Re: Installing Debian on an android device
Joe wrote:
> I think that the Holy Grail for many people is a genuinely pocket-sized
> computer with Internet, GPS, etc., running a real, general-purpose
> operating system, not a marketing medium. I have an Acer One netbook,
> which is nearly what I want except for the size. But then, I do like a
> real keyboard, that doesn't disappear just as a web form is about to
> time out...
>
> There may also be the hope that with a proper OS, they will control the
> device instead of just about anyone on the planet who wants to track
> the owner, collect his data or listen in. That's probably not a
> realistic goal.
>
> The manufacturers of tablets and smartphones are almost certainly under
> some pressure to make it as difficult as possible to run an alternative
> OS, in addition to the commercial pressure, of course. It's quite
> noticeable that the last couple of versions of Windows have tried quite
> hard to discourage people from using non-Microsoft-approved
> applications, and to make it appear that an account with Microsoft is
> essential in order to even use the computer. That's the direction we're
> heading in, not the other way.
Jolla (SailFish OS) is exactly what you are writing here. However OEMs are
hard to win for small number of devices/low number of sales. So until the
mass does not care what they use and who is tracking them or abusing their
personal data, it will be much harder to get a device with meaningful OS.
IMO ATM there is more freedom regarding such things in the BRICS world than
here in the US$ dominated one.
The reason is that there at gov. level is a concern about espionage and govs
are looking for alternatives.
I wrote this because before Jolla there was Nokia and MeeGo, which was
running on debian - a great phone Nokia N9.
SailFish and the Mer project are continuation of the former, but if you
don't have working OS , you don't have customers. If you don't have
customers, you don't have working OS. I had to import one (Intex AquaFish)
from India and it is indeed a very good phone.
I read few days ago a pre order for a tablet with SailFish OS for about
220,- US$
https://together.jolla.com/question/136143/wiki-available-devices-running-sailfish-os/?answer=163705#post-id-163705
They are also working on porting SailFish OS to Sony Xperia X and it will be
released in the close future. And there are the community ports, which are
missing Dalvik (Android emulator), so you can't use android apps.
So if you are looking for phone or tablet with alternative OS (which is
actually working - not like Firefox or Ubuntu phone or whatever that never
worked or was extremely unfriendly), you better look in this direction.
We can just hope that things will change for good in the future and the
monopoly of the spying OS's will be broken, but again the masses must be
educated, because they are major player.
regards
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