I use a local shell even less than I make phone calls

Posted Aug 23, 2013 10:05 UTC (Fri) by andresfreund (subscriber, #69562)
In reply to: I use a local shell even less than I make phone calls by tialaramex
Parent article: Ubuntu Edge: founder says failure isn't the end of the dream (Guardian)

I think it's pretty clear that "running bash" includes more than just the ability to have a shell. It's about being able to a) run arbitrary software if you think it's a good idea b) get some measure of low level access to the system.
Musing about the actual importance of a shell on a phone seems to miss the point.

I use a local shell even less than I make phone calls

Posted Aug 23, 2013 13:21 UTC (Fri) by tialaramex (subscriber, #21167) [Link]

Running arbitrary software is something you get everywhere except Apple's walled garden. Even the feature phones run arbitrary software, it's just that the limits of what the phone can do are pretty abrupt. Every feature phone I've seen can run the Java MIDP mOTP software we use as a second factor for authorising people despite probably not one of their vendors specifically envisioned or tested that use.

The measure of low level access comes down to: it runs Linux. If you choose a phone from a good vendor, you will get kernel source that you can hack, and (if you're the sort of person who'd have been able to get Linux working twenty years ago on their PS/2) install that new kernel on your phone, hopefully not bricking it in the process.

The secrecy is a related but separate issue. Linux can send arbitrary bytes to the mysterious command ring buffer on the GPU. But unless you know what those bytes do you likely can't get a picture without running the binary blob. If you want to be able to fix bugs in the 3D drivers then "I want to run bash" is a funny way of saying it.