FAQ
things you might wonder ;)
Why is paroli written in python?
As paroli is a community project we chose a language with a relatively low entrance level, which enables more users to directly contribute to the project’s code base. It is also very flexible and regarded as easy to read by many and yet efficient, thus perfect for a community project such as paroli. Also does python not require any compilation, cross-compilation and allows development directly on the phones.
Why use tichy / Why implement paroli as a tichy plugin or group of plugins?
Tichy comes with a build-in scheduler which allows better usage of resources and easier performance optimization (e.g. all plugins run within a single python process, share the same interpreter, same X connection, etc). Furthermore is the concept of tichy build around flexibility and adaptability. Using tichy allows us to separate functionality from design in a very efficient way and also enables users to quickly build on the API we develop for paroli (e.g. by replacing a single plugin or slightly adapting it, it may be possible to replace all lists by sliders in order to change the behavior without the need of rewriting the phone apps).
Why the name paroli and what does it mean?
We want to create a tool that connects users and allows fluid communication between people, so we needed a name which encompasses those ideas. Finally we found “Paroli”, which is Esperanto and means speak or talk (see http://www.esperanto-panorama.net/vortaro/eoen.htm) and that is exactly what paroli is, a tool to connect users with one another in numerous ways.
Will paroli replace Illume?
No, certainly not. On the contrary, tichy just recently got an alternative starting method which starts a dbus service which than listenes for signals and starts services/apps as they are needed.
How can I get in touch with the paroli team?
There are several ways to contact us:
send a mail to devel@lists.openmoko.org or community@lists.openmoko.org
or
join the irc channel irc://irc.freenode.net/paroli
If something is not mentioned here just leave a comment :) or write a mail to devel@lists.openmoko.org .
10 Responses to “FAQ”
I’m confused. I love the ideas behind paroli,
Is it RIGHT NOW able to make/recieve calls, text messages, and such? I’ve installed it, but it seems to me that after putting in a phone number, for instance, the call button does nothing.
Am i missing something? I’ve played with the paroli config file, red the startup document.
Thanks in advance!
Russo
Hi,
making and receiving calls is working. When configured correctly. Can you give more details how you installed paroli and what you changed in the cfg file? Best if you send it to devel@lists.openmoko.org
Regards,
/mirko
I’m confused after reading the FAQs, in particular the Q:A “Will paroli replace Illume” for me is a bit unclear: which will be exactly the relationship between Paroli and Illume? For example, we need to start an app from an app menu: where will this menu be? In Paroli or in Illume? Sistem settings will be handled from Paroli, this mean that a slice of Illume will be useless.
Problably my ideas or screenshots on this site are unclear, or probably both, but I don’t see any way to close an app or an app menu in Paroli, and this make me think as follows: we need something to switch between the opened applications (for example, telephony, TangoGPS, Navit. and so…). Which piece of software will handle this?
Thanks,
Francesco
Hi Fradeve,
On the paroli-images paroli will occupy the whole screen and thus not expose any other apps. However this can be changed easily by removing one package (paroli-theme). Once this is removed paroli integrates in illume just as any other app. As far as I know there aren’t any settings in paroli which are also in illume. The settings included in paroli only set options exposed by the framework (http://www.freesmartphone.org).
Which settings do you mean exactly?
The goal is to have basic feature phone capabilities when running paroli “as is” and to use paroli as a phone-suite and fso settings tool when run inside illume.
Regards,
/mirko
Just wanted to say thanks for the great post ! Found your blog on Google and I’m happy I did. I’ll be reading you on a regular basis ! Thanks again :)
Thanks,
Donna
Could you change the IRC link to point to #paroli instead of om and om-devel?
THanks!
(Mirko we miss you…)
I was wondering what the plans are for the handling of more PIM data. As I understood from your vision, the role of Paroli is to make services (GSM calls, contacts) available to the applications.
Wouldn’t this fit in perfectly with Akonadi?
Especially since they started a mobile port (http://code.google.com/p/akonadimobileport) it might be nice to make Paroli a Akonadi client in the future.
Or are there reasons that something like that won’t work anyhow?
I think I’m starting to understand this.
A basic question: if I wanted an application beyond the scope of a basic phone (e.g. Twitter/Identi.ca client, web browser), should that be installed as a Paroli application? Or would that just be run outside Paroli via Illume?
It seems like the latter would be the answer, but I’m a bit confused about the scope of Paroli applications and what, if anything, should run outside Paroli on a smartphone.
Hi Blaise,
in theory it would be best to use paroli applications if you want to write them in python, the idea here would be to save system resources by using a single python instance.
If the app is not in python it might be interesting to add the app to paroli’s launcher.
/mirko
PS: Sorry it took so long, I lost the HD with the login data to this blog ;)
@mirko: No problem! I may try my hand at a few paroli apps in the fall…
Leave a Reply