LINUX on a smarphone (1 Viewer)

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any one fancy this then?

can see it on a tablet maybe due to the screen size, but on a phone???
 

GJH

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A smartphone is only a computer and Linux is only an OS so, assuming the OS is compatible with the hardware and includes the necessary functions, it doesn't really matter what the OS is. Any functionality restrictions resulting from screen size will be the same whatever the OS.
 

rainbow chasers

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It is responding to the boom in use of 'mobile' devices for use of the internet. Whereas years ago, WAP was costly thus hardly used by many, current systems push internet use.

The 'gap' here is cross platform applications between devices all operating different systems. Currently you need a HMTL5 website to be compatible which is still fairly modern - most sites are in html5, and most online shops are linux
based.

A linux phone is poking the others in the eye, as it would in theory be able to access mainstream sites from a mobile platform without modification. Shopping online has risen by 80% in the last few years. Many businesses are either rewriting websites, or offering m-comm websites as a sister site to their main desk-top.

If this OS took off, they wouldn't have to in theory - though many would have changed by the time this ever became big enough.

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Feb 27, 2011
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Erm, sorry to tell you this but Android is Linux.
 
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I think the article was specific to Ubuntu..

It was, But Ubuntu is only one linux distribution. People confuse linux with linux distributions a lot.

for those that don't know...

Linux is only the kernel. This is the heart of any computer operating system. It deals with hardware interfacing, IO, memory management and process management (ie multitasking).

sitting on top of the Kernel is the Tool chain. This handles the boot process and core system features such as compilers, the C library and other tools. In most linux distributions the GNU toolchain is used. Android however uses their own tool chain sitting on top of the linux kernel.

On top of all this is the GUI or Graphical User Interface. This is the bit that the user sees.

GNU/Linux has many user interfaces including KDE, Gnome, XFCE, LXDE, Busybox and the list goes on.

Android/Linux uses its own which I suppose you would call Android.

Ubuntu uses Broken Link Removed which was written by the company (Canonical) itself. But you can get other versions of Ubuntu Xbuntu running XFCE, Kubuntu running KDE, Lubuntu running LXDE

Linux (the kernel) is a brilliant bit of software engineering that can run on anything from the smallest realtime gadget all the way up to supercomputers with thousands of processors. 92% of all super computers run Linux. Linux based tablets (mainly android) had a 55% market share in the last financial qtr and will overtake IOS based tablets in early 2013. In the phone market linux has a 75% market share in the last financial qtr.

You will find Linux in your set top boxes, PVR's, in your car entertainment systems and your Satnavs. It is also popular in NAS boxes and much much more.

Linux supports all major processors, including Intel, AMD, ARM, PowerPC and other supercomputers. So it covers the whole range from low power to multicore behemoths..

The beauty of Linux is its versatility and openness. If you don't like one particular bit of the OS you just change it. You don't need to ask Microsoft or Apple for permission you just get on and do it.
I move around OS quite a bit but have finally settled on Linux Mint using XFCE as my desktop. Linux mint was based on Ubuntu which is based on Debian (confused much). I like it because it is not one of these glamourised OS's with lots of prettyness that only serve to slow your computer down. It is the Arial Atoms of OS's stripped down to its core essentials so you can get the job done. However I can log out of this desktop and log back in on KDE at any time and have all the 3D rotating cube desktops and wobbly windows and translucent task bars if I feel like it. I can do this without rebooting the computer...

So is Linux ready for the Mobile phone platform.. Definately YES. Is Ubuntu Unity ready I would say no... I hate unity with a passion.
 

ShiftZZ

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It was, But Ubuntu is only one linux distribution. People confuse linux with linux distributions a lot.

for those that don't know...

Linux is only the kernel. This is the heart of any computer operating system. It deals with hardware interfacing, IO, memory management and process management (ie multitasking).

sitting on top of the Kernel is the Tool chain. This handles the boot process and core system features such as compilers, the C library and other tools. In most linux distributions the GNU toolchain is used. Android however uses their own tool chain sitting on top of the linux kernel.

On top of all this is the GUI or Graphical User Interface. This is the bit that the user sees.

GNU/Linux has many user interfaces including KDE, Gnome, XFCE, LXDE, Busybox and the list goes on.

Android/Linux uses its own which I suppose you would call Android.

Ubuntu uses Broken Link Removed which was written by the company (Canonical) itself. But you can get other versions of Ubuntu Xbuntu running XFCE, Kubuntu running KDE, Lubuntu running LXDE

Linux (the kernel) is a brilliant bit of software engineering that can run on anything from the smallest realtime gadget all the way up to supercomputers with thousands of processors. 92% of all super computers run Linux. Linux based tablets (mainly android) had a 55% market share in the last financial qtr and will overtake IOS based tablets in early 2013. In the phone market linux has a 75% market share in the last financial qtr.

You will find Linux in your set top boxes, PVR's, in your car entertainment systems and your Satnavs. It is also popular in NAS boxes and much much more.

Linux supports all major processors, including Intel, AMD, ARM, PowerPC and other supercomputers. So it covers the whole range from low power to multicore behemoths..

The beauty of Linux is its versatility and openness. If you don't like one particular bit of the OS you just change it. You don't need to ask Microsoft or Apple for permission you just get on and do it.
I move around OS quite a bit but have finally settled on Linux Mint using XFCE as my desktop. Linux mint was based on Ubuntu which is based on Debian (confused much). I like it because it is not one of these glamourised OS's with lots of prettyness that only serve to slow your computer down. It is the Arial Atoms of OS's stripped down to its core essentials so you can get the job done. However I can log out of this desktop and log back in on KDE at any time and have all the 3D rotating cube desktops and wobbly windows and translucent task bars if I feel like it. I can do this without rebooting the computer...

So is Linux ready for the Mobile phone platform.. Definately YES. Is Ubuntu Unity ready I would say no... I hate unity with a passion.

Yes I know what Linux is, the article was UBUNTU specific, hence my posting...

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reader

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The Raspberry Pi computer is Linux based and the pcb is about the same size as current leading smartphones.

Its available with 256 or 512mb ram and uses an SD card as a HD so I cant see any reason why a Linux based phone wouldnt be practical with the amount of memory and storage available in modern phones

Agree with Gromett though, dont think it would be Ubuntu based at this moment in time. If they bin the current interface, maybe
 
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Yes I know what Linux is, the article was UBUNTU specific, hence my posting...

I know mate, my post wasn't aimed at you:winky:

The Raspberry Pi computer is Linux based and the pcb is about the same size as current leading smartphones.

Its available with 256 or 512mb ram and uses an SD card as a HD so I cant see any reason why a Linux based phone wouldnt be practical with the amount of memory and storage available in modern phones

Agree with Gromett though, dont think it would be Ubuntu based at this moment in time. If they bin the current interface, maybe

The Ubuntu Unity interface is aimed at multiplatform use. Unfortunately it is a jack of all trades and master of none and sucks on the desktop (in my opinion)...
 
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something i didnt put in in the opening post...way to early!!

how will google/apple/etc react to this this, given the decent free apps etc that are available through LINUX distros, which make a tablet running UBUNTU a very viable alternative to a laptop/netbook...for my use anyway!!

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GJH

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What does it matter what distribution of Linux is used so long as it does the job it is supposed to?

A few weeks ago I bought a Bosch electric screwdriver. It came with a range of bits which allow me to use it with a range of different (slot & cross headed) screws. To that extent it is a jack of all trades compared to individual manual screwdrivers - but it does the job a lot better :Smile:

A computer is a tool, nothing more. No tool has to be a master so long as it can do the job required :Smile:
 
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something i didnt put in in the opening post...way to early!!

how will google/apple/etc react to this this, given the decent free apps etc that are available through LINUX distros, which make a tablet running UBUNTU a very viable alternative to a laptop/netbook...for my use anyway!!

I don't think it will be a viable alternative to android. It simply lacks polish and reliability.

No tool has to be a master so long as it can do the job required :Smile:
But on the desktop you have a large range of free options that are designed to take full advantage of the space available why would you want a crippled desktop that is also designed to run on the tablets/phones. The same goes the other way. A great desktop user interface would be really crappy on a tablet. Designing an interface that is suitable for both would be impossible in my view.
 

GJH

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But on the desktop you have a large range of free options that are designed to take full advantage of the space available why would you want a crippled desktop that is also designed to run on the tablets/phones. The same goes the other way. A great desktop user interface would be really crappy on a tablet. Designing an interface that is suitable for both would be impossible in my view.

That isn't the point. The vast majority of people who buy phones, computers, cars and many other devices haven't a clue how they work and how to use all their capabilities. They just buy a device to do a job. If it does that job it doesn't matter to most people how cut down (or bloated) the underlying mechanism is; they just want it to do what they bought it for.

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That isn't the point. The vast majority of people who buy phones, computers, cars and many other devices haven't a clue how they work and how to use all their capabilities. They just buy a device to do a job. If it does that job it doesn't matter to most people how cut down (or bloated) the underlying mechanism is; they just want it to do what they bought it for.

I agree, but I am saying that unity/ubuntu won't do the job as it isn't designed purely for the phone. It will be a poor relation to android which was designed from the ground up to be a phone/touch OS.
Have you tried Unity for more than 5 minutes? I persevered with it for a week before I came to the conclusion that it just doesn't work. It gets in the way of what you want to do. Even basic desktop features such as a minimise button on each window has to be patched in and even then doesn't work as you want it to.
 
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I stand corrected sorry. I have just installed ubuntu/trinity on my system under KVM and there is a minimise button now... I still don't like it though. Android, Blackberry OS and IOS are so much nicer for tablet. XFCE and KDE are so much better for the desktop...
Unity falls in the middle and fails on both in my opinion.
I am sticking with my BB playbook for my tablet and with XFCE/KDE for my desktop.
 

GJH

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If the OS turns out to be too much of a poor relation it won't sell. One has only to look at PDF, though, to see something used for much more than it was actually designed to do. Even though it doesn't do some things particularly well it does them well enough for many people to use it.

Having experience of both Android (on the Samsung Galaxy) Blackberry OS (in the Playbook) I would definitely pick Android as a personal choice but that doesn't mean it is "better" just that I prefer it.

Having been through all the stages of computing over the last 40 odd years from punched cards/tape on, I can't be bothered messing about with any flavours of Linux on my laptop. I replaced my Windows 7 laptop with a Windows 8 one a week ago and it runs like a dream. It just isn't worth the hassle of messing about with Linux when the ease of use is there already.

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