Quote: Originally Posted by
kev000 
All of the following is IMHO, so if you aren't afraid to read something that is incorrect (or at least correct me), do not feel the need to proceed any further.
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The $200 for streetdeck is for the same reason CF is $300 (well, the reason is the same, the price isn't) and that is navigation. Streetdeck uses microsoft mappoint, which is one of the priciest navigation software packages on the market. Don't believe me try and buy it standalone. Truth is you are getting mappoint at $100 off and Streetdeck is thrown in for free.
Some people say that don't like mappoint.....ok, MOST people say they don't like mappoint. So why did they use it? I thing it was for future alliances. You might not find streetdeck on wikipedia (by the way, I think you used that example to show how "little" streetdeck is and it was a major cheap shot), but you CAN go to Intel or Microsoft and find all kinds of things where Streetdeck is working with both.
CF uses desinator. Not sure what price it is standalone (destinator). But what I don't understand with them is the added price for phone when they are using a free service (bluesoleil or whatever it's called). To me that is just wrong. Maybe they bought a license from blue and that is the added cost, but why does it ask for a serial number and then say it's a demo version? It's an RC, so maybe it will change. Who knows.
WHY ON EARTH would they end their dependance on directx and WMP? Microsoft is the strongest company on this planet and has the best chance of survival. Not use WMP? You can argue sound quality maybe, but going to open source? Why do you think Linux hasn't already put Microsoft out of business? Because there is no quality control! Directx and WMP are the two major players in the computer industry, and you think they should go open source?
Streetdeck is on standby, and from my view, is there for a reason. To gain strength and mementum for it's future. And yes, it's going to upset us all that are here early on, but I am certain it will come back a better product. Where is it then? My guess is over at Aptera working on computer controlled suspension software, but that's just a guess on my part. It would keep everyone extremely busy, due to deadlines from all outside vendors on the project, and would explain the lack of support here.
As for XP......
When you can download Linux and NOT have to go searching for a single driver EVER, at that point, and only at that point, can you even consider comparing it with Windows. Well, I take that back, you can compare it to Windows Vista when it first came out. And you saw the popularity of that.
Everyone here knows you are building a linux based front end, and I personally don't mind you arguing it's points. But don't do a Hillary/Obama. Definition: the only way to make your software look good is to make the others look bad.
Stand on your own merits, not the other guys faults. THEN you might be on the way to that "killer" front end.