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Android: not-so-open open source

Posted by linuxwriter on · 2 comments
iTWire; By Sam Varghese 		Mail this story
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Android is the new operating system on the block. It has claims to being open source but exactly how far do those claims hold up?

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Comments (2)

caitlyn ·
I can download the Android source code for each and every release. That means it meets the Open Source definition. It's largely released under an Apache license and vendors can add (or not add) proprietary bits and pieces as they see fit. Those pieces are not FOSS but the underlying Android OS still is.

As Varghese himself points out (and then promptly ignores) at one time the FSF released code with source only available at the time of each release. There is nothing in the GPL or the Apache license to make every bit of development code that is not released open.

He complains that root is disabled on many Android devices. Doesn't Ubuntu try to lock up root as well? Does that mean Ubuntu, which Varghese often champions, isn't Open either? Hmmm...

It seems to me that Mr. Varghese found a new target and to heck with any facts that don't support his attack.
mbaehrlxer ·
ubuntu does not lock up root. sudo is there and you do not need to jump through hoops or possibly void the waranty of your device to get root access.

greetings, eMBee.

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