LiMo vs Android [LWN.net]

LiMo vs Android

Posted May 16, 2008 5:28 UTC (Fri) by pabs (subscriber, #43278)
In reply to: LiMo vs Android by rfunk
Parent article: Verizon joins open Linux mobile group ‘LiMo’ (CrunchGear)

I wouldn't count on Android phones being open enough. I'll be getting an OpenMoko Freerunner
myself (as my first mobile phone ever).

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LiMo vs Android

Posted May 17, 2008 11:03 UTC (Sat) by drag (subscriber, #31333) [Link]

It all depends on how locked down the phone is.

They have to release the source code to the Linux kernel and the low-level userland (busybox,
I assume), but there is nothing that says that they have to let you modify the phone's
software.

If they turn it into a TiVo then that's going to suck. Given their track record I have my
doubts that it's going to be open. Oh well.

LiMo vs Android

Posted May 17, 2008 18:10 UTC (Sat) by rfunk (subscriber, #4054) [Link]

Which "they" are you talking about, Google or OpenMoko?

LiMo vs Android

Posted May 18, 2008 8:10 UTC (Sun) by muwlgr (guest, #35359) [Link]

You would guess, Google, of course.

LiMo vs Android

Posted May 18, 2008 15:57 UTC (Sun) by rfunk (subscriber, #4054) [Link]

But the whole point of Android is for people to add third-party apps on top of their Java 
stack.

True, they may not let you mess with lower-level stuff, but I don't want to be messing in 
C or C++ for my cell phone.