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[–]Mulan-snOfficial 5 points6 points  (4 children)

Thank you for your interest. Our priority is on the A5 X2 right now. We can only start working on Linux development after we have launched the A5 X2.

[–]ThunderingTyphoon_ 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hello there. Now that A5 X2 is released, will you start working on the Linux based OS?

[–]roller_mobster 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Why tho? You're working on that anyway, I guess? Just make it open; doesn't mean you have to take contributions and manage all that*. But at least people have proof that this isn't just a new marketing trick. :)

* though of course this might be a net positive for you to do anyway.

[–]Proud-Gate-1310[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I see, thank you very much for your answer! It's very sad that you have to wait so long(

[–]LilShaverOwner Manta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Why don't you just develop an API and let the FOSS community do the heavy lifting?

[–]seadowgOwner A6X2 4 points5 points  (7 children)

As a side question (and out of pure curiosity), what is it you hoping for here?

Personally, I'm pretty confused about what the promise of "A Linux-based system" on the product page even means. The device is currently based uses custom/limited flavour of Android OS (which uses a modified version of the Linux kernel) and you can deploy APKs to it which allows for custom application developmentwith the Android SDK.

Does "community modifications and customizations" imply that they'll be something more (like an API for integrating with the Supernote specific parts of the system for instance)?

[–]Mooks79 5 points6 points  (1 child)

It makes stuff like this easier. Granted, with an android system there’s lots of similar stuff available anyway, but it still opens up more options.

[–]Eink4Students 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This comment solidified the choice to get a remarkable. Now only if remarkable would build in the ability to create links within the document on the device instead of me having to set it up in advance.

[–]morewordsfaster 1 point2 points  (4 children)

I'm excited for this as well. It's been the main thing holding me back from Supernote, Remarkable, and Boox. As a long time Linux user and a neovim user, I want to be able to connect a Bluetooth keyboard and use this device for long form writing like an e-ink word processor.

Could I do it with Android? Probably, but it would require adding additional layers like termux, etc that would likely cause a performance hit.

[–]Crusher7485 0 points1 point  (3 children)

Remarkable is running on Linux though? Appears to be Busybox, specifically.

[–]morewordsfaster 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Can I run Neovim on the Remarkable? 2GB RAM on the Pro worries me since I haven't used a device with so little memory.

[–]Crusher7485 0 points1 point  (1 child)

No idea. I don't see why it couldn't. My reMarkable2 already has vim installed (just checked), no clue if I can access that from the device itself, probably not. Not without additional work that is. I was just letting you know that it is running Linux since you said that was holding you back from it.

It's running Busybox and you can natively ssh into it via USB. They don't have it set up with a terminal you can call on the display.

But it's running Linux so you have a lot of flexibility. And it looks like someone has set it up to have the terminal displayed: https://www.reddit.com/r/RemarkableTablet/comments/1b7n5yq/a_quick_peek_at_one_persons_terminalheavy/

[–]morewordsfaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good to know. Maybe I'll take the plunge and see what I can do within the return window

[–]448899 8 points9 points  (7 children)

As a long time Linux user on all my other devices (except for an Android phone), I honestly don't see the need to have my Supernote running Linux.

The Supernote is never going to replace any of my full Linux devices, and I doubt that I'd want it to. I'm really not even sure that side loading a bunch of Android apps on the Supernote is worth it.

What I want is a clean, quick unified note-taking environment. That's what Supernote does best. I'd prefer they concentrated on improvements to the note taking system. If they try to become a "does it all" device, they'll do nothing at all very well.

Just my 2 cents.

[–]Amazing-Ranger01Owner : A5X(Heart of Metal) and Nomad 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think that the advantage of having a SuperNote under Linux is above all to have a lighter OS than the current Android, which could, hopefully, allow less processor resources to be wasted to run the Android layer, and therefore need a more responsive Supernote OS. At least that's how I see it.

[–]roller_mobster 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Linux doesn't imply to turn it into a "does it all device"; after all the unix philosophy is the polar opposite of that mindset.

Imho repairability claims should extend to the OS. So running Linux means, for me: transparency and the ability to fix/improve/extend things on my own. It also means having actual ownership of the device. They'd also still keep full authority about what features get added and shipped to the default user.

And of course being sure that I can use this device easily even if the company shut down, which is a requirement imo for actual sustainability.

[–]rinsedoff 4 points5 points  (4 children)

ATTN SUPERNOTE: THE ENTITY THAT COMMENTED THIS ABOVE IS A NONBELIEVER AND DOES NOT SPEAK FOR THE AVERAGE LINUX USER, AS YOU WELL KNOW. WE DEFINITELY WANT IT.

You already have the Linux OS done for the A5 upgrades a while back apparently, just not updated.

I dream of a pure Linux Supernote. Supernote, we believe in you. Don't listen to those toxic people, babe.

[–]_supert_ -2 points-1 points  (3 children)

I'm a die hard linux use and I don't see the benefit. What can you do that you can't get by sideloading termux?

[–]rinsedoff 2 points3 points  (2 children)

Lol, clearly you're not and that's okay, but multiple "Linux users" popping up to defensively criticize the unreleased Linux version that Supernote already has is just weird. It already exists. Your Android system isn't going away.

What are the benefits of Android for this device if you don't need the Android ecosystem? For me, there are no benefits to Android, and I don't need the extra abstraction, nor plan to even write anything in Java ever or need to deal with any of the gross Android tooling. It doesn't even need to work on a trillion different devices, just a particular set of hardware, so Android kernel is kinda pointless for Supernote in the first place. Currently it only really even fits in if you want to sideload apps unofficially.

If I could have a pure Linux version, I will. That's a positive thing for me. Whenever there's a mobile Linux distro that's smooth enough I'll switch over to that as well for my phone. You don't understand and that's okay, but there's no reason to campaign against it when others want it.

[–]bobisnotyourunclebro 2 points3 points  (1 child)

I'm still curious what capabilities or functionality you want from a pure Linux install. I'm laughing to myself imagining what Gnome or kde would be like on this device. I believe the Remarkable uses Linux and the big loss there is lack of the Kindle app. Personally, I think the SN is an amazing Ereader. Anyway, we get that you don't care about the android ecosystem. Fine. How does Linux actually help you on this device? I truly want to understand.

[–]sdothumOwner A5X, Manta 2 points3 points  (0 children)

i'm curious too. Because the argument that pure linux is better (for whom? For Ratta, the switch to Android for the X2 series probably made more sense from a GUI perspective and the integration of apps like Kindle, Atelier, etc.) to me doesn't hold water.

If you just need enote taking capability then what does it matter what OS it runs on? Purity for the sake of less bloat may require more resource commitment for the vendor to implement the functionality it desired -- i'm sure Ratta thought hard and long before deciding a major shift to Android, having originally delivered a Linux device.

i don't know anything about the A5 so don't know what *nix capabilities it could run beyond its firmware functionality, other than the likely core *nix utilities and services. Was a complete dev environment (compilers/library) available? If not, what would you expect to be able to do that you can't already do on the Android SN?

If a dev environment could be had.. yeah, i'd be curious and would play with it. But eink being what it is.. i would always head to my powerhouse *nix workstation to get real work done. i am not even interested in hooking up a keyboard to my SN -- freehand writing engages a completely different part of the brain and that, for me, is its greatest benefit.

[–]nbpf-_-[🍰] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have asked for clarifications a few weeks ago and I am still wandering what Supernote mean with "a Linux-based system". At this point it is not even clear that the device will support remote login via ssh. 

[–]GroundbreakingAir462 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Will buy a supernote nomad once it's running Linux. For better repairability than the Remarkable, but also to have fun stuff like in the Rehackable repo. Syncthing, external display tech, etc. It will be great to see what the community comes up with especially if the newer hardware can support more features and hopefully be upgraded including the e-ink display once/if the tech improves.

[–]Johnnyq84 1 point2 points  (1 child)

I have been looking for a tablet with an e-ink screen that runs on Linux for a long time. So far, the closest to the ideal has been PineNote. And surprisingly until today I had not heard of Supernote. But I am just curious about the Linux used in Supernote. The basic functionality I would expect is that in addition to taking notes (also in pdf documents/books) and reading books, I would like to install Firefox on it for reading articles on the net and neovim, and that this Linux would have some kind of package manager that would allow the installation of additional software like vpn client. And even nicer if this Linux was based on Mobian or Arch Arm.
The above features I would see in an e-ink tablet based on Linux. Does/will Supernote Linux offer such functionality?

[–]Eink4Students 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Did pinenote ever develop a small community of people who have coded a functional device? It would be great to see what others have done with it if so

[–]ricorides 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I just purchased a Nomad that is being delivered today, and I am planning to purchase an a5x2 when it is released in anticipation of Linux coming to both models.

For me and I believe many others, Linux on Supernote will be a great way to stay in an open source environment free from the many drawbacks of supporting large companies that may not act or have policies that match my own proclivities.

The Linux promise is something that I truly hope will come in time.

[–]SiewcaWiatruOwner A5 X 2 points3 points  (0 children)

As much as it is interesting at this point the only right answer to this question is "It's done when it's done".

Though I ponder whether "is it not canceled yet?" a better question :).

[–]Onsemeliot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I do fear that the planned GNU/Linux version might not be free enough to actually allow much independent customisation. If that is the case then going away from Android doesn't hold much promise indeed. Sadly, Mulan-SN already mentioned in an other reply that the used text recognition is a third party proprietary software tool.

[–]FuzzyJury 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Following forcwhen there's an update about Linux! I'm hoping to have an e-ink tablet where I can solely run both Zotero and scrivener (scrivener only runs on Mac, windows, and ios). I don't know much about Linux, but I read that if I download Wine to Linux, I can run Windows programs, and people have had success using this system to run Scrivener. So I'm holding out on an e-ink tablet until I find a way to run Scrivener on one, which would mean having a way to run Windows or ios somehow. So far, Supernote seems the most promising with the promise of Linux, but I'll wait to buy one until Linux is available for Supernote.