==== As ANN TV has learned, LINARO is going to shutter the 96Boards project with immediate effect and refocus on writing ARM software. Remaining stock at manufacturers and distributors is to be bought by LINARO and put in a LAVA cloud project. Engineering resources will be made redundant, management move to a strategy project codenamed "Hootenanny".
Internal sources are being quoted, that the failure to produce a coherent and implementable spec which would yield a useable development board was the deciding factor. Despite being in the works for a long time and a lot of internal and even occasional external feedback the spec remains in its original state. It was impossible for manufacturers to come up with even one compliant product, actually most were abandoned in the design stage or right after being announced and never became available.
A HW design engineer at one of the board manufacturers went on record "It's as if this spec was written by software people who never held a soldering iron. Let them fix it in software then." He requested to remain anonymous.
LINARO management said that the 96borads project was immensely successful, but strategic focus had evolved. When asked to elaborate they added "It may depend on your definition of 'immense' and 'successful'.". ====
Well, I guess that answers some questions - doesn't it?
Thomas
PS: If you haven't yet, check your calendar.