Sourceforge on Your iPhone!

Published on July 11, 2008 in Apps by Rami Taibah

While I am not really big iPhone fan, I must admit it’s a sexy piece of hardware, that captured the hearts of millions in a heartbeat. But the fact that Apple decided to lock it down, is a deal breaker for me. I have had the misfortune of buying a 32 GB iPod touch, and managing it from my Ubuntu box is simply a nightmare. While tools like ipod-convenience, can do the job, they are buggy and unstable to say the least and remain indivisual efforts of Linux hackers and reverse engineers.

Anyways now that I got that off my chest. The App store is already in business, but thats not what really concerns us over here. With this new store comes a new app that at least gives us Open Source enthusiasts a life line. The leading Open Source development website, SourceForge has announced today the release of its application ‘SFNetNews’ via the newly opened iTunes store, which will enable users to read news from Slashdot, install alerts about the latest apps from Freshmeat, browse Thinkgeek! The price? Free of course!

Whether SFNetNews can be installed using the Installer of a jailbroken unit is yet to be seen.

Here is the official press release: SourceForge Releases iPhone Application

And the official community blog: SourceForge on the iPhone?

EDIT: I have tried several times to upgrade my iPod Touch using several guides out there, but to no avail. Apprently I haven’t read the fine print, and thus far the upgrade works only on iPhones (which I don’t own). So if anybody out there gets the chance to upgrade and install SFNetNews, could you either comment or contact me for a screenshot?

UPDATE: My contact at SourceForge answered my question about installing SFNetNews without the iTunes store, and it’s a negative.

About Rami Taibah

Rami Taibah the founder of The Linuxologist and a self proclaimed geek and Linux aficionado. This fall, he will be pursuing an MIMS degree at UC Berkeley, California. You can follow him on Twitter @rtaibah.

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  • Nice blog, i have added it to my favourites, greetings
  • Vadi
    Hey, it's jeni the troll again!
  • Vadim P.
    Hey, it's jeni the troll again!
  • @Seamus, before passing accusations and flaming, why don't you actually stop and read for a minute? While the official press release didn't mention installing apps, the SourceForge blog does.

    Ya I hope my iTouch gets bricked also, it's worthless anyways, I just use it as wireless device every now and then anyways.

    Update: Looks like you were right Seamus! I misunderstood the "grab the latest releases from freshmeat" as "install", my source confirmed that it just an alert...which would make more sense anyways.
  • @Seamus, before passing accusations and flaming, why don't you actually stop and read for a minute? While the official press release didn't mention installing apps, the SourceForge blog does.

    Ya I hope my iTouch gets bricked also, it's worthless anyways, I just use it as wireless device every now and then anyways.

    Update: Looks like you were right Seamus! I misunderstood the "grab the latest releases from freshmeat" as "install", my source confirmed that it just an alert...which would make more sense anyways.
  • Bryan
    @John
    The new ones can.
  • Bryan
    @John
    The new ones can.
  • John Roberts
    I really dont see what all the fuss is about. The IPhone cannot even act as a high speed modem for crying out loud.
    www.FireMe.To/udi
  • John Roberts
    I really dont see what all the fuss is about. The IPhone cannot even act as a high speed modem for crying out loud.
    www.FireMe.To/udi
  • Monarch
    Ipod Touch Firmware 2.0:
    http://content.info.apple.com/ProtectedAsset/iPod/osx/bundles/061-4957.20080711.Fr43E/iPod1%2C1_2.0_5A347_Restore.ipsw

    Haven't tried it myself, but seems like most people are saying its working.
  • Monarch
    Ipod Touch Firmware 2.0:
    http://content.info.apple.com/ProtectedAsset/iPod/osx/bundles/061-4957.20080711.Fr43E/iPod1%2C1_2.0_5A347_Restore.ipsw

    Haven't tried it myself, but seems like most people are saying its working.
  • Seamus
    This entry is full of falsities. The application will let users browse those sites, no where in the referenced article does it mention that applications can be installed. Why would you install apps through an official apple installer?

    You are full of shit who most likely wrote this entry to get featured on digg. I hope you brick your iTouch. Dick.
  • Seamus
    This entry is full of falsities. The application will let users browse those sites, no where in the referenced article does it mention that applications can be installed. Why would you install apps through an official apple installer?

    You are full of shit who most likely wrote this entry to get featured on digg. I hope you brick your iTouch. Dick.
  • jeni
    An intresting note about SourceForge is that it used to be called ColdStorage and that was where projects went to die.
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