Question: How to create a support nightmare?
Answer: Ask users to overwrite files regardless of what version they have installed with the package manager.

We have a package manager. This means that every installed binary is versioned. This means that with opkg list_installed people can find out what you have installed. Now if you leave the package manager path and randomly ask our friends to overwrite their system libraries with other things found on the net you ask for chaos, fire flames and a lot of breakage. You will create the myth that the latest packaged version is not good enough and even two years from now they will replace the library because the all mighty internet says so. Please let us not go that path.

Instead do something that benefits everyone, do not post binaries (besides the difficulty with the GPL compliance), file a bug report, set HasPatch in the keywords. Within a day new packages should arrive in testing. If this is not the case you have all rights to kick me or anyone else doing work for Openmoko but please do not post binaries! With opkg you can install a _single_ package by giving it the http path to. So one can upgrade only the Qtopia Phone Vendor plugin for the Freerunner if one wants to.

So please file bug reports, attach the patch, upgraded packages will be available shortly afterwards. Everyone is interested in making fixes available as soon as possible (as package though) this is what is unique with Openmoko, everything is publicly avaiable (bugtracker, testing packages…).

Personally Eris is one of my gods but for a phone and being able to support people I prefer sanity over chaos. sorry.