How many Ubuntu Phones there are?

Re:How many Ubuntu Phones there are? by simonh on Monday September 28, 2015 @08:41AM (#10290116)

I'm not trolling, but genuinely curious. Android runs on a Linux kernel, as does Tizen and probably several other phone OSes. What makes the Canonical phone more Linux than these for Linux fans? Presumably it's more like a desktop linux distro in some ways, but if so what ways?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How many Ubuntu Phones there are? by maheart on Monday September 28, 2015 @09:35AM (#10290369)

Android uses the Linux kernel. That's where the similarities between Android and GNU/Linux end.

Ubuntu Touch is GNU/Linux. It is largely[1] made up of "standard" GNU/Linux components (e.g. glibc, systemd [soon], BASH, gcc, Pulseaudio, Gstreamer, NetworkManager, Telepathy, oFono, BlueZ, deb, apt).

This has several advantages:

1. People familiar with GNU/Linux can re-use their existing knowledge

2. The GNU/Linux ecosystem is developed by a lot of different parties. If you feel you can do better you can write your own components and swap them in (e.g. as Canonical did with Mir)

3. A community (or business) can develop their own "spins" (distros), which could extend the lifetime of your mobile (security fixes!)

4. It's a real pleasure to develop software on your Linux desktop, knowing there'll be less friction getting it to work on Linux on the mobile.

[1] The exception probably being using Mir instead of Wayland

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How many Ubuntu Phones there are? by JupiterMoon on Monday September 28, 2015 @09:26AM (#10290317)

Android development is not open (Google code dumps each release) and Android does not use the GNU userland based stack.

EDIT Also Android functionality is gradually moving into the propriety Google libraries.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How many Ubuntu Phones there are? by vegabook on Monday September 28, 2015 @03:04PM (#10292325)

Android basically forces you to use Java. Enough said.

[ Parent | on HN ]