oh…actually…can we get an “official preference” opinion on this from Puri.sm ?
Of course they’re not going to tell us what we can and cannot do with our purchases but if it didn’t fit their marketing plan to do reviews early on than respect for their wishes is reason enough to make me (and I’m sure many others) not want to.
CC’d to @Some_dude36 (because I already kinda said a review from them and their perspective would be of value to the community)
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That’s a dead end, moderating reviews is the last thing anyone needs even to consider. If they want to contain the shitstorm (and expect it to happen) they just need to make official disclamers before shipment - something along the lines:
- first batch is early PoC targeted to stabilize hardware platform,
- software stack is only mature enough for basic phone features
- make receive calls and text messages,
- provide linux runtime sufficient for further development
- basic web browsing
- certain graphical glitches are possible and will be polished along the road to evergreen
and then prepare some well-versed people to proactively respond to any shitstorm in the spirit of the disclaimer.
Although I’m pretty certain most of the attacks will be targeted to privacy features as that is the main distinctive feature which may piss off big brothers. Unless they find none and just will try to make general negative emotional coverage.
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Might there be antenna(e) to disconnect and reconnect?
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Indeed. Fixed.
It’s now a 10-step-process, so obviously it had to be wrong before 
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I’m happy to see that everything runs much smoother on the phone than in the emulator.
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Damn, this looks good.
Can’t wait to get mine.
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Well hold on, what’s Purism’s hosting situation? Yes they are a company, but they have roots in the Free software social movement/community too. A lot of us are coming from that place as well (just look at all the excellent work @Caliga has contributed!) who see giving/contributing as a joy and being on a team curating a review repo would not be a big ask…actually sounds kinda fun
Mediagoblin is incredibly easy to set up and use and if Purism has unlimited hosting it wouldn’t cost anything additional past making a sort of code of conduct/focus/branding handbook for people who want to step up.
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No. That was an example. I understand the community will be there to help us with this kind of needs and that’s great. I guess I didn’t understand what the previous conversation was referring to when it was said it is not Purism’s duty to instruct us on certain issues. I hope Purism makes easy for regular users to deal with this phone’s capabilities. I see you guys talking about it and believe me you put me to sleep.
Please, save these steps about changing the modem and publish them in the wiki site is supposed to be fed with helpful information about L5. I am counting on it!
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