• 2 Posts
  • 219 Comments
Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: January 28th, 2025

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  • I was not precise. I should have said gnu-Linux to differentiate from Linux as just the kernel, my bad. It’s gnu-libux that gives you that feel you are on the family even if you have ubuntu or Gentoo.

    But I beg to differ: AOSP cannot be called Linux in any way. It happens to use Linux as a kernel as you say, but lacks everything that make an SO typically Linux(or gnu-linux):

    • starting from the base of the system, AOSP doesn’t use libc s system library like gnu-Linux
    • even the C++ STD library of AOSP is incompatible as it lacks RTTI
    • doesn’t use anything like systemd or the init system (unless mod-added)
    • has a totally different HAL which is not compatible between the two
    • has a totally different network tooling stack
    • has a totally incompatible GUI layer
    • Most of android drivers have a thin kernel layer plus a huge proprietary AOSP layer libraries which are not gnu-Linux compatible
    • the entire ecosystem of AOSP is kotlin/JavaScript instead of just being language agnostic

    So no, you cannot say at all that AOSP is Linux after all. While you can run gnu-Linux binaries on android, and viceversa, you must provide a complete environment around them, like termux. It’s more a container like approach.

    They only share a kernel and there have been plans to replace that too.


  • Given how many years people is answering LineageOS or GrapheneOS, I would like to state that “LineageOS” or “Graphene” means Android.

    Yeah, those are all android under the hood.

    Maybe customized to various depths and details, but still it’s android.

    It’s much more correct to say that Lineage or Graphene are Android than saying that Android is Linux.

    Both Lineage and Graphene would not exists and could not exists without Google developing the AOSP.

    While they improve stock Android quite a lot, they are still Android.

    I stress this because lots of people think that those could be alternatives to Android and the Google monopoly, but it’s not true. Only a true Linux mobile OS would be.



  • Its like putting an Audi engine inside a Ford and complaining that making it run is hard.

    Complain with cyberpunk developers that didn’t developed also for Linux, but only for windows instead.

    I find it incredible that you can even try to run a windows game on linux.

    Try run a native android app on iphone or vice versa…


  • Are you afraid that others might use your work and make money out of it?

    You want to protect freedom of access to your work?

    You want to have it available and still be able to make a profit yourself?

    You looking into ways to distribute or promote your work?

    Myself, I generally go GPLv3 because I believe that’s the right thing to do, but public domain (or MIT) is also popular. Something like LGPL or BSD might appeal if you plan to use it in a commercial/industrial framework.

    Also, are you sure that the binary you started from is actually free to use and you are not infringing somebody copyright? Keep in mind that time here is no protection. 15y or 20y old code/binaries can still be fought for by the original owners (Nintendo knows something about that kind of fights…)