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Extreme confusion regarding RB on Creative ZV:M

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kishkizzle:
I really wish my first post here could have been on a more positive note...

I've been watching the RockBox project since I got my player, a black Creative ZV:M (ZEN Vision:M) 60GB (the chunky one) a couple years ago. When I first looked into it, as far as I could tell, prospects were bleak and there was a lot of doubt about it ever working.

Let me say that I LOVE the idea and the drive behind the project, and I think it's awesome that people are dedicating themselves to it. The end result, which I'm sure someday there will be, will be spectacular.

My problem is this: I do not understand this website. I do not understand the posts on this website. I do not understand the wiki on this website. I know, this is a technical thing, and I am not a technophobe to any extent, but sometimes I just prefer the "simple version". The next time I see "the diff file", "the SVN", or a page jam packed with files whose descriptions cannot be understood by a newcomer, I will smash my mouse into a billion pieces.

That being said...I am very interested in this project. Let me explain what I believe I know so far:

-There is a functional version of RockBox which has been booted on a ZV:M.
-This version has done nothing more than booted and performed basic menu commands.
-There is no audio or extra feature support of any kind yet.
-No operations involving putting RB on the ZV:M can be done without disassembling it first.
-The RB ZV:M port is very much active and being worked on regularly.

If anyone has any corrections for me, please tell me.

On top of that, I would just like to know the "simple version" of the status on RB for the ZV:M. I really don't know how else to ask for it...just a simple, "every day normal words" version.

Please, and thank you. I have read the threads about this, and I believe I have seen all of the information about it...I just don't know what on Earth is going on.

Thank you,
kishkizzle

Llorean:
There's no "simple version" because things aren't ready for people who need such a simple version of information yet. This is a technical project, and discussion continues at a technical level until such time as it's in a complete enough state that things can be brought down to a non-technical level.

At this point if discussion of diffing, compiling, using SVN or other things which (by the standards of the people doing the work) aren't that particularly technical (they're sorta "entry level" in terms of actually being able to contribute at all) you probably shouldn't be concerning yourself with its status beyond "not ready for you to use yet." Trying to play with what exists so far will probably cause you to run head first into needing to learn what these mean anyway.

kishkizzle:
Ah, see, that's what I wanted. LOL!

I understand it is entry level stuff, and again, I am not a technophobe, and as far as the IBM compatible PC goes, I know more than very, very many people in every category there is....but as far as this stuff goes...I consider my mp3 player as a single unit. A single unit which just works, and works well.

For the record, my player has locked up a total of under 10 times in its lifetime. Apparently, this is quite a good track record.

I like trying new things, but when it relates to this 'single unit', I simply don't care how it works, as long as it does work. I know I'm not the only one who thinks that way but still wants to try third party firmware.

Thanks again for all the good work you folks are doing...and I really do mean this as constructive feedback when I say the site is a little tough to figure out for the first couple visits, even for someone who is no "n00b" in general, but who is to this particular aspect of technology.

GodEater:

--- Quote from: kishkizzle on August 04, 2008, 08:46:25 PM ---I understand it is entry level stuff, and again, I am not a technophobe, and as far as the IBM compatible PC goes, I know more than very, very many people in every category there is....but as far as this stuff goes...I consider my mp3 player as a single unit. A single unit which just works, and works well.

--- End quote ---

Just for the record, all the items you listed in the first post as "thing you don't understand" are in no way specific to mp3 players. They are aspects of technology used in all manner of development projects that run on PCs - so as someone who is "not a technophobe" and knows "more than very, very many people" it's perhaps time you learned a bit more?

kishkizzle:
Ah, touché, however, I am not referring to the aspects common to other areas such as drive interfaces, format types, and IO...I am referring to terms specific to MP3 players and concepts specific to them.

I'm always up for more learning, but I need a finished product before I can (visual learner = requires end result to backtrack through development). For example, I can take apart an optical mouse, look at the assorted components, determine the essentials of how it works, and then study it in action, after which I can research components which I do not understand. Traditionally backwards as far as development goes, but it's how I learn. Since nobody has "fully 100% perfectly completed" anything for the ZV:M I am lost until they do.

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