[sf-lug] Mobile Linux, glibc, Java

[Michael Shiloh]

I love my N900 running real(tm) Linux!

On 02/07/2011 10:49 PM, Alison Chaiken wrote:
> Claimer: I work for Nokia on the MeeGo (formerly Maemo) project.
>
> Brian Morris<cymraegish at gmail.com>  writes:
>> Is Android really Linux though, any more than iOS is MacOS (using the same kernels I mean).
>
> Android differs more notably from mainline Linux in its use of a Java
> Virtual Machine to run user-space programs, as noted.   However, its
> kernel is also substantially different from that of mainline Linux, as
> it uses different interprocess communication, security, shared memory
> and power management methods.   Android represents a substantial fork
> of the Linux kernel and of Java as well, which is why Oracle is suing
> Google: http://gigaom.com/2010/10/05/android-swimming-with-the-patent-sharks/
>
>> I am pretty much decided on Maemo, I just don't know when I can get some hardware.
>
> Brian, the very last smartphone with Maemo is the N900, which is still
> available.   I'm using an N900 and am happy with it although it is a
> bit long in the tooth now.  New devices will run MeeGo.      Here are
> some resources:
>
> http://wiki.meego.com/MeeGo_Media_Coverage
>
> There's also an article in the March _Linux Journal_.   Bottom line
> is, MeeGo netbook image is quite workable right now on tablets, slates
> and netbooks that run Atom.    You get real xterms (not busybox), good
> old X11 and a yum-like package manager called zypper that can install
> emacs, diffutils, gcc, etc.
>
> The handset image is not quite ready for prime time yet.    There will
> be more devices after the 1.2 release in May, which coincides with a
> big free conference in San Francisco:
> http://wiki.meego.com/MeeGo_Conference_Spring_2011
>
> Rick comments;
>>   at least iPhone OS use the same libc as does its MacOS ancestor.  ;->
>
> Indeed, besides the differences noted above, Android using a
> glibc-replacement called Bionic rather than the small-footprint
> version of glibc called uClibc that embedded Linuxes most commonly
> choose.
>
>> I do like my (root-hacked) B&N Nook ebook reader, though, which is an
>> Android device, and I've added a bunch of third-party applications
>> publicised through nookdevs.com .
>
> Until recently I was using an HTC G1 unlocked phone and was fairly
> happy with it, despite its lack of memory.
>

-- 
Michael Shiloh
KA6RCQ
www.teachmetomake.com
teachmetomake.wordpress.com