firmly.0cpm
===========

Digital phones are small computers and are thus equipped
with built-in software.  This is usually called firmware
to reflect the fact that this software isn't really very
soft, as it is difficult to create or replace.

This project is alternate firmware for digital phones,
named "firmly.0cpm" and hosted on http://firmly.0cpm.org/

This alternate firmware is special in various ways.  The
idea of being able to innovate telephony is the major
driving force behind them.

This work is Copyright (c) 2011 OpenFortress, Rick van Rein
but it may be used freely; read the LICENCSE for details.


Open source
-----------

The problem with many current phones is that each
manufacturer wants to invent their own firmware.  This lack
of sharing makes the market situation one hampered by
just-functioning phones.  The result is a lock-in of
phone manufacturers and telecom operators, who have come
to a standstill with a service that does little more than
simulate old-fashioned analog telephony.

Digital telephony means that you are using a communications
device with generic computing abilities.  You can do a
lot more if you control the firmware in a software fashion.

This firmware was created to give control back to the
users of such phones.  And to break through the mutual
impairment between telecom operators and phone manufacturers.

Manufacturers of phones would be wise to adopt this openly
shared firmware, but they should also realise that they
will be obliged to share any improvements that they make,
including porting to their platform, and that they are
formally obliged to permit end users to replace the firmware
with their own.  This is a legal obligation, as a direct
result of the open source licensing.  There is of course
no obligation for a manufacturer to support such different
versions of firmware, as long as they don't try to block
it from being used.

If you own a phone that is not currently able to run a port
of this firmware, you may want to contact a hacker who will
usually enjoy the challenge of replacing the firmware for
you.  Unlike what a cracker does, this is usually legal as
it is just reverse engineering, rather than abusive access
to someone else's device.  Depending on the make and model
of your phone the hacker may fail or succeed; depending on
those same factors and the level of determination/payment
of your hacker, it may end up in a software-based install
or it may require per-device hardware tinkering.  Please
realise that your hacker too will want to, and usually
be obliged by our license, to share the results of his
work publicly.  You may want to look for others who can
contribute in the work so you benefit from sharing too.


The 0cpm network
----------------

We provide a calling network that you may use with this phone,
although you are not in any way obliged to do so.  Please do
keep in mind that the firmware was created in support of the
0cpm calling network, which in itself aims at innovating the
area of digital telephony, and that it aims to profitably
integrate open source solutions and external service
providers as part of a "calling service community".

We have created other tools as well, to help this network
to flourish.  These are a few pointers of interest:

http://0cpm.com/  --  Phone service, free or commercial.
http://0cpm.org/  --  Software development.
http://0cpm.net/  --  Calling service community.


Direct connections
------------------

Privacy
-------

Zero configuration
------------------

POTS integration
----------------

LAN integration
---------------